I know not what explanation of his inconsequence her companion would have given her if at that moment the door of the room had not been pushed open to permit the entrance of Hyacinth Robinson. He stopped short on perceiving that Madame Grandoni had a visitor, but before he had time to say anything the old lady addressed him with a certain curtness: “Ah, you don’t fall well; the Princess isn’t at home.”
“That was mentioned to me, but I ventured to come in to see you, as I have done before,” Hyacinth replied. Then he added, as if he were retreating, “I beg many pardons. I was not told that you were not alone.”
“My visitor is going, but I am going too,” said Madame Grandoni. “I must take myself to my room—I am all falling to pieces. Therefore kindly excuse me.”
Hyacinth had had time to recognise the Prince, and this nobleman paid him the same compliment, as was proved by his asking of Madame Grandoni, in a rapid aside, in Italian, “Isn’t it the bookbinder?”
“Sicuro,” said the old lady; while Hyacinth, murmuring a regret that he should find her indisposed, turned back to the door.
“One moment—one moment, I pray!” the Prince interposed, raising his hand persuasively and looking at him with an unexpected, exaggerated smile. “Please introduce me to the gentleman,” he added, in English, to Madame Grandoni.
She manifested no surprise at the request—she had none left, apparently, for anything—but pronounced the name of Prince Casamassima, and then added, for Hyacinth’s benefit, “He knows who you are.”
“Will you permit me to keep you a very little minute?” the Prince continued, addressing the other visitor; after which he remarked to Madame Grandoni, “I will speak with him a little. It is perhaps not necessary that we should incommode you, if you do not wish to stay.”
She had for a moment, as she tossed off a satirical little laugh, a return of her ancient drollery: “Remember that if you talk long she may come back! Yes, yes, I will go upstairs. Felicissima notte, signori!” She took her way to the door, which Hyacinth, considerably bewildered, held open for her.
The reasons for which Prince Casamassima wished to converse with him were mysterious; nevertheless, he was about to close the door behind Madame Grandoni, as a sign that he was at the service of her companion. At this moment the latter extended again a courteous, remonstrant hand. “After all, as my visit is finished and as yours comes to nothing, might we not go out?”