He saw clearly enough that she had not believed the strange story
which Sabina must have told her, and he wondered whether any earthly
power could possibly make her believe it in spite of herself. During
the moments of silence that followed, the whole situation rose before
him, in the only light under which it could at first appear to any
ordinary person. It was frightful to think that what had been a bit of
romantic quixotism on his part, in wishing Sabina to see the statues
which should have been hers, should end in her social disgrace,
perhaps in her utter ruin if the Baroness and her husband could not be
mollified. He did not know that there was one point in Sabina's
favour, in the shape of the Princess's sudden return to Rome, though
he guessed the Baroness's character well enough to have foreseen, had
he known of the new complication, that she would swallow her pride and
even overlook Sabina's supposed misdeeds, rather than allow the
Princess to accuse her of betraying her trust and letting the young
girl ruin herself.
"I must consult with you," the Baroness said to her husband,
controlling herself as she came forward into the room and passed
Malipieri. "We cannot talk here," she added, glancing at the
detective.
"This gentleman," said Volterra, waving his hand towards the latter,
"is here officially, to make an enquiry about Sassi's accident.
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