He was a man who might be
disliked, but who could not be despised; and since his claims to
consideration were undeniably genuine, it seemed wiser to accept
him from the first as a member of the family and unhesitatingly to
treat him as such. After all, he demanded nothing to which he had
not a clear right from the moment he announced his intention of
taking his place in the world, and it was certainly far wiser to
receive him cordially at once, than to draw back from
acknowledging the relationship because he had been brought up in
another sphere.
This was the substance of what Prince Saracinesca communicated to
his daughter-in-law a few minutes later. She listened patiently to
all he had to say, only asking a question now and then in order to
understand more clearly what had happened. She was curious to see
the man whose name had once been so strangely confounded with her
husband's by the machinations of the Conte Del Ferice and Donna
Tullia Mayer, and she frankly confessed her curiosity and her
satisfaction at the prospect of meeting San Giacinto that evening.
While she was talking with the prince, Giovanni unexpectedly
returned from his walk. He had turned homewards as soon as he had
sent the military surgeon to Gouache.
Pages:
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68