"My dear, you don't understand!" said Arduina, who, had not taken in Regina's meaning; "you talk like that because you've never felt the need——"
"You are from Lombardy?" asked the Senator, who, with his hands folded on his breast, amused himself twiddling his thumbs.
"I'm an incapable and useless Italian," she replied, very contemptuous of herself.
"But you are young. Why don't you write?"
"What's the use of writing," she asked, meeting his eye mockingly, "if it's only to ask for subscriptions and audiences?"
The old man, still twiddling his thumbs, rose and took a step towards the young lady.
"What's your impression of Rome?"
"Bad! It bores me! Town life is so wretched and gloomy. Besides, it does nothing but rain," said Regina, and laughed.
"What makes him stare so?" she thought; "can I possibly have the moral physiognomy of the English ladies?"
The old man stood in front of her, his back to Arduina, whose presence he seemed to have forgotten.