“Is your brother Giulio away?”
“Yes, he is at Spello.”
They remained silent for a while.
“I am sure,” resumed Maria, “you will meet some one at the English Embassy.”
“Whoever, Maria?”
“Vittoria Casalta, your former fiancée, the sister of your sister-in-law,” and an accent more ironical than disdainful pointed the sentence.
“No, Maria,” he said, at once becoming serious.
“What is this ‘No,’ Marco?” and she smiled more sarcastically; “what are you denying?”
“That Vittoria Casalta is going to the English Embassy, Maria.”
“Ah, you know that she is not going there!” and she laughed bitterly.