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Don Luis allowed the lace from his sleeves to droop a littlemore elegantly, and
bowed. She was nowdirecting the most exclusive convent-school for aristocratic
youngladies in Tuscany.
The sense of immediatecommunication in a mutual dream
lapsed. The merchandise still at the casa, ofcourse .
The English were inthe
offing for a while. He was fair and blue-eyed,northern, but browned now; bitten
deeply by some land of constantsun. He felt her cold hands in his own again
ason that night in the mountains. Come up, said Vincent, and see how you like
the bedroom with thenew chintz curtains. He willwant to sell you the old casa,
but dont buy. The fire would be blazing under the portrait of King Jamesand the
misty room aglow. Watch yourself, forhe is brilliantly canny.
He smiled
immenselypleased at understanding so much. The old mans business acumen and
foresight were abundantly plain.
Adverse from Gibraltar and that he willsoon be
in Leghorn. But they could go as far as Paris together.
How the head rose up
from thewide shoulders that supported it!
By accident he had fallen into that
vanished age. In doing all this he had sustained some inevitablelosses. Herr
Gott, Toni, I do luf you, he said suddenly overcome. Good evening, my good
woman, said Don Luis. The mother superior was making self-satisfied and pious
noises inher throat. All the time left to him was bound now to be highly
respectable.
And we have many other noble names represented here, themother
superior was saying. No, no, they were out of the arch forever.
He emanated an
optimistic butconvincing warmth. There could be no doubt he WAS shocked now.
This approaching marriage wassomehow the most important news. He ran his
handthrough his hair in considerable excitement. The expenses of a general
European warhave surpassed the most spendthrift imaginations. I have arranged a
rather clever method ofexchange through a neutral state.
He looked around
apprehensively andcollapsed into a sort of breathing heap.
People likethe
Udneys, and cool, tall girls like Florence were everywhere.
Wait for a while
till I see, said Anthony. Ah, the poor little papa, said Frau Frank, wiping her
eyes.
So they WERE going to stop there again after all!
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