"She told me that she would announce our engagement at once,
and made me give my word that I would not deny it to any one but my
legal wife."
"You gave your word?" Sabina asked quickly, not at all displeased.
"What could I do?"
"Nothing else! I am glad you did, for we can see each other as much as
we like now. But how shall we manage it in the end, since we cannot
marry?"
"Break the imaginary engagement, I suppose," Malipieri answered
gloomily. "I see nothing else to be done."
"But then my mother says that no decent man will marry me. It will be
just the same, all over again. It was very clever of her; she is
trying to force you to do what she wants. In the meantime you can come
and see me every day--that is the best part of it. Besides, she will
leave us alone together here, for hours, because she thinks that the
more you fall in love with me the more you will wish to get a divorce.
Oh, she is a very clever woman! You do not know her as I do!"
Malipieri marvelled at the amazing combination of girlish innocence
and keen insight into her mother's worldly and cynical character,
which Sabina had shown during the last few minutes. There never yet
was a man in love with girl or woman who did not find in her something
he had never dreamt of before.
"She is clever," he assented gravely, "but she cannot make me break
that promise, even for your sake.
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