"
"Do you mean that the law can force him to?"
"The law might, perhaps, but I shall find some much shorter way."
Sabina was silent for a moment.
"But he employs you on this work," she said suddenly.
"Not exactly." Malipieri smiled. "I would not let Volterra pay me to
grub underground for his benefit, any more than I would live in his
house without paying him rent."
Sabina bit her lip and turned her face away suddenly, for the
thoughtless words had hurt her.
"I agreed to make the search merely because I am interested in
archaeology," he continued. "Until I met you I did not care what might
become of anything we found in the palace."
"Why should you care now?"
The question rose to her lips before she knew what she was saying, for
what had gone before had disturbed her a little. It had been a very
cruel speech, though he had not meant it. He looked at her
thoughtfully.
"I am not quite sure why I care," he answered, "but I do."
Neither spoke for some time.
"I suppose you pity me," Sabina observed at last, rather resentfully.
He said nothing.
"You probably felt sorry for me as soon as you saw me," she continued,
leaning back in her chair and speaking almost coldly. "I am an object
of pity, of course!"
Malipieri laughed a little at the very girlish speech.
"No," he answered.
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