Cornélie reproached herself and one day spoke seriously to the American girl and warned her. But she dared not repeat what she had overheard at the dance; and her warning made no impression on Urania. And, when Rudyard had obtained for Miss Hope the privilege of a private audience of the Pope, Urania would not hear a word against Rudyard and considered him the kindest man whom she had ever met, Jesuit or no Jesuit.
But Rudyard continued to appear through a haze of mystery; and people were not agreed as to whether he was a priest or a layman.
CHAPTER XI
"What do those strangers matter to you?" asked Duco.
They were sitting in his studio: Mrs. Van der Staal, Cornélie and the girls, Annie and Emilie. Annie was pouring out the tea; and they were discussing Miss Taylor and Urania.
"I am a stranger to you too!" said Cornélie.
"You are not a stranger to me, to us. But Miss Taylor and Urania don't matter. Hundreds of shadows pass through our lives: I don't see them and don't feel them."
"I have talked to you too much in the Borghese and on the Palatine to look upon you as a shadow."
"Rudyard is a dangerous shadow," said Annie.