"Nobody likes to be talked about," said the Princess, "especially in

Rome, where it is the end of everything."

"But what matter? Perhaps the young man has learned freedom of speech in

a free country!" said Don Camillo.

"And then he is so interesting and so handsome," said the Princess.

Roma made no answer. There was a slight drooping of the lovely eyes and

a trembling of the lips and nostrils. For a moment she stood absolutely

impassive, and then with a flash of disdain she flung round into the

inner room.

VIII

Roma had taken refuge in the council-room. There had been much business

that morning, and a copy of the constitutional statute lay open on a

large table, which had a plate-glass top with photographs under the

surface.

In this passionless atmosphere, so little accustomed to such scenes,

Roma sat in her wounded pride and humiliation, with her head down, and

her beautiful white hands over her face.

She heard measured footsteps approaching, and then a hand touched her on

the shoulder. She looked up and drew back as if the touch stung her. Her

lips closed sternly, and she got up and began to walk about the room,

and then she burst into a torrent of anger.

"Did you hear them? The cats! How they loved to claw me, and still purr

and purr! Before the sun is set the story will be all over Rome! It has

run off already on the hoofs of that woman's English horses. To-morrow

morning it will be in every newspaper in the kingdom. Olga and Lena and

every woman of them all who lives in a glass house will throw stones.

'The new Pompadour! Who is she?' Oh, I could die of vexation and shame!"

The Baron leaned against the table and listened, twisting the ends of

his moustache.

"The Court will turn its back on me now. They only wanted a good excuse

to put their humiliations upon me. It's horrible! I can't bear it. I

won't. I tell you, I won't!"

But the lips, compressed with scorn, began to quiver visibly, and she

threw herself into a chair, took out her handkerchief, and hid her face

on the table.

At that moment Felice came into the room to say that the Commendatore

Angelelli had returned and wished to speak with his Excellency.

"I will see him presently," said the Baron, with an impassive

expression, and Felice went out silently, as one who had seen nothing.

The Baron's calm dignity was wounded. "Be so good as to have some regard

for me in the presence of my servants," he said. "I understand your

feelings, but you are much too excited to see things in their proper

light. You have been publicly insulted and degraded, but you must not

talk to me as if it were my fault."




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