“Yes,” her companion answered. “Why?”
“Oh, nothing! I thought you seemed dissatisfied. Then you are not sorry you came?”
Signora Albacina was greatly astonished when Jeanne seized her hand and replied: “I am so grateful to you!”
The voice was low and quiet, the pressure of the hand almost violent.
“Indeed! indeed!” thought Signora Albacina. “This is one of the future ‘Ladies of the Holy Spirit’!”
“For my part,” she said aloud, “I am sure I shall keep to my old religion, the religion of the non-concessionists. They may be Pharisees or anything else you like, but I fear that if this old religion is subjected to so much retouching and restoring, it will tumble down, and nothing will be left standing. Besides, if we followed these Benedettos, too many things would have to be changed. No, no! However, the man interests me extremely. Now we must try to see him. We must see him! Especially as he seems doomed to speedy death. Don’t you think so? How can we manage it? Let us think!”
“I have no wish to see him,” Jeanne said hastily.
“Really?” her friend exclaimed. “But how is that? Explain this riddle!”
“It is quite simple. I have no desire to see him.”
“Curious!” thought Signora Albacina. The carriage drew up before the entrance to the Grand Hôtel.