Alpha Book

"Will you forgive me?" he asked, almost timidly, as he held out his
hand.
Maria Consuelo's tawny eyes looked curiously at him. Then she smiled
suddenly.
"My dear child," she said, "you should not do such things! It is very
foolish, you know."
The answer was so unexpected and so exceedingly humiliating, as Orsino
thought at first, that he grew pale and drew back a little. But Maria
Consuelo took no notice of his behaviour, and settled herself in her
accustomed chair.
"Did you find Del Ferice last night?" she asked, changing the subject
without the least hesitation.
"Yes," answered Orsino.
Almost before the word was spoken there was a knock at the door and Del
Ferice appeared. Orsino's face cleared, as though something pleasant had
happened, and Maria Consuelo observed the fact. She concluded, naturally
enough, that the two men had agreed to meet in her sitting-room, and
she resented the punctuality which she supposed they had displayed in
coming almost together, especially after what had happened on the
preceding day.


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