"On the road. I went out this afternoon for a ride, and the post-chaise passed me. I knew you perfectly."
"Well, I did not see you. I only recollect meeting two or three peasants, but I did not recognise anybody."
On saying this a wave of crimson surged to her face in spite of herself. To hide her confusion she turned her head, and her eyes met those of Amalia, brilliant and steely, as they rested upon her. They looked at each other for an instant. The feline mouth of the Valencian was wreathed in a smile. Fernanda tried to respond by a similar one, but it was a failure. She turned again to the count, and talked of indifferent subjects, of theatres, music, and projects of travel.
Nevertheless, Luis became more and more preoccupied; he seemed to lose his self-control, and talked at random, as if his thoughts were straying afar. He was silent for some moments, struggled to say something, moved his lips, but instead of their articulating what he wanted, they expressed something quite different, something trivial and ridiculous that he was ashamed of directly he had said it. Fernanda watched him attentively, regaining the calmness and self-possession that he was rapidly losing. She seemed absorbed in the conversation, describing her travelling impressions with naturalness, and expressing her opinions with unconcern, as if there had been nothing between them but an old and tranquil friendship. Finally, availing himself of an instant's silence, he summoned resolution to say:
"When I approached you, you seemed very thoughtful. Of what were you thinking?"
"I do not recollect. Of what would you have me think?"
The count hesitated a moment; then encouraged by the gracious smile of his ex-fiancée, he ventured to say:
"Of me."
Fernanda looked at him in silence with playful curiosity, under which shone a delight impossible to hide. The count coloured up to the eyes, and he would gladly have cut his tongue out before having said those two fatal monosyllables.
"All right," said the girl, jumping up from her chair. "Au revoir, I am glad to see you friendly."