"Perhaps you misunderstood me," he continued, "but I did not think you would, I thought we knew each other too well for that!" He spoke as though wounded by a misconstruction put upon his sincerity.
Ragna felt foolish.
"I shall try not to offend you again," he said presently, and very humbly, "but you must bear me good-will enough not to look for offence where none is intended."
The girl smiled at him by way of answer.
It was growing rapidly dark and a guardia di pubblico sicurezza passing by, eyed the isolated couple curiously, but also with the sympathy every Latin feels for a pair of lovers. The bells had long since ceased ringing and many lights twinkled in the city below. In the sky stood a fair large planet and Mirko drew Ragna's attention to it.
"Venus, the Star of Love," he said briefly, with no comment, but his voice emphasized the words.
Ragna turned and they walked to the Spanish Stairs. As they passed the Trinità del Monte a voice came out to them, a soprano voice marvellously clear and vibrant, the pure high notes almost startling in their passionate intensity.
"How beautiful!" said Ragna, and Mirko answered:
"But how sad! Think of a woman who can put that into her singing, eating her heart out in a cloister!"
As they descended the stairs Ragna looked up again at the white planet nearing the horizon, a whiter glow seemed to be overtaking the star, drowning it in a diffused effulgence.