"Should think not, indeed! If it hadn't been for the Baron, who went in search of you, and found you after you had run away and been forced to go back to your slave-master, and then sent you to school in Paris, and now permits you to enjoy half the revenue of your father's estates, and forbids us to say a word about his generosity, where would you be? Madonna mia! In the streets of London, perhaps, to which your father had consigned you!"
The Princess Bellini was waiting for Roma when she returned to the drawing-room. The little lady was as friendly as if nothing unusual had occurred.
"Just going for a walk in the Corso, my dear. You'll come? No? Ah, work, work, work!"
The little lady tapped Roma's arm with her pince-nez and laughed.
"Everybody has heard that he is sitting to you, and everybody understands. That reminds me—I've a box at the new opera to-morrow night:—'Samson' at the Costanzi, you know. Only Gi-gi and myself, but if you would like me to take you and to ask your own particular Samson...."
"Honourable Rossi," said Felice at the door, and David Rossi entered the room, with the black poodle bounding before him.
"I must apologise for not sending back the dog," he said. "It followed me home yesterday, but I thought as I was coming to-day...."
"Black has quite deserted me since Mr. Rossi appeared," said Roma, and then she introduced the deputy to the Princess.
The little lady was effusive. "I was just saying, Honourable Rossi, that if you would honour my box at the opera to-morrow night...."
David Rossi glanced at Roma.