But it was too late now. He could do nothing. He could only look at the
shining sea on which the ship would bear her that very night.
His inaction and solitude began to torture him. If he went in he knew he
could not sleep. The mere thought of the festa would prevent him from
sleeping. Again he looked at the lights of Castel Vecchio. He saw only
one now, and imagined it set in the window of Pancrazio's house. He even
fancied that down the mountain-side and across the ravine there floated
to him the faint wail of the ceramella playing a dance measure.
Suddenly he knew that he could not remain all night alone on the
mountain-side.
He went quickly into the cottage, got his soft hat, then went from room
to room, closing the windows and barring the wooden shutters. When he had
come out again upon the steps and locked the cottage door he stood for a
moment hesitating with the large door-key in his hand. He said to himself
that he was going to the festa at Castel Vecchio. Of course he was going
there, to dance the country dances and join in the songs of Sicily. He
slipped the key into his pocket and went down the steps to the terrace.
But there he hesitated again. He took the key out of his pocket, looked
at it as it lay in his hand, then put it down on the sill of the
sitting-room window.
"If any one comes, there isn't very much to steal," he thought. "And,
perhaps--" Again he looked at the lights of Castel Vecchio, then down
towards the sea. The star of the sea shone steadily and seemed to summon
him. He left the key on the window-sill, with a quick gesture pulled his
hat-brim down farther over his eyes, hastened along the terrace, and,
turning to the left beyond the archway, took the path that led through
the olive-trees towards Isola Bella and the sea.
Through the wonderful silence of the night among the hills there came now
a voice that was thrilling to his ears--the voice of youth by the sea
calling to the youth that was in him.
Hermione was travelling to her friend. Must he remain quite friendless?
All the way down to the sea he heard the calling of the voice.