Alpha Book

He is
eighty-two year old."
"Saracinesca?" repeated Maria Consuelo, turning her tawny eyes upon her
neighbour.
"Yes. The father of Sant' Ilario--grandfather of that young fellow who
showed you to your seat."
"Don Orsino? Yes, I know him slightly."
Corona, sitting immediately behind them heard her son's name. As the two
ladies turned towards each other in conversation she heard distinctly
what they said. Donna Tullia was of course aware of this.
"Do you?" she asked. "His father is a most estimable man--just a little
too estimable, if you understand! As for the boy--"
Donna Tullia moved, her broad shoulders expressively. It was a habit of
which even the irreproachable Del Ferice could not cure her. Corona's
face darkened.
"You can hardly call him a boy," observed Maria Consuelo with a smile.
"Ah well--I might have been his mother," Donna Tullia answered with a
contempt for the affectation of youth which she rarely showed. But
Corona began to understand that the conversation was meant for her ears,
and grew angry by degrees.


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