“Vere! Why—”
“Oh!” she cried, “Gaspare hasn’t gone!”
A look almost of dread, half pretence but with some reality in it, too, came into her face.
“Gaspare, forgive me! I was in such a hurry. And it is only Don Emilio!”
Her voice was coaxing. Gaspare looked at his Padroncina with an attempt at reprobation; but his nose twitched, and though he tried to compress his lips they began to stretch themselves in a smile.
“Signorina! Signorina!” he exclaimed. “Madonna!”
On that exclamation he went out, trying to make his back look condemnatory.
“Only Don Emilio!” Artois repeated.
Vere went to him, and took and held his hand for a moment.
“Yes—only! That’s my little compliment. Madre would say of you. ‘He’s such an old shoe!’ Such compliments come from the heart, you know.”