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After dinner, when the servants had withdrawn, Emily learned, that the cavalier, who had drawn upon himself the vengeance of Orsino, had since died of his wounds, and that strict search was still making for his murderer. The intelligence seemed to disturb Montoni, who mused, and then enquired, where Orsino had concealed himself.
Banking is an occupation, and architecture is a career, but what we call affairs in Rome are neither one nor the other. If you want to be a banker you must go into a bank and do clerk's work for years. If you mean to follow architecture as a profession you must spend four or five years in study at the very least." "San Giacinto has not done that," observed Orsino coldly.
The conversation seemed to have languished, and Orsino was immediately conscious that the atmosphere had changed since he had left. He unrolled the skin as he entered, and Madame d'Aragona looked at it critically. She saw that the tawny colours would become her in the portrait and her expression grew more animated. "It is really very good of you," she said, with a grateful glance.
"That is precisely what I said at the beginning," observed Orsino with a shade of irritation. "Yes. But I like to reach my conclusions in my own way. You are then a young man in search of an occupation. Speculation, and what you propose is nothing else, is no more an occupation than playing at the public lottery and much less one than playing at baccarat.
In balancing an account one takes but the sordid debit and credit and compares them but in estimating the value of a firm one should consider its reputation and the goodwill it has created. The name of Andrea Contini and Company is a power in Rome. That is the result of your work, and it is not a loss." Orsino said nothing, but leaned back in his chair, gloomily staring at the wall.
I do not want to be kept waiting a week for a sight of my family." With a deep, good humoured laugh he pushed Orsino out of the door in front of him and went off to his own quarters. In due time the family returned from Saracinesca and the gloomy old palace waked to life again.
At a time when most young men are making friends, Orsino had been hindered, from the formation of such ties by the two great interests which had absorbed his existence, his attachment and subsequent love for Maria Consuelo, and the business at which he had worked so steadily.
Wait till you are married." Spicca smiled grimly and took more wine. "There at least you have no personal experience," objected Orsino. But Spicca only smiled again, and vouchsafed no answer. "Is Madame d'Aranjuez coming back next winter?" asked the young man. "Madame d'Aranjuez will probably come back, since she is free to consult her own tastes," answered Spicca gravely.
"There will be all the more credit in succeeding, if you have to break through a barrier of tradition and prejudice," said Madame d'Aragona, reverting rather abruptly to the first subject. "You do not know what that means." Orsino shook his head incredulously. "You have never tried it." "No. How could a woman be placed in such a position?" "That is just it. You cannot understand me."
Possibly the certainty that failure could entail no serious consequences made the game a more amusing if a less exciting one to play. "If I lose," said Orsino to her, "I can only lose the few thousands I invested. If I win, I will give you a string of pearls as a keepsake." "If you lose, dear boy," answered Corona, "it must be because you had not enough to begin with.
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