acca, the
Maltese, avoided them as if they inspired her with profound contempt.

In a few days the Countess Brenda and Caesar's friendship passed beyond
the bonds of friendship; but in the course of time it cooled off again.

_INFLUENCE OF THE INCLINATION OF THE EARTH'S AXIS ON WHAT IS CALLED
LOVE_

One evening, when the Countess Brenda's daughter had left Rome to go
with her father to a villa they owned in the North, the Countess and
Caesar had a long conversation in the salon. They were alone; a great
tenor was singing at the Costanzi, and the whole hotel was at the
theatre. The Countess chatted with Caesar, she reclining in a chaise
longue, and he seated in a low chair. That evening the Countess was
feeling in a provocative humour, and she made fun of Caesar's mode of
life and his ideas, not with the phrases and the manners of a great
lady, but with the boldness and spice of a woman of the people.

The angle that the earth's axis makes with the trajectory of the
ecliptic, and which produces those absurd phenomena that we Spaniards
call seasons, determined at that period the arrival of spring, and
spring had no doubt shaken the Countess Brenda's nerves.

Spring gave cooling inflexions to the lady's voice and made her express
herself with warmth and with a shamelessly libertine air.

No doubt the core of her personality was joyful, provoking, and somewhat
licentious.

Her eyes flashed, and on her lips there was a sensual expression of
challenge and mockery.

Caesar, that evening, without knowing why, was dull at expressing
himself, and depressed. Some of the Countess's questions left him in a
stupid unreadiness.

"Poor child; I am sorry for you," she suddenly said.

"Why?"

"Because you are so weak; you have such an air of exhaustion. What do
you do to make you like this? I am sure you ought to be given some sort
of iron tonic, like the anaemic girls."

"Do you really think I am so weak?" asked Caesar.

"Isn't it written all over you?"

"Well, anyway, I am stronger than you, Countess."

"In a discussion, perhaps. But otherwise.... You have no strength except
in your brains."

"And in my hands. Give me your hand."

The Countess gave him her hand and Caesar pressed it tighter and
tighter.

"You are strong after all," she said.

"That is nothing. You wait," and Caesar squeezed the Countess's hand
until he made her give a sharp scream. A servant entered the salon.
"It's nothing," said the Coun