"What does it matter?" asked Taquisara, turning away and walking again. "It is a question of five minutes. I should think that you would be glad—"
"Yes—perhaps I am glad," said Gianluca, so low that the words were scarcely an interruption.
"Because you can be married in your full senses," continued Taquisara, bravely, "with your father and mother beside you, and all the rest of it."
Gianluca said nothing to this, and again there was a short silence. Just as Taquisara came to the table in his walk, Gianluca spoke again.
"Stop a moment," he said. "Look at me, Taquisara. If you were in my place, what would you do?"
Their eyes met, and Gianluca saw the quick effort of the other's features, controlling themselves, as though he had been struck unawares.
"I?" exclaimed Taquisara, taken entirely off his guard. "If I were in your place? Why—" he recovered himself—"I should get married again, as soon as possible, of course. What else should any one do?"
But the bold eyes for once looked down a little, their steadiness broken.
"You would do nothing of the sort," said Gianluca.
"What do you mean?" Again Taquisara started almost imperceptibly, and his brows contracted as he looked up sharply.