"What is Faustina Montevarchi to me, compared with your love?" Giovanni asked.
Something in the tone of his voice made her look at him. She saw the intensity of his feeling in his eyes, and she wondered that he should try to tempt her to love him with, such an insignificant bribe—with the hope of liberating the young girl. She did not understand that he was growing desperate. Had she known what was in his mind she might have made a supreme effort to deceive herself into the belief that he was still to her what he had been so long. But she did not know.
"For the sake of her innocence, Giovanni!" she exclaimed. "Can you let a child like that suffer so? I am sure, if you really would you could manage it, with your influence. Do you not see that I am suffering too, for the girl's sake?"
"Will you say that it is for your sake?"
"For my sake—if you will," she cried almost impatiently.
"For your sake, then," he answered. "Remember that it is for you,
Corona."
Before she could answer, he had left the room, without another word, without so much as touching her hand. Corona gazed sadly at the open door, and then returned to Faustina.
An hour later the nun entered the cell, with a bright smile on her face.
"Your carriage is waiting for you—for you both," she said, addressing the princess. "Donna Faustina is free to return to her mother."