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Corona d'Astrardente had been educated in a convent that is to say, she had been brought up in the strict practice of her religion; and during the five years which had elapsed since she had come out into the world, she had found no cause for forsaking the habits she had acquired in her girlhood.
There had been a time when he used to visit her, and always spent some time in her society when they met in the world now, on the contrary, he seemed to avoid her whenever he could; and in proportion as she noticed that his manner cooled, her own jealousy against Corona d'Astrardente increased in force, until at last it seemed to absorb her love for Giovanni into itself and turn it into hate.
"Del Ferice was afraid that Don Giovanni would marry Donna Tullia and spoil his own projects. But Giovanni will not think of that again." "No; I suppose Don Giovanni will marry the Duchessa d'Astrardente." "Of course," replied the Cardinal. For some minutes there was silence.
At one moment he meant to marry Donna Tullia, and at another he loathed the thought; now he felt that he would make any sacrifice to rid the Duchessa d'Astrardente of himself, and now again he felt how futile such a sacrifice would be. He was ashamed in his heart, for he was no boy of twenty to be swayed by a woman's look or a fit of Quixotism; he was a strong grown man who had seen the world.
She did not care for that so much as she desired some brilliant triumph over her enemies before the world; some startling instance of poetic justice, which should at one blow do a mortal injury to Corona d'Astrardente, and bring Giovanni Saracinesca to her own feet by force, repentant and crushed, to be dealt with as she saw fit, according to his misdeeds.
It was the best thing in her nature, but it was more than balanced by the jealousy she had conceived for the Duchessa d'Astrardente. "Was it on that account that you quarrelled with poor Del Ferice?" she asked, after a moment's pause. "I have feared it " "Certainly not," answered Giovanni, quickly. "Pray set your mind at rest.
Upon that spot Corona d'Astrardente knelt down reverently and prayed, prayed that she might be forgiven for all her shortcomings to the dear dead man; that she might have strength to bear her sorrow and to honour his memory; above all, that his soul might rest in peace and find forgiveness, and that he might know that she had been truly innocent she prayed for that too, for she had a dreadful doubt.
Be that as it may, when Del Ferice heard it he ground his teeth as he lay upon his bed, and swore that if it were possible to prevent the Duchessa d'Astrardente from leaving town he would do it. In his judgment it would be a dangerous thing to let Corona and Giovanni part, and to allow Donna Tullia free play in her matrimonial designs.
Who could she be, this cold creature, whom even Giovanni could not move to interest? It was absurd the letter was absurd the whole thing was absurd! None but a madman would think of pursuing such a course; and why should he think it necessary to confide his plans his very foolish plans to her, Corona d'Astrardente, why? Ah, Giovanni, how different things might have been!
He would laugh now, would laugh heartily within the next half hour with Corona herself, at the mere thought of supposing that she could love Gouache, Gouache, a painter! Gouache, a Zouave! Gouache, a contemptibly good-natured, harmless little foreigner! and Corona del Carmine, Duchessa d'Astrardente, Principessa di Sant' Ilario, mother of all the Saracinesca yet to come!
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