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Updated: June 25, 2025
The following days passed quietly, and Don Alberto did not again attempt to see Ortensia alone. He was, indeed, much occupied with more urgent affairs, for Queen Christina had noticed the signs of his approaching defection and was becoming daily more exigent.
When she heard that the wall was to be crowned with broken glass, however, her face fell, for she saw in a flash of imagination how Stradella would climb up confidently in the dark and would cut his hand to the bone when he grasped the jagged points on the top. 'You must warn him! cried Ortensia. 'You must go out and find him, and tell him not to come again! 'I will find him, answered Pina.
'Stay here and say you have come to see him, she said, and before he could answer she was in her own room and the door was shut. Don Alberto was himself again in a moment, for no experienced woman of the world could have done the right thing with more instant decision than Ortensia had shown.
Ortensia was not at all overcome by the invitation, as the Queen perhaps expected that she would be, and she answered with demure caution. 'Your Majesty is too kind, she said, without committing herself. 'Very well, my dear Altieri, the Queen went on at once, as if Ortensia had already refused the proffered hospitality, 'I yield, but to His Holiness only, not to you!
Jarman essayed a few witticisms of a general character, of which nobody took any notice. The professional admirers of the Lady 'Ortensia, seated together at a corner of the table, appeared to be enjoying a small joke among themselves. Occasionally, one or another of them would laugh nervously.
In the two or three cases in which he had been concerned in 'removing' a lady, obnoxious to her husband or relations, he had been accused by his companion of being soft-hearted; but while Ortensia was speaking he was in such a state of rapt adoration that he quite forgot to listen to what she said; and instead of answering when she waited for his reply, he took the hand that lay on his sleeve in his, with such a gentle and sympathetic touch that she did not resist, even when he raised it to his ridiculous little mouth and kissed it delicately, with an air of respectful devotion that would not have offended a saint.
Ortensia was not missed till supper-time, and that was fully two hours after sunset; for it was the Senator's custom to leave his niece to herself or to Pina's company from the time when he brought her home, if she had been out with him in the gondola, until the evening meal; and if she asked leave to go to confession, as she had to-day, she returned before dark and retired to her own rooms without seeing him until she joined him at supper.
Ortensia followed him down the stairs again, and he carried the lamp. As he went she heard him hurriedly repeating the Angelus. "Angelus Domini nuntiavit," he began, quite audibly, but the words that followed were said in a whisper.
'We cannot move without Gambardella, he said, speaking in a low tone now, lest any sound from without should escape his hearing. It came a moment later, and Trombin hastened to the door at the head of the stairs; it was locked, however, and the key was in Don Alberto's pocket, as Ortensia quickly explained.
The walls were painted to represent views which were presumably visible from the windows by day. 'Are you quite sure there is no one in the house? asked Ortensia, who liked the prospect of solitude less and less as the time for being left alone came nearer. 'There is a bedroom at each end, answered Gambardella. 'You shall see for yourself.
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