"You will marry her as soon as possible," the Baroness said with frigid severity. "It is the only thing you can do."
Malipieri was silent. The Baron looked at him, and a disagreeable smile
passed over his fat features. But at that moment the door opened, and
Sabina entered. Without the least hesitation she came forward to
Malipieri, frankly holding out her hand.
"Good morning," she said. "Before I go, I wish to thank you again for saving my life, and for taking care of me here."
He held her hand a moment.
"I ask your pardon, with all my heart, for having brought you into danger and trouble," he answered.
"It was not your fault," she said. "It was nobody's fault, and I am glad I saw the statues before any one else. You told me last night that you were probably going away. If we never meet again, I wish you to remember that you are not to reproach yourself for anything that may happen to me. You might, you know. Will you remember?"
She spoke quite naturally and without the least fear of Volterra and his wife, who looked on and listened in dumb surprise at her self-possession. She meant every word she said, and more too, but she had thought out the little speech while she was dressing, for she had guessed what must be happening in the study. Malipieri fixed his eyes on hers gratefully, but did not find an answer at once.
"Will you remember?" she repeated.
"I shall never forget," he answered, not quite steadily,
By one of those miracles which are the birthright of certain women, she had made her dress look almost fresh again. The fawn-coloured hat was restored to its shape, or nearly. The mud that had soiled her skirt had dried and she had brushed it away, though it had left faint spots on the cloth, here and there; pins hid the little rents so cleverly that only a woman's eye could have detected anything wrong, and the russet shoes were tolerably presentable. The Baroness saw traces of the adventure to which the costume had been exposed, but Volterra smiled and was less inclined than ever to believe the story which both had told, though he did not say so.