The younger man made no answer to this remark, however, and waited
for Montevarchi to state his terms.
"How much shall we say?" asked the latter at length.
"That shall be for you to decide. Whatever you give I will give,
if I am able."
"Ah, yes! But how am I to know what you are able to give, dear
Marchese?" The prince suspected that San Giacinto's offer, if he
could be induced to make one, would not be very large.
"Am I to understand," inquired San Giacinto, "that if I name the
amount to be settled so that at my death it goes to my wife and
her children by me for ever, you will agree to settle a like sum
upon Donna Flavia in her own right? If so, I will propose what I
think fair."
Montevarchi looked keenly at his visitor for some moments, then
looked away and hesitated. He was very anxious to marry Flavia at
once, and he had many reasons for supposing that San Giacinto was
not very rich.
"How about the title?" he asked suddenly.
"My title, of course, goes to my eldest son by my first marriage.
But if you are anxious on that score I think my cousin would
willingly confer one of his upon the eldest son of your daughter.
It would cost him nothing, and would be a sort of compensation to
me for my great-grandfather's folly.
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