Nello nodded. It was very easy to explain to this wonderful old man, who seemed to know what you were going to say before the words were formed.
“Now confide in me,” said the Baron in his most confidential tones. “You dropped a rather significant phrase just now. You said you had not yet formulated your ideas, except in one particular direction. Will you tell me, or can I guess it?”
The young man blushed vividly. “I have been fortunate far beyond my deserts, sir. The Princess Nada Zouroff, whom I first met in London at the Russian Embassy, has been kind enough——”
“Don’t be so formal, Nello,” said the Baron kindly, using his Christian name to put him at his ease. “You need not tell me any more. I had a long talk with Golitzine this afternoon. Of course he told me many things and amongst them was this item of news, that Nada is going to marry you.”
This wonderful old Salmoros knew everything, but how could he help it, when so many channels of information were open to him? Corsini’s answer was a still deeper blush.
“She will make you a good wife. Golitzine knows them well; he speaks in the highest terms of her and her mother. The father was a bully and a ruffian, the brother we know was a traitor, and will get his deserts.”
He raised his glass, bowing to the young man with an old-world courtesy.
“To the health of your fiancée, the future Countess Corsini. When do you propose to marry?”
“I cannot fix the exact date, Baron. Her mother, you may have heard, is very ill. Nada has only returned to the Palace to-day. It would not have been safe for her to do so while that scoundrel Boris was at large.”
Salmoros mused for a few moments before he spoke again. “So you will marry as soon as all the circumstances will permit. And I take it you will reside in England. What does the young Princess say to that?”