"I would not marry him if
he were Prince Colonna and had the Rothschilds' money."
"That is absurd," answered the Princess. "Just because you have taken
a fancy to that Malipieri, who cannot marry you because he has done
the most insane thing any one ever heard of."
"It was splendid," Sabina retorted.
"Besides," her mother said, "you do not know that it is true."
Sabina's eyes flashed.
"Whatever he says, is true," she answered, "and you know it is. He
never lied in his life!"
"No," said the Princess, "I really think he never did."
"Then why did you suggest such a thing, when you know that I love
him?"
"One says things, sometimes," replied the Princess vaguely. "I did not
really mean it, and I cannot help liking the man. I told him so this
morning. Now listen. Volterra is a perfect beast, and if you refuse,
he is quite capable of letting that story get about, and you will be
ruined."
"I will go into a convent."
"You know that you hate Clementina," observed the Princess.
"Of course I do. She used to beat me when I was small, because she
said I was wicked. Of course I hate her. I shall join the Little
Sisters of the Poor, or be a Sister of Charity. Even Clementina could
not object to that, I should think."
"You are a little fool!"
To this observation Sabina made no reply, for it was not new to her,
and she paid no attention to it.
Pages:
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361