"No, my doubting Englishman, I promise you I will not be offended at anything you say."
"But, Luigi, it is about the Contessa Morone!"
"Eh! about the Contessa?--I thought as much!"
"How so?" I asked in some surprise.
The face of the Marchese assumed that cruel, cunning look I so much disliked to see, and he eyed me in a nonchalant manner.
"Dame! Signor Hugo, I will tell you when I hear your story of the Contessa."
Thus committed to narrative, I told Beltrami the whole story of my adventure from the time I had seen the Contessa at the graveyard to the hour when she had fled in dismay from the Palazzo Morone. He listened attentively, and when I had finished remained silent for a few minutes with a thoughtful look on his dark face.
"Why do you tell me all this, mon ami?" he asked, at length, twisting his moustache in a reflective manner.
"For two reasons. First, you may be able to aid me in my search for Pallanza; and second, you must have been ignorant of the character of the woman you are going to marry."
"As to the first reason, Hugo, you are right. As to the second, you are wrong."