"Alone in that place! How rich she must be!" Contini found the remains of a cigar somewhere and lighted it thoughtfully.
"I do not know whether she is rich or not," said Orsino. "I never thought about it."
He began to work at his books again, while Contini sat down and fanned himself with a bundle of papers.
"She admires you very much, Don Orsino," said the latter, after a pause. Orsino looked up sharply.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked.
"I mean that she talked of nothing but you, and in the most flattering way."
In the oddly close intimacy which had grown up between the two men it did not seem strange that Orsino should smile at speeches which he would not have liked if they had come from any one but the poor architect.
"What did she say?" he asked with idle curiosity.
"She said it was wonderful to think what you had done. That of all the Roman princes you were the only one who had energy and character enough to throw over the old prejudices and take an occupation. That it was all the more creditable because you had done it from moral reasons and not out of necessity or love of money. And she said a great many other things of the same kind."
"Oh!" ejaculated Orsino, looking at the wall opposite.