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She smiled sweetly, willing to use all her persuasion to extract his secret. "I could prevent Don Giovanni from marrying the Astrardente, as he intends to do," he answered, looking straight at his companion. "How in the world could you do that?" she asked, in great surprise. "That, my dear friend, is my secret, as I said before. I cannot reveal it to you at present."
Little had happened of interest in the interval of time, and the days had seemed long. But until after Christmas she had remained at Astrardente, busying herself constantly with the improvements she had already begun, and aided by the counsels of Giovanni. He had taken a cottage of hers in the lower part of her village, and had fitted it up with the few comforts he judged necessary.
"Well, that is an easy request for any woman to grant," answered Corona, with a little laugh; "though I do not believe my gown will be remembered so long as you think." "Who knows who knows?" said Astrardente, thoughtfully. "I remember gowns I saw" he checked himself "why, as many as ten years ago!" he added, laughing in his turn, perhaps at nearly having said forty for ten.
He is a perfectly harmless creature, who affects immense depth of insight into human affairs, and who cannot see an inch before his face. Dear me! yes, I shall always tolerate Del Ferice, poor fellow!" "You may not be called upon to do so much longer," replied Valdarno. "They say he is in a very dangerous condition." "Ah!" ejaculated Astrardente, putting up his eyeglass at his companion.
Astrardente led his wife from the supper-table through the great rooms, now almost deserted, and past the wide doors of the hall where the cotillon was at its height. They paused a moment and looked in, as Giovanni had done a quarter of an hour earlier. It was a magnificent scene; the lights flashed back from the jewels of fair women, and surged in the dance as starlight upon rippling waves.
She had watched with growing fear and jealousy his devotion to the Astrardente, which all the world had noticed; and at last her anger had broken out at the affront she had received at the Frangipani ball. But even then she loved Giovanni in her own vain way.
Presently there was a burst of orchestral music. Giovanni leaned forward so that his face was close behind Corona. He could speak without being heard by Astrardente. "Did you receive my letter?" he asked. Corona made an almost imperceptible inclination of her head, but did not speak. "Do you understand my position?" he asked again.
She had forgotten for the moment the little annoyances of the last few days and was thinking of her happiness, contrasting the peace of her present life with what she had suffered during the five years of her marriage with poor old Astrardente. Could Giovanni have seen her thus his heart might have been softened.
The old fellow made the sign of the horns with his forefinger and little finger, hiding his thumb in the palm of his hand, as though to protect himself against the evil eye the sinister influence invoked by the mention of Spicca. Old Astrardente was very superstitious. The ambassador laughed, and even Corona smiled a little.
There comes the most beautiful woman in the world." It was nearly twelve o'clock when Corona arrived, old Astrardente sauntering jauntily by her side, his face arranged with more than usual care, and his glossy wig curled cunningly to represent nature.
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