Chapters 17 - 21 Summary

In The Piazza, the narrator lives in a country house without a piazza, or porch. He has one built and selected the northern side of his house, much to his neighbors' amusement. He thereafter spends much time sitting on the piazza and gazing at the magnificent view of forested mountains. Several times his eye is drawn to a singular spot on a distant mountainside, usually by some play of light. Fancifully imagining the spot must be the home of fairies, the narrator decides to investigate. A fairly lengthy voyage follows, involving sailing and horseback riding, and the narrator eventually dismounts and scrambles through dense underbrush to reach the spot. He finds there a dilapidated house with a few new repairs. Inside he meets a young woman of forlorn countenance who identifies herself as Marianna. Marianna lives in the house with her...