United States or Democratic Republic of the Congo ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"I have a number of things to do before night, and I must see Contini in order to give him time to make a list of apartments for you to see to-morrow." He took his hat and rose. He was not prepared for Maria Consuelo's answer. "I asked you to stay," she said, coldly and very distinctly. Spicca did not allow his expression to change. Orsino stared at her.
All that Contini and others, older and wiser than he, had predicted, took place, and more also. The banks refused discount, even upon the best paper, saying with justice that they were obliged to hold their funds in reserve at such a time. The works stopped almost everywhere. It was impossible to raise money.
In this exceedingly sketchy way was the firm of Andrea Contini and Company established and lodged, being at the time in a very shadowy state, theoretically and practically, though it was destined to play a more prominent part in affairs than either of the young partners anticipated.
He readily attributed his good fortune to the supposed well-known prosperity of the firm, and he rose in his own estimation. He quite forgot that Contini, who had now lost his head, had but yesterday clearly foreseen the future when he had said that Del Ferice would not let the two partners fail until they had fitted the last door and the last window in the last of their houses.
"You see I have trusted my adviser entirely in the matter, and I am ashamed to say I do not know where the house is." Andrea Contini looked at him curiously. "This is the first time that you have had anything to do with business of this kind, Signor Principe," he observed. "You have fallen into good hands." "Yours?" inquired Orsino, a little stiffly. "No.
Contini explained rapidly and concisely the arrangement of the rooms, calling one cave familiarly a dining-room and another a "conjugal bedroom," as he expressed it, and expatiating upon the facilities of communication which he himself had carefully planned.
Ugo did not leave everything to his confidential clerk, and the secrets he kept to himself were well kept. Orsino consulted Contini, as a matter of necessity, before accepting Del Ferice's last offer.
It was clear that Del Ferice did not wish Andrea Contini and Company to fail and was putting himself to serious inconvenience in order to avert the catastrophe. Whether he wished, in so doing, to keep Orsino in his power, or whether he merely desired to escape the charge of having ruined his old enemy's son out of spite, it was hard to decide. Orsino passed over that question quickly enough.
The count has sent a man up in a cab to say that an acquaintance of his will come and look at the building to-day between twelve and one with a view to buying. The sooner we look out for some fresh undertaking, the better. What do you say, Don Orsino?" "It is all your doing, Contini.
Necessity forces me to speak; for, as you see, I stand between this revelation and the block I am Bartolo Contini!"
Word Of The Day