Montevarchi understood
the girl better, but loved her even less. What seemed odd in her
to his wife, to him seemed vulgar and ill-bred, for he would have
had her like the rest, silent and respectful in his presence, and
in awe of him as the head of the house, if not in fact, at least
in manner. But Flavia's behaviour was in the eyes of Romans a very
serious objection to her as a wife for any of their sons, for in
their view moral worth was necessarily accompanied by outward
gravity and decorum, and a light manner could only be the visible
sign of a giddy heart.
"If only he does not find out what she is like!" exclaimed the
princess at last.
"I devoutly trust that heaven in its mercy may avert such a
catastrophe from our house," replied Montevarchi, who, however,
seemed to be occupied in adding together certain sums upon his
fingers.
San Giacinto understood Flavia better than either of her parents;
and although his marriage with her was before all things a part of
his plan for furthering his worldly interests, it must be
confessed that he had a stronger liking for the girl than her
father would have considered indispensable in such affairs. The
matter was decided at once, and in a few days the preliminaries
were settled between the lawyers, while Flavia exerted the utmost
pressure possible upon the parental purse in the question of the
trousseau.
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