nswered her, but he could not face her glittering
eyes.

'Very well, Excellency,' he said, bowing. 'Is the young lady to have
her meals here till she leaves? The French governess is also staying
in the house.'

'Send them up something from the servants' dinner,' the Princess
answered.

'Very well, Excellency.'

But the butler looked after her with considerable curiosity, watching
her graceful figure as she went down the grand staircase and holding
the swinging door open on the landing till she was out of sight. Then
he went in again, looked round the empty hall, and spoke aloud, asking
a question that has never had any answer.

'Women, women--who can understand you?'

CHAPTER IV

Half-an-hour later Giovanni Severi entered the gate below in
civilian's dress and asked if he could see Madame Bernard, the French
teacher, who had let him know that she was stopping in the palace. The
porter told him to ring at the right-hand door on the second landing,
but added that it was doubtful whether any one would let him in, as
there was 'confusion in the house.'

Madame Bernard was waiting for him, however; he had arrived punctually
and she let him in herself.

'Have you heard, Monsieur?' she asked, before he could speak. 'Do you
know what is happening?'

'Yes,' he answered. 'All Rome knows it by this time, for the story was
in the morning papers. May I see Donna Angela?'

'Come, Monsieur.'

She had fastened the outer door while he was speaking, and she now led
the way without any more words.

Angela knew Giovanni's step at a distance, and when he entered she was
standing in the middle of the room. He had never before seen her in
black, and she was paler than usual; he looked anxiously into her face
as he took her hand, and she, meeting his eyes expectantly, saw a
change in them. Neither Angela nor Severi spoke at first, and in the
silence Madame Bernard passed them and went into the next room,
shutting the door after her.

'Have you heard?' Angela asked, still standing and still holding
Giovanni's hand.

'Yes. It is in all the papers to-day. There is an outcry. If your aunt
shows herself in the streets she will be hissed. But she has the law
on her side. I have been to two lawyers to inquire.'

He spoke in short sentences, nervously, and when he stopped he bit his
moustache.

'There is something else,' Angela answered. 'I see it in your eyes.
There is something I do not know, some still worse news. S