The Princess was talking. Antonio also, very handsome but preternaturally grave, was talking to an elderly young lady who had stuck a golden fringe on top of her scanty red hair. Scraps of phrases, laughter, isolated words in the midst of the general hubbub, reached the corner where sat Regina, Gabrie and Marianna.
"Do you know that lady's history?" asked Marianna. "Blind as she is, she tried to murder her husband, who was the cause of her calamity."
"How was that?"
"I'll tell you afterwards. Now I must talk to those people over there."
She moved off with a great rustling of her petticoats. But suddenly she stopped and said, looking back to Regina—
"I met your baby out with that demon of a nurse. I put the woman in a fury telling her we were going to have an earthquake."
"I know," said Regina laughing; "you frightened her to death."
"Frightened her? Won't that poison the baby? But it's quite true about the earthquake. I read it in print."
"Really? What fun!" said Gabrie.
Marianna seemed to see her for the first time.