A perturbing breath of the old life passed over his spirit,
awakening indeterminate desires in his heart.
He left the window and returned to his lunch. The sun shone on the wall
and lit up a dance of satyrs round a Silenus.
'The Duke of Grimiti and two other gentlemen,' announced the servant.
The Duke entered with Ludovico Barbarisi and Giulio Musellaro. Andrea
hastened forward to meet them and they greeted him warmly.
'You, Giulio!' exclaimed Sperelli, who had not seen his friend for more
than two years. How long have you been in Rome?'
'Only a week. I was going to write to you to Schifanoja, but thought I
would rather wait till you came back. And how are you? You are looking a
little thin, but very well. It was only when I got back to Rome that I
heard of your affair; otherwise, I would certainly have come from India
to offer you my services. At the beginning of May, I was at Padmavati in
the Bahara. What a heap of things I have to tell you!'
'And so have I!'
They shook hands heartily a second time. Sperelli seemed overjoyed. None
of his friends were so dear to him as Musellaro, for his noble
character, his keen and penetrating mind and rare culture.
'Ruggiero--Ludovico--sit down. Giulio, will you sit here?'
He offered them tea, cigarettes, liqueurs. The conversation grew very
lively. Grimiti and Barbarisi gave the news of Rome, especially the more
spicy items of society gossip.
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