But Diana only repeated:—
"I love you."
And at last he flung all thoughts of warning and doubt aside, and secure in that reiterated "I love you!" yielded to the unutterable joy of the moment.
CHAPTER XVI
BARONI'S OPINION OF MATRIMONY
"Per Dio! What is this you tell me? That you are to be married? . . . My dear Mees Quentin, please put all such thoughts of foolishness out of your mind. You are consecrated to art. The young man must find another bride."
It was thus that Carlo Baroni received the news of Diana's engagement—at first with unmitigated horror, then sweeping it aside as though it were a matter of no consequence whatever.
Diana laughed, dimpling with amusement at the maestro's indignation. Now that she had given her faith, refusing to allow anything to stand between her and Max, she was so supremely happy that she felt she could afford to laugh at such relatively small obstacles as would be raised by her old singing-master.
"I'm afraid the 'young man' wouldn't agree to that," she returned gaily. "He would say you must find another pupil."
Baroni surveyed her with anxiety.