"We never expect you to see the sense of anything."
"Come, show sense yourself!" interposed her husband, threatening her with his fork.
"Are you in the Woman Movement, Regina?" some one asked.
"I? No!" answered the bride, as if starting from a dream. Then, wishing to defend her sister-in-law, less out of pity for her than out of dislike to the brothers, she added, "Perhaps Arduina will convert me."
"Antonio! get out your stick!" cried Gaspare, and again they all laughed.
The topic changed. They discussed a certain Madame Makuline, a Russian princess long resident in Rome, to whom Antonio had been introduced by Arduina, and who occasionally employed him in the administration of her affairs.
"She should give a wedding present to Regina," said the authoress; "I expect her to dinner to-morrow; will you two come?"
This intelligence somewhat restored Arduina's prestige, and Regina breathed more freely. The conversation ran on countesses and duchesses; Claretta cried, turning to Massimo—
"Oh, now I remember! You were seen yesterday——"
"Wasn't I seen to-day?"