"Oh, I know! The heart has its reasons, but it listens to none."
"Go to bed, I tell you! Isn't it sufficient that by your tittle-tattle you caused me to wrong the lady?"
"I did?"
"You did."
"I did not."
"You did, and if it hadn't been for the tales you told me before I knew her, or had ever seen her, I should never have spoken of her as I did."
"She deserved all you said of her."
"She didn't deserve one word of it, and it was your lies that made me slander her."
Bruno's eyes flinched as if a blow had fallen on them. Then he tried to laugh.
"Hit me again. The skin of the ass is used to blows. Only don't go too far with me, David Rossi."