"Wait a little longer," answered Faustina, in an imploring tone. "Wait until the suit is decided."
"In order to let San Giacinto get even more influence than he has now?
It would be a mistake—you almost said so yourself a moment ago.
Besides, the suit may for years."
"It will not last a fortnight."
"Poor Sant' Ilario!" exclaimed Gouache. "Does everybody know about it?"
"I suppose so. But nobody speaks of it. We all feel dreadfully about it, except my father and San Giacinto and Flavia."
"If he is in a good humour this is the very time to go to him."
"Please, please do not insist!" Faustina was evidently very much in earnest. With the instinct of a very young woman, she clung to the half happiness of the present which was so much greater than anything she had known before in her life. But Gouache would not be satisfied.
"I must know the worst," he said again, as they parted.
"But this is so much, better than the worst," answered Faustina, sadly.
"Who risks nothing, wins nothing," retorted the young man with a bright smile.