And again, blissfully--'I can feel your heart beating--so fast, so
fast.'
At last, with a sigh, 'I must go now.'
Andrea was as lividly pale and convulsed as if he had just committed a
murder.
'What ails you?' she asked with tender solicitude.
He tried to smile. 'I never felt so profound an emotion,' he answered.
'I thought I should have died.'
He took the bouquet of flowers from one of the vases and handed it to
her and went with her towards the door, almost hurrying her departure,
for this woman's every look and gesture and word was a fresh
sword-thrust in his heart.
'Good-bye, dear heart!' said the hapless creature to him with
unspeakable tenderness. 'Think of me.'
CHAPTER VII
On the morning of the 20th of May, as Andrea Sperelli was walking along
the Corso in the radiant sunshine, he heard his name called from the
doorway of the Club.
On the pavement in front of it was a group of gentlemen amusing
themselves by watching the ladies pass and talking scandal. They were
Giulio Musellaro, Ludovico Barbarisi, the Duke of Grimiti, Galeazzo
Secinaro, Gino Bomminaco, and two or three others.
'Have you heard what happened last night?' Barbarisi asked him.
'No, what?'
'Don Manuel Ferres, the Minister for Guatemala----'
'Well?'
'Was caught red-handed cheating at cards.'
Sperelli retained his self-command, although some of the men were
looking at him with a certain malicious curiosity.
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