"
"I hope not, my boy, I hope not! Go and tell your wife, if you
think it best. I would rather be alone."
Giovanni left the room, and Saracinesca was alone. He sank back
once more in his chair and folded his strong brown hands together
upon the edge of the table before him. In spite of all Giovanni
could say, the old man felt keenly the horror of his position.
Only those who, having been brought up in immense wealth and
accustomed from childhood to the pomp and circumstance of a very
great position, are suddenly deprived of everything, can
understand what he felt.
He was neither avaricious nor given to vanity. He had not wasted
his fortune, though he had spent magnificently a princely income.
He had not that small affection for greatness which, strange to
say, is often found in the very great. But his position was part
of himself, so that he could no more imagine himself plain Don
Leone Saracinesca, than he could conceive himself boasting of his
ancient titles. And yet it was quite plain to him that he must
either cease to be a prince altogether, or accept a new title as a
charity from his sovereign. As for his fortune, it was only too
plain that the greater part of it had never been his.
To a man of his temperament the sensation of finding himself a
mere impostor was intolerable.
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