"No. Paris is too expensive. When we have got the few things we want we will go back to Italy—next week, I should think."
"I wish we were rich," observed Aurora.
"I never heard you say that before," answered her mother. "But after all, wishing does no harm, and I am silly enough to wish we were rich too."
"If I married Marcello, I should be very rich," said Aurora, ceasing to turn the hat, but still contemplating it critically.
Maddalena looked at her daughter in some surprise. The girl's face was quite grave.
"You had better think of getting rich in some other way, my dear," said the Contessa presently, with an asperity that did not escape Aurora, but produced no impression on her.
"I was only supposing," she said. "But if it comes to that, it would be much better for him to marry me than that good-looking peasant girl he has picked up."
The Contessa sat up straight and stared at her in astonishment. There was a coolness in the speech that positively horrified her.
"My dear child!" she cried. "What in the world are you talking about?"
"Regina," answered Aurora, looking up, and throwing the hat upon the table. "I am talking about Marcello's Regina. Did you suppose I had never heard of her, and that I did not guess that it was she, the other night? I had a good look at her. I hate her, but she is handsome. You cannot deny that."