“Why?”
“I don’t know. We—I—there seemed to be a sort of barrier between us—didn’t there?”
“I was in a bad humor. I was tired after the journey, and perhaps the weather upset me.”
“It’s all right—one can’t be always—Well, this is what I wanted to say. I alluded to it yesterday when I told you about my visit to Naples with Madame Alliani. Do you remember?”
“You hinted you had seen, or heard of, some tragedy.”
“Yes. I believe it is a quite ordinary one in Naples. We went to visit a consumptive woman in one of those narrow streets going uphill to the left of the Via Roma, and while there by chance I heard of it. In the same house as the sick woman there is a girl. Not many days ago she was beautiful!”
“Yes? What has happened to her?”
“I’ll tell you. Her name is Peppina. She is only nineteen, but she has been one of those who are not given a chance. She was left an orphan very young and went to live with an aunt. This aunt is a horrible old woman. I believe—they say she goes to the Galleria—”
Hermione paused.
“I understand,” said Artois.