ed. It was impossible to be grave in the face of such
utterly frivolous inconsistency.

"You will allow your expression to change so often, Donna Tullia! It is
impossible to catch it."

"Like your convictions," murmured Del Ferice from his corner. Indeed Ugo
did not know what to make of the scene. He had miscalculated the strength
of Donna Tullia's fears as compared with her longing to possess a
flattering portrait of herself. Rather than leave the picture unfinished,
she exhibited a cynical indifference to danger which would have done
honour to a better man than Del Ferice. Perhaps, too, she understood
Gouache well enough to know that he might be trusted. Indeed any one
would have trusted Gouache. Even Del Ferice was less disturbed at the
possibility of the artist's repeating any of the trivial liberal talk
which he had listened to, than at the indifference to discovery shown by
Donna Tullia. To Del Ferice, the whole thing had been but a harmless
play; but he wanted Madame Mayer to believe that it had all been in
solemn earnest, and that she was really implicated in a dangerous plot;
for it gave him a stronger hold upon her for his own ends.

"So you are going to fight for Pio Nono," remarked Ugo, scornfully, after
another pause.

"I am," replied Gouache. "And, no offence to you, my friend, if I meet
you in a red shirt among the Garibaldini, I will kill you. It would be
very unpleasant, so I hope that you will not join them."

"Take care, Del Ferice," laughed Donna Tullia; "your life is in danger!
You had better join the Zouaves instead."

"I cannot paint his Eminence's portrait," returned Ugo, with a sneer, "so
there is no chance of that."

"You might assist him with wholesome advice, I should think," answered
Gouache. "I have no doubt you could tell him much that would be very
useful."

"And turn traitor to--"

"Hush! Do not be so silly, Del Ferice," interrupted Donna Tullia, who
began to fear that Del Ferice's taunts would make trouble. She had a
secret conviction that it would not be good to push the gentle Anastase
too far. He was too quiet, too determined, and too serious not to be a
little dangerous if roused.

"Do not be absurd," she repeated. "Whatever Gouache may choose to do, he
is a gentleman, and I will not have you talk of traitors like that. He
does not quarrel with you--why do you try to quarrel with him?"

"I think he has done quite enough to justify a quarrel, I am sure,"
replied Del Fer