"Donna Brigida!" cried the priest, looking surprised at first,
but recovering himself directly and bowing with his usual quiet
politeness. "Pardon me if I thank you for honoring me by renewing
our acquaintance, and then pass on to my brother's studio. A
heavy affliction is likely to befall us, and I go to prepare him
for it."
"You refer to the dangerous illness of your niece?" said Brigida.
"I heard of it this evening. Let us hope that your fears are
exaggerated, and that we may yet meet under less distressing
circumstances. I have no present intention of leaving Pisa for
some time, and I shall always be glad to thank Father Rocco for
the politeness and consideration which he showed to me, under
delicate circumstances, a year ago."
With these words she courtesied deferentially, and moved away to
rejoin her friend. The priest observed that Mademoiselle Virginie
lingered rather near, as if anxious to catch a few words of the
conversation between Brigida and himself. Seeing this, he, in his
turn, listened as the two women slowly walked away together, and
heard the Italian say to her companion: "Virginie, I will lay you
the price of a new dress that Fabio d'Ascoli marries again."
Father Rocco started when she said those words, as if he had
trodden on fire.
"My thought!" he whispered nervously to himself. "My thought at
the moment when she spoke to me! Marry again? Another wife, over
whom I should have no influence! Other children, whose education
would not be confided to me! What would become, then, of the
restitution that I have hoped for, wrought for, prayed for?"
He stopped, and looked fixedly at the sky above him.
Pages:
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459