her, for it
explained Pina's whole manner and conduct too well not to make what
Altieri had said about the marriage seem vaguely possible. But if she
had been deceived, so had Stradella; of that she was more sure than of
anything else, and if it had been possible she would have gone to him
instantly to tell him what she had heard.

Altieri saw how much disturbed she was and came towards her, for they
were now half-a-dozen steps apart. He meant, no doubt, to offer her some
consolation in her new trouble, unless he was going to fall on his knees
and implore her pardon for having caused her such uneasiness. As a
professional love-maker either course was open to him. But Ortensia
stopped him with a gesture, keeping down her emotion.

'Listen,' she said, 'for I have something to say. You meant to shake my
faith in my husband, but you have made a mistake, and instead you have
done us both a great service. If, as you pretend, we are not validly
married, nothing can be easier than to obtain a proper marriage in Rome,
and we shall do so at once; but as for the rest, you are profoundly
mistaken about me. I left my uncle's house because I loved Alessandro
Stradella, and for no other reason, and while we both live we shall love
each other as dearly as we did from the first, and I pray heaven that
our lives may end together, on the same day and in the same hour. Do you
understand? As you have seemed a friend to us both, be one in earnest,
for you are wasting your time in playing at being in love with me!'

She smiled at the last, as cleverly as any skilful woman of thirty could
have done, offering him the chance of laughing away the barrier his
ill-considered declaration had made, and of taking up pleasant relations
again, as if nothing had happened to disturb them; for she had regained
her self-possession while she was speaking, and had determined to profit
by what he had told her rather than to suffer by the facts he had
revealed, if they proved to be true.

He was quick to accept the means of reconciliation, whatever his own
intentions really were.

'I will indeed be your friend,' he said, with amazing earnestness,
'since you give me no hope of ever being anything more, and are willing
to forgive the madness of a moment. Henceforth, command me what you
will! In pledge of pardon, may I have your hand?'

She let him take it; he dropped on one knee as he touched her fingers
with his lips, and then rose lightly to his feet agai