wer.
'ItwasthefirstthingIthoughtof.'
'Yourwifemusthavebeen—surprisedtoseeyou.'
'Anddelighted.'
'Ah!'Shecrossedherhandsandsmiled.
Iwonderedwhatshemeant.
'Youwerenotexpectedfortwodays,Ithink.'
'Youknowmymovementsverywell.Iampleasedtofindyoutakesuchinterestinme.'
'Oh,itisnotIalone.Thewholetowntakesinterestinyou.Youhavebeenamostpleasanttopicofconversation.'
'Really!'Iwasgettingalittleangry.'Andwhathasthetowntosayofme?'
'Oh,Idonotwanttotroubleyourpeaceofmind.'
'Willyouhavethegoodnesstotellmewhatyoumean?'
Sheshruggedhershouldersandsmiledenigmatically.
'Well?'Isaid.
'Ifyouinsist,Iwilltellyou.Theysaythatyouareacomplaisanthusband.'
'Thatisalie!'
'Youarenotpolite,'sheansweredcalmly.
'Howdareyousaysuchthings,youimpudentwoman!'
'Mygoodsir,itistrue,perfectlytrue.AskMatteo.'
SuddenlyIrememberedMatteo'squestion,andhislookofrelief.Asuddenfearranthroughme.ItookholdofClaudia'swristsandsaid,—
'Whatdoyoumean?Whatdoyoumean?'
'Leavegoyouhurtme!'
'Answer,Itellyou.Iknowyouaredyingtotellme.Isthiswhyyoulayinwaitforme,andbroughtmehere?Tellme.'
AsuddentransformationtookplaceinClaudiarageandhatebrokeoutandcontortedherface,sothatonewouldnothaverecognisedit.
'Doyousupposeyoucanescapetheordinaryfateofhusbands?'Shebrokeintoasavagelaugh.
'Itisalie.YouslanderGiuliabecauseyouareyourselfimpure.'
'Youwerewillingenoughtotakeadvantageofthatimpurity.DoyousupposeGiulia'scharacterhasalteredbecauseyouhavemarriedher?Shemadeherfirsthusbandacuckold,anddoyousupposethatshehassuddenlyturnedvirtuous?Youfool!'
'Itisalie.Iwillnotbelieveawordofit.'
'ThewholetownhasbeenringingwithherloveforGiorgiodall'Aste.'
Igaveacryitwasforhimthatsheabandonedmebefore....
'Ah,youbelievemenow!'
'Listen!'Isaid.'Ifthisisno