The old gentleman, however, seemed cheerful enough; and it was plain that he took an interest in the strangers, and wished to make their acquaintance. This was soon effected by the friendly waiter; and after a little talk the old man invited them to visit his villa and garden which were just outside the walls of the town. So the next afternoon, when the sun began to descend, and they saw in glimpses through door-ways and windows, blue shadows beginning to spread over the brown mountains, they went to pay their visit. It was not much of a place, a small, modernized, stucco villa, with a hot pebbly garden, and in it a stone basin with torpid gold-fish, and a statue of Diana and her hounds against the wall. But what gave a glory to it was a gigantic rose-tree which clambered over the house, almost smothering the windows, and filling the air with the perfume of its sweetness. Yes, it was a fine rose, the Conte said proudly when they praised it, and he would tell the Signora about it. And as they sat there, drinking the wine he offered them, he alluded with the cheerful indifference of old age to his love-affair, as though he took for granted that they had heard of it already.

译文：

然而,这位老先生看起来心情非常愉快；显然他对这两位陌生人很感兴趣，并愿意与他们结交.在热心的服务生的帮助下,他们很快相识了；短暂的交谈之后，老人便邀请他们去他城墙外不远的别墅与花园做客. 于是次日下午，夕阳西落,从开启的门窗轻轻瞥去,他们看到,兰色暗影已渐渐笼罩棕褐的山峦，他们便欣然动身。 那里很平常,矗立着一座现代化小型别墅座，表面粉刷了一层灰泥。还有一座铺满鹅卵石的花园，园里石砌水池中有几尾金鱼慵懒地游动。靠墙的地方有一尊守猎女神及其猎犬的雕像。 但是使这小园生辉的是一颗巨大的玫瑰树。树已长过屋顶，几乎完全遮住了窗户。空气中满是玫瑰的芳香。 这株玫瑰的确不错，听了客人夸奖，伯爵得意地说。他还表示非常乐意把树的来历讲给夫人听。 于是他们坐在那里，一边饮酒，一边听他以老年人满不在乎神情，愉快地提及他的那一段往日爱情，仿佛他相信他们对此一定早有耳闻。