"I don't know. You ought to know, Signor Sabini," she replied boldly. "An answer, I suppose, to her last letter."
"Which last letter? Which?"
"That of to-day: that which I brought you," concluded Miss Ford simply.
He leant forward for a moment in his chair, then fell back suddenly, overcome. And the sad confession escaped almost involuntarily from his lips:
"I haven't read it."
"You haven't read it, Signor Sabini?" asked Miss Ford, with her first, fleeting frown.
"I haven't read it," he again affirmed, with bowed head.
"Oh!" only exclaimed Miss Ford, in a tone of marvel and incredulity.
Lucio rose; with trembling hands he sought in his writing-table, took the closed letter and showed it to the Englishwoman.
"Here it is, untouched. I haven't read it; I haven't opened it."