Before my eyes Like a flower field
Scotland, 1785.
The cold and fog, I penetrated to the bone, I have numb legs and hearts in turmoil. The carriage pulled by two horses blacks, is going through the heath at full speed. The road is bumpy and I bounce all the time. The back begins to ache. The coachman, sitting on the box, and makes whip the horses. Clutching the anatomy book given to me by Mary in which she has hidden a letter to me: I do not need to read it, now I know by heart every word. I recite it as if it were a prayer.
Beside me sat a gray-haired sixty who calmly smoking a cigar. In front of two women: the first is a pretty girl of twenty, dressed with simplicity and modesty, is reading a novel , sometimes looks at me and smiles, and the second knitting . looking assume that they are mother and daughter.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Anche she loves leggere>> says the young, turning to me. It has a cheerful voice and sweet, I look up and watch.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Sì, but this is a book I was just looking at the anatomia, illustrazioni,'m dettagliate>>, say.
\u0026lt;'Oh but she has since medico?> a>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Sì, this is my lavoro>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;I never would have said, is very young. I've always known senior doctors>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Anche the senior doctors at the beginning of their careers were not giovani, crede?>>. The girl smiles and hides her face in the pages of the book .
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Sta going paziente?> a> asks me. The mother stops knitting and berates her daughter
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Rose not to disturb the dottore>>.
\u0026lt;No disorder lady, indeed it is I who must apologize for not having yet made. They are Dr. Mckay Andrew Mckay>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Nice to meet you, I am Anne Elliot and this is my daughter Rose. Rose Elliot>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Ed I'm Robert Anderson>> said the old man sitting next to me, breaking his long silence.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Piacere>> answered in chorus.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;I'm not going to be a patient, but in Blackburn, where I live . I hope to arrive by this evening, I attend to a personal matter very important and if I were late, the damage will be huge>> , reply to Rose and hear his curiosity .
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Anch'io , with my mother , are there but I have no direct urgenza>> responding.
Suddenly the sun is obscured by a huge black cloud, I lean out the window of the coach to better observe the sky, I note the coachman and cries
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;The next post we should stop. We can not continue with this storm coming>> .
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Avevate promised that by this evening we arrived at Blackburn>> objective .
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;'s too dangerous to continue, it will soon be completely dark and there the risk that a horse breaks a leg, then you will not arrive in time>>. Words of wisdom those of the driver, does not replicate anything, but I let myself fall back into the car and stole my heart in pieces.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Tra fermare, we should just about to bust a bad storm, and it will be too dark to continue viaggio>>, referring to the other passengers , distracted , not have understood what is going to happen. Mr. Anderson has merely a sign of agreement with a movement of the head. Miss Rose realizes that the risk of arriving late at Blackburn and exclaims:
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;For you this is a terrible risk of not arriving in danno, tempo>> .
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Not detto, is if the storm will not last molto, maybe we can recover the time perduto>>, say .
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Not yet you have lost speranze, quindi?>> question Miss Rose.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;No, not yet. How could I, it is my happiness, I could not live knowing that I have done everything possible>>.
A lightning rips the leaden sky, the light illuminates the interior of the coach and illuminates the face of Miss Rose, the rumble of thunder shakes the two women. The rain begins to fall and it seems to have opened the floodgates of heaven. From the carriage window I see a small town, some wooden hut, a fence and the horses tied under a shelter: it is we, the driver stopped the horses ec'invita down.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Luckily we arrived in time, a few more minutes and we would be in big trouble. In the room on your left you will be able to accommodate, you will have the chance of a good lunch. I have to attend to the horses when you can resume the journey I will call>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Correte to ripararvi, I think your bagagli>> , say to women.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Molto kind but you get wet tutto>> , I answered the mother of Rose.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Not to worry I have a change of abiti>> , the calmed.
Let's go. The place is pretty bare but clean. The manager of mail welcomed us warmly , greets us , lights the fire for us to warm us and gives us a lunch .
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Can I warm cabbage soup if you like. Beer is good>>. Accepted. I get the wife and daughter of the innkeeper, it is cheerful-looking teenager with long blond braids , begins to set the table. Wonder if you can change clothes, the manager allows me to go upstairs where I can use for a bit 'of time a vacant room.
After I changed, I get off downstairs for lunch. I note that now Rose is wearing a pink dress fashionable in this period, most likely did arrive from Paris .
Rose, Anne , Mr. Anderson and I are sitting across the table, the soup is delicious I ask a second ration. None of us talk and silence I can hear the sound of rain falling incessantly, I doubt you can be transported as soon as possible. My face is veiled with sadness , Rose the note and , perhaps to distract me, begins to talk about his passion for painting and her desire to visit Paris el 'Italy.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Vedrà to find someone who will meet this desiderio>> I say .
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;The ringrazio, but I'm not sure that will happen so presto>> responds with kindness on his face but I notice a sign of sadness .
Lunch is over but the incessant rain continues, I need to be alone to think. Known on the porch at the back post and I sign out. Standing with his back against the wall, bound Mary's letter.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;The trouble if I'm here with lei?>> . Rose is next to me and note the letter I hold in their hands.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;No disturbo, fact I'm glad to chat with lei>>, I take a break then I ask:
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;If they are not intrusive, I know the reason for his trip to Blackburn?>>. I do not want to talk, I prefer to listen to Rose.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;It is not indiscreet. A Blackburn my family owns a small farm, we sell it. My father died recently and when he is not doing so well for us. My older sister is getting married and with money from the sale will have a dowry>>.
\u0026lt;'I am sorry for the death of his padre, I hope his heart can find serenity in a short tempo, although not facile>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Thank you very much. And because she has such a hurry to get to Blackburn? I bet that is for a woman>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Certo is always a woman to… amore>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;And did not want to tell …>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Not I want but I will do the same for her, she loves the stories d'amore>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;has saw what I was reading the first , on carrozza?>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Yes>>. I take breath and start talking .
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;E 'all started six months ago, a Wednesday at ten in the morning. I had just started to practice as a doctor, I had a few clients because the rumor that the son of Stephen Mckay the blacksmith, had graduated and had started to carry out the medical profession had not yet spread. I was leaving home to go from the one patient who had to phlebotomy , when I saw a luxury car stop at my door. "It 's you Dr. Mckay?" The driver asked me anxiously. I said yes and I learned that the daughter of Lord Drummond, Miss Mary Drummond, was ill and was in urgent need of a doctor, I was the nearest one. The messenger gave me a cloth bag containing ten gold coins. I had never seen so much money in my life. "This is for your trouble, but go up, not waste time," he said. The coach trip was short, the Drummond family was happy to see a doctor to arrive so quickly. They took me to her at once. Miss Mary Drummond is eighteen years old and is beautiful. It 'easy to fall in love with a girl like>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Ed also has a heritage ingente>> , Rose interrupts me.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;I can assure you that the money has nothing to do, it is my desire to marry a woman for her wealth. However, I found Mary sitting on the bed, it was a deathly white, I learned that she had fainted and was taken recently, this was also the third time in a week that he lost consciousness. His parents were worried. I asked permission to be alone with her to visit. He had no physical problem, I was doubtful and just did not understand what could have, then by chance I noticed a handkerchief on the ground , was wet with tears, I remembered, too, have read a newspaper article which talked about the engagement of Miss Lord Rose with Paul Scott. I understood. I was in front of the most common disease of girls of every age: the pain of love.
"I do not want to marry Paul Scott, does not love him, right?" I asked. Mary, like a river, he told me all about her. How was betrothed to Lord Paul Scott just a question of money but that she did not love him, who did not want to spend a life with that being despicable. "Why yes, Paul Scott is a despicable," he confessed, "and just want to get my hands on my dowry." I did not know what to do to calm her down. M'inventai, saying he heard it from my father, a love story with a happy ending. Mary laughed and went color. I promised that I would come back the next day to visit. His parents told him that Mary was anemic, had to eat red meat and go for long walks. "A holiday would do you good," I added. The father agreed with me on the first two points, but stressed that "Mary will be a long honeymoon short."
In the days ahead, after lot of time with Mary, we did long walks and talked. It was logical to happen>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;What v'innamoraste>> Rose adds.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Of course, we fall in love. I should have been more cautious, though. His father noticed that between Mary and me there was a normal doctor-patient relationship>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;What accadde?>> , Rose demand, ever more attentive and curious to know why I was there, in the midst of a blizzard , instead of next to Mary.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;A week ago, I had just arrived at the door of the house of Lord Drummond, Mary had asked the housekeeper to visit it when a messenger asked me and gave me a letter . A rich landowner from Kinross had come to know of my considerable skills as a doctor and wanted a consultation, as I earlier promised a large amount of money that would have tripled if I was able to heal him. Blind, I was blind, taken from the vanity and money, I accepted. How could it be true? My name came up in Kinross? And that sum, a fortune, I was suspicious. As I climbed into the carriage , ready to go to Kinross, thinking of the fame and wealth that I appeared, I fantasized that I would become rich enough to ask Mary to marry when I return. Before leaving, I saw her running towards me Mary. She was accompanied by his mother and had his hand in that book of anatomy that thumbed through the carriage. Gave it to me saying that it was a gift for healing. She understood what was happening there were separating, unfortunately, was not free to speak and then hid in a letter pages of the book, was the only way to confess what he felt for me and tell me what I should do>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Not once you found the lettera?>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;No, I was like crazy, I thought just to get to Kinross as soon as possible. I understood everything two days ago when I found in Kinross that I had to heal the sick. No one had heard the name, I thought that maybe I had misread the name of the man and since I had just put the letter between the pages of the book by Mary tried, my feet fell this other letter. What Mary had written for me. He wants to read?>>.
\u0026lt;'If I'm not too indiscreta, sì>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Prego>>. I handed the letter in her trembling hands of Rose, who began to read:
\u0026lt;\u0026lt; Dear Andrew,
my soul, my life, love of my life. My father found the two of us and wants to get away. There is no patient in waiting for Kinross. My parents have anticipated the wedding by Paul Scott, but I do not want to marry him, I prefer you. Go away together. Tomorrow night at one o'clock, when everyone will stay asleep, leave the house and I'll be waiting in front of the team. You made finding a cab. I do not care where we are going to live long as it is far from here. If there is no , think that do not love me enough to marry Paul and I will always be unhappy>>. Rose finishes reading, his face is taut .
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;But she was not there to quell'appuntamento>> exclaims.
\u0026lt;lì, 'No I was not too taken by the wealth I had not even leafed through the book'> .
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;What have you decided to do, then? I read that the marriage of Mary will take place tomorrow morning in the cathedral of Backburn>> question Rose .
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Arrivare in Blackburn before domattina, see Mary and get away with lei>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;This is a story of romance , very nice but I do not think it will end well>> I confess Rose. I remain stunned.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;But as you so romantic. Why do you think should not end well?>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Because she is not the prince, it is much poorer than Miss Rose Drummond. Although Mary escape with her, sparking a scandal, then you will regret it. Mary will be disappointed>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Disappointed, why disappointed? What do you mean? Talk>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;After a bed of roses, the reality will present the bill. Economic difficulties. Do you not think that Lord Drummond and the Scott family who are very rich and the powerful would you pay? He does not know that Mary is very flawed and will eventually get tired of a life less than magnificent?>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Lei knows Mary Drummond?>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Of course a child to spend his holidays on the estate bordering that of Lord Drummond, the one that I intend to sell, and I played with Mary. We are childhood friends>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Lei is just jealous of Mary, speaks only rancore>>. Rose's words offend me, I want you to stop talking. The wind ruffles the hair of Rose, a tear runs through his face, turns sharply and falls inside.
The rain is over and the interview with Rose distracted me , I did not notice that now the sky is blue again, the sun is still high and perhaps Travel may be resumed, in fact, someone yells my name: it is the coachman who invites us into the carriage, is optimistic, perhaps before sunset we will be at Blackburn.
The sun warms my bones, the road is smooth and not the coach jolts, not even my back hurts me the most. I'm happy, I think I'll be able to arrive on time. Rose, sitting in front of me, her face sullen, holding his face in the pages of the book but not reading. I am sorry that it hurt and I think about how to apologize to her. I think back to what I said just before .
The last rays of sun stain red sky on the horizon when I see the outskirts of Blackburn. In a short time we reach the last post, I go down and unloading luggage. Mr. Anderson takes his leave , not remains for me to greet his mother Rose and then find a cab and go to Mary.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;How will you meet Mary? Thinks he can knock on his door and found her there waiting for? Now Mary must be thinking only of the ceremony tomorrow>> . Rose brings me back to reality. I never thought, I am speechless, then I have an idea.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;you could help me, did not say you know Mary? Might come to his house and , with the excuse to deliver a gift, you might say that I am ready to wait outside to get away with it>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;She is stubborn is not to convince people that are living in a dream and the reality is very different . el'aiuterò However I am curious>>. Rose asks permission to accompany his mother to:
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;For help Dr. Andrew to play an important incarico>> says. The mother is skeptical, thinks will be dark soon, but trust and let go of Rose. While, with a cab to go home to apologize to Mary Rose:
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;I did not want to offend you before, I understand that you speak for my own good, but understand I'm in love and the heart can not control ...>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;No offense but sorry , in my opinion will not be out any good>>.
Mary's house is decorated with flowers and illuminated by red candles, I feel a lot of happy voices. There is an air of celebration. Hide the car behind the house near the stables. Rose knocks on the door, I hold my breath as I see it go. Minutes that never go out. Rose comes out and see, behind her , Mary. My heart beats a thousand.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;You have to go Andrew, do not intend to run away with you, now it's too late I thought, I could never live in poverty and running away. I opened my eyes and I'd rather Paul>>. The words of Mary I freeze the blood, I am speechless, beside me is Rose, Mary falls in house. It 'been a farewell.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;How I see ragione>> Rose exclaims. My wrath descends upon her .
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Maybe you're the cause of his behavior, it was better if I had not come, I had to think for myself! Never trust a girl jealous>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;You are an arrogant and deluded. I would not due to be hanged for this reason you do>>. Rose with tears in his eyes run away, do not try to reach it. I remain alone.
-o O o -
now have two weeks from the day when I saw Mary for the last time. Now it's on her honeymoon with Lord Paul Scott. The celebration was grand, hidden in the back row, without recognizing me from anyone I've watched. Mary was happy, I had lied, changed his mind about what he wanted from life. Looking back on everything that has happened, now that I am more peaceful, I think Rose was right: I was living in a novel, I had forgotten the reality and thought I was the prince of a fairy tale with a happy ending. Luckily now I'm awake.
Rose is playing. It failed to sell his farm but left the task to a trusted man of his father. Rose, beautiful and wise girl, he knew how it was going to finish my story. I regret not having made peace with her. Sitting on a rock atop a hill , look at Rose's house for sale would be very nice to live there.
- o O o -
Rose's house is modest but decent, knock on the door. Anne Elliot greets me and makes me enter. Let's talk. Rose is not at home but it will come soon. Anne and Margaret, the sister of Rose, they offered me a tea that I accept. The dining room where we sit is pretty much known of red geraniums on the windowsill. When Rose goes into the house, the mother is at the entrance and says,
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;We have sold the property, we have made a good offer. Beyond the new owner is>>. Rose is curious to know who he is. I note on the door and stops.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;you? It 's you who bought our farm?>>. Rose is surprised to see me.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;one tenuta, I like it better abitarci>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;da alone or with a lady McKey?>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;I hope that very soon there is a Mrs. McKay. However I came to apologize and tell her that he was right, I could not see. I thought to have clear ideas instead I was wrong. I was living in an illusion that would have bad consequences on my life. Fortunately, the reality is beautiful and it is here. Before my eyes>>.
END