If the
family had debts, why did he not borrow money and pay them? That was
what he was paid for doing, after all. It was true that he had not
been paid for a year or two, but that was a wretched detail. Economy?
Had not the Princess given up her second maid, as an extravagance?
What more did the man expect?
The Baroness knew all this and reflected upon what she knew, as she
deliberately got out of her cab at the foot of the grand staircase.
"I will go upstairs myself," she said.
"Padrona," observed the porter, standing aside with his broom.
He explained in a single word that she was at liberty to go upstairs
if she chose, that it was not of the least use to go, and that he
would not be responsible for any disappointment if she were afterwards
not pleased. There is no language in the world which can say more in
one word than the Italian, or less in ten thousand, according to the
humour of the speaker.
The Baroness took no notice as she went up the stairs. She was not
very tall, and was growing slowly and surely stout, but she carried
her rather large head high and had cultivated importance, as a fine
art, with some success. She moved steadily, with a muffled sound as of
voluminous invisible silk bellows that opened and shut at each step;
her outer dress was sombre, but fashionable, and she wore a long gold
chain of curious and fine workmanship to carry her hand-glass, for she
was near-sighted.
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