-seven? _Altro_!"

"I mean my own past," I said. "I went to a great many of those places
with your mother."

"Ah, the pictures are beautiful," murmured the Countess, glancing at
Stanmer.

"Have you lately looked at any of them?" I asked. "Have you gone to the
galleries with _him_?"

She hesitated a moment, smiling. "It seems to me that your question is a
little impertinent. But I think you are like that."

"A little impertinent? Never. As I say, your mother did me the honour,
more than once, to accompany me to the Uffizzi."

"My mother must have been very kind to you."

"So it seemed to me at the time."

"At the time only?"

"Well, if you prefer, so it seems to me now."

"Eh," said the Countess, "she made sacrifices."

"To what, cara Signora? She was perfectly free. Your lamented father
was dead--and she had not yet contracted her second marriage."

"If she was intending to marry again, it was all the more reason she
should have been careful."

I looked at her a moment; she met my eyes gravely, over the top of her
fan. "Are _you_ very careful?" I said.

She dropped her fan with a certain violence. "Ah, yes, you are
impertinent!"

"Ah no," I said. "Remember that I am old enough to be your father; that
I knew you when you were three years old. I may surely ask such
questions. But you are right; one must do your mother justice. She was
certainly thinking of her second marriage."

"You have not forgiven her that!" said the Countess, very gravely.

"Have you?" I asked, more lightly.

"I don't judge my mother. That is a mortal sin. My stepfather was very
kind to me."

"I remember him," I said; "I saw him a great many times--your mother
already received him."

My hostess sat with lowered eyes, saying nothing; but she presently
looked up.

"She was very unhappy with my father."

"That I can easily believe. And your stepfather--is he still living?"

"He died--before my mother."

"Did he fight any more duels?"

"He was killed in a duel," said the Countess, discreetly.

It seems almost monstrous, especially as I can give no reason for it--but
this announcement, instead of shocking me, caused me to feel a strange
exhilaration. Most assuredly, after all these years, I bear the poor man
no resentment. Of course I controlled my manner, and simply remarked to
the Countess that as his fault had been so was his punishment. I think,
however, that the feeling of which I speak was at t