"You are unjust, Egidio, she only wants me to be happy, and she is most kind in helping me. You must not speak of her like that!"
"Oh, she does not like me, I have always known it. She dislikes me because I am her husband's friend. All women are jealous at heart of their husbands' friends, male or female."
Ragna laughed at the absurdity of the idea and said playfully,
"Then I think you dislike her because she is my friend!"
"Perhaps that is it," agreed Valentini. "I am jealous of all who are near you, dear one, when I am away."
He smiled to himself and registered a mental vow that Ragna should see but little of Virginia in future. "She knows or guesses too much, and she has a sharp tongue," he thought.
Carolina, the Venetian maid, was the only one who openly expressed disapproval. She flounced about the kitchen, banging the pots and pans, in a state of continual ill-humour.
"I do not like that Signore!" she would say a dozen times a day, "I do not like him. You will be sorry if you marry him, Signorina mia!"
In vain did Ragna reprove her, in vain asked her the reason for her dislike of Valentini.
"I do not know why, Signorina, but I hate him. He has the evil eye, I know it—this marriage will bring you no luck. I shall burn candles to the Madonna, but it will do no good—even the Madonna can't exorcise the evil eye!"