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"You do not often come to see me, Giovanni," she said, "and since you are here I am going to tell you the truth about your visit. You are beside yourself with rage at Orsino's new fancy, and you want to find out all about this Madame d'Aranjuez.
I say, it is not honourable to let people think that a lady is risking her reputation for you and perhaps sacrificing it altogether, when she is in reality trying to escape from you. Am I right, or not?" "You are ingenious, at all events. You talk as though the whole world were to know in half an hour that I have gone to Paris in the same train with Madame d'Aranjuez. That is absurd!" "Is it?
"There is no answer, Eccellenza," said the servant, whose curiosity was satisfied. "Read it, of course," said Corona, looking at him. She was surprised that Madame d'Aranjuez should write to him, but she was still more astonished to see the indifference with which he opened the missive. She had imagined that he was more or less in love with Maria Consuelo.
Orsino and his mother might have talked longer and perhaps to better purpose, but they were interrupted by the entrance of a servant, bearing a note. Corona instinctively put out her hand to receive it. "For Don Orsino," said the man, stopping before him. Orsino took the letter, looked at it and turned it over. "I think it is from Madame d'Aranjuez," he remarked, without emotion. "May I read it?"
Three several times he went to her hotel at the accustomed hour, and each time he was told by the porter that she was at home; but on each occasion, also, when he sent up his card, the hotel servant returned with a message from the maid to the effect that Madame d'Aranjuez was tired and did not receive.
She had no especial reason for supposing that the young man was really very much in love with Madame d'Aranjuez, but her woman's instinct, which far surpassed her diplomatic talents in acuteness, told her that Orsino was certainly not indifferent to the interesting stranger.
Orsino watched the faces of both. Madame d'Aranjuez put out her hand mechanically and with evident reluctance, and Orsino guessed that but for his own presence she would not have given it.
That is the famous, the incomparable Madame d'Aranjuez the most beautiful of Spanish princesses according to to-day's paper. I daresay you have seen the account of the Del Ferice party. She is no more Spanish than Alexander the Great. Is she, Spicca?" "No, she is not Spanish," answered the latter. "Then what in the world is she?" asked Giovanni impatiently. "How should I know?
He had spoken well, and she found it easy to be just and flattering at the same time. "It must be an immense satisfaction to speak as you do," said Orsino, wishing to say something at least agreeable. Del Ferice acknowledged the compliment by a deprecatory gesture. "To speak as some of my colleagues can yes it must be a great satisfaction. But Madame d'Aranjuez exaggerates.
All the rest belonged entirely to the category of the unknown. Yet Spicca spoke seriously of a possible marriage and had gone to the length of wishing that it might be brought about. At last Orsino spoke. "You say that you have a right to say what you have said," he began. "In that case I think I have a right to ask a question which you ought to answer. You talk of my marrying Madame d'Aranjuez.
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