“Just one moment, sister—”
“Suppose some one should come in, I should faint.” Here the young and bashful widow covered her mouth with her hand, and laughed.
Said the don to himself, keeping away from the lady, whose face had not yet turned towards him, “If her face is equal to her voice, Don Pasquale, you lucky man you, you have waited for something.”
“Brother, brother, I don’t like to be left alone.”
“My dear, you are not alone, I am here, and here is Don Pasquale.”
“Oh! oh! a man!—oh my goodness! a man,—oh take me away—a man! oh I never!” Here there was another laugh.
Here the don congratulated himself more than ever.
And here, also, the Doctor said to himself, “Poor old fellow.”
Then he added, “Don’t be afraid, sister, this is the noble Don Pasquale.”
“Oh indeed!”