She smiled and rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. He shook his head a little, and would not answer.
"Would it be so hard to say that you ask another year's time before the marriage? And then, you know, you could ask it again, and they would soon be tired of waiting and would break it off themselves."
"Do not suggest such woman's tricks to me," answered her father; but he could not help smiling.
"Oh, you may find a better way," Marietta said. "But that would be so easy, would it not? Your daughter is so young—her health is somewhat delicate—"
She was interrupted by a knock at the door, and Pasquale entered.
"The Signor Giovanni is without, sir," said the porter. "He desires to take leave of you, as he is returning to his own house to-day."
"Let him come in," said Beroviero, his face darkening all at once.
CHAPTER XXI
Giovanni entered the laboratory confidently, not even knowing that Marietta was with her father, and not suspecting that he could have anything to fear from her.