TWO PROSTITUTES
453
"And what do you do, in the name of heaven?"
"Never mind what I do.... Just remember that as long as
you're in my house you have to behave.... This evening you've
put me to shame. . . . There are things you can do on your own
hook, but please don't do them here...."
"The sanctity of the home, eh?" The girl gave a forced laugh,
then her face turned red with anger. "I don't give a rap for this filthy
home of yours. I'd just as soon go away this minute."
"Go on away; you'll be doing me a favor," said her sister in
a less secure and almost intimidated tone of voice.
"I'm going, never fear," said the girl furiously, taking her
blouse off the chair and beginning to button it up in a hurry.
"Go on then," said Rina, but she was plainly suffering from the
other's decision.
"I'm going, and you'll never see me again." With her face
still red she pulled out from behind the wardrobe a canvas suitcase
trimmed in leather. Then she opened a drawer and began to pack
her belongings helter-skelter.
"Come now," said Giacomo, going over to her. "Come, come."
"Let me alone," she said, pushing him away.
"As far as I'm concerned, go on," said her sister, who was
standing near the gramophone with a disconcerted expression.
"I'm going away from your filthy house, never fear."
"Go, then," said her sister sorrowfully. "Go as quickly as you
can."
This time Lori did not answer. She leaned the suitcase against
her thigh, raised her knee and closed it. Then passing angrily between
Giacomo and her sister she took a crumpled hat off a rack and
went out of the room.
"Lori!" Rina called, as if her feelings had got the better of her.
There was no answer and a moment later the apartment was
shaken by the angry slamming of the front door. Rina sat down
on the edge of the bed and put her head between her hands.
The whole thing had taken place so swiftly that Giacomo had
not yet recovered from his earlier presumption that he was suc–
cessfully launched upon the adventure and had only to let himself
be carried along to a happy ending. He was still puffed up with
self-assurance and yet the affair had already gone up in smoke. He
