Alpha Book

There was an almost imperceptible shade of surprise in the tone which
did not escape Giovanni. On the other hand it was perfectly clear to
Gouache that Sant' Ilario's interest in the matter was connected with
Orsino.
"I cannot find any one who knows anything definite," said Giovanni after
a pause.
"Have you tried Spicca?" asked the artist, examining his work
critically.
"No. Why Spicca?"
"He always knows everything," answered Gouache vaguely. "By the way,
Saracinesca, do you not think there might be a little more light just
over the left eye?"
"How should I know?"
"You ought to know. What is the use of having been brought up under the
very noses of original portraits, all painted by the best masters and
doubtless ordered by your ancestors at a very considerable expense--if
you do not know?"
Giovanni laughed.
"My dear old friend," he said good-humouredly, "have you known us nearly
five and twenty years without discovering that it is our peculiar
privilege to be ignorant without reproach?"
Gouache laughed in his turn.


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