"Forgive me, conte," he said, with remorseful fervor; "I fear I have been rude and unsociable. Your kind words have put me right again. You will think me a jealous madman, but I really fancied that you were beginning to feel an attraction for her yourself, and actually--(pardon me, I entreat of you!) actually I was making up my mind to--to kill you!"
I laughed quietly. "Veramente! How very amiable of you! It was a good intention, but you know what place is paved with similar designs?"
"Ah, conte, it is like your generosity to take my confession so lightly; but I assure you, for the last hour I have been absolutely wretched!"
"After the fashion of all lovers, I suppose," I answered "torturing yourself without necessity! Well, well, it is very amusing! My young friend, when you come to my time of life, you will prefer the chink of gold to the laughter and kisses of women. How often must I repeat to you that I am a man absolutely indifferent to the tender passion? Believe it or not, it is true."
He drank off his wine at one gulp and spoke with some excitement.
"Then I will frankly confide in you. I DO love the contessa. Love! it is too weak a word to describe what I feel. The touch of her hand thrills me, her very voice seems to shake my soul, her eyes burn through me! Ah! YOU cannot know--YOU could not understand the joy, the pain--"
"Calm yourself," I said, in a cold tone, watching my victim as his pent-up emotion betrayed itself, "The great thing is to keep the head cool when the blood burns. You think she loves you?"
"Think! Gran Dio! She has--" here he paused and his face flushed deeply--"nay! I have no right to say anything on that score. I know she never cared for her husband."
"I know that too!" I answered, steadily. "The most casual observer cannot fail to notice it."
"Well, and no wonder!" he exclaimed, warmly. "He was such an undemonstrative fool! What business had such a fellow as that to marry so exquisite a creature!"
My heart leaped with a sudden impulse of fury, but I controlled my voice and answered calmly: "Requiescat in pace! He is dead--let him rest. Whatever his faults, his wife of course was true to him while he lived; she considered him worthy of fidelity--is it not so?"