'No, I will not trouble you,' interposed the other.
'No, no, I want you to see it; it is important; it has a door opening on the stairs.'
The mistress, with her rather fleshy, rather pasty face, resembling some of the old Roman heads, opened another door, which fronted on the landing; this was the third door, so that this apartment of two rooms and a half had two free entrances.
'It is a very convenient house,' she suggested demurely, inspecting a hand, and smoothing it to make it whiter. In her black dress, with its statuesque folds, and with the pale, calm Roman matron's countenance, she imposed respect. The Honourable Sangiorgio spoke to her as to a lady of high station.
'The apartment is rather too luxurious for me,' he said. 'I like it very much, but my requirements are very plain.'
'Indeed!' she remarked, as if she did not quite believe him, in a lightly courteous tone.
'Yes, I assure you I am something of a savage,' continued Sangiorgio frankly. 'I want a quiet place for my work, and nothing more. I spend much time at the Parliament. Here—it is a little feminine, it seems to me,' he added smilingly.
'Yes, there was a Russian lady here last year; she was called away, and had to leave.' And she stopped, without vouchsafing further explanations.
'And—the price?' asked the deputy, after a moment's hesitation.