Alpha Book

"I do not understand," she said, affecting a look of surprise.
"I was going to ask your permission to take your hand."
"Indeed? Why? There it is." She held it out frankly.
He took the beautiful fingers in his and looked at them for a moment.
Then he quietly raised them to his lips.
"That was not included in the permission," she said, with a little laugh
and drawing back. "Now you ought to go away at once."
"Why?"
"Because that little ceremony can belong only to the beginning or the
end of a visit."
"I have only just come."
"Ah? How long the time has seemed! I fancied you had been here half an
hour."
"To me it has seemed but a minute," answered Orsino promptly.
"And you will not go?"
There was nothing of the nature of a peremptory dismissal in the look
which accompanied the words.
"No--at the most, I will practise leave-taking."
"I think not," said Maria Consuelo with sudden coldness. "You are a
little too--what shall I say?--too enterprising, prince. You had better
make use of the gift where it will be a recommendation--in business, for
instance.


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