Then he got hold upon himself again, and gently pushed her a little
further from him, while he put his other hand to his throat and closed
his eyes.
"Forgive me," he said, in a thick voice. "I could not help it."
"What is there to forgive? We are not betraying any one. You are not
breaking a promise to any other woman. What harm is there? You did not
give your friend your word that you would never love any one, did you?
How could you? How could you know?"
"I could not know," he answered in a low voice. "But I should not have
kissed you."
He knew that she could not understand the point of honour that was so
clear to him.
"Let me think for you, sometimes," she said.
Her voice was as low as his, but dreamily passionate, and the strange
young magic vibrated in it, which perfect innocence wields with a
destroying strength not even guessed at by itself.
The door opened and the Princess entered the room in a leisurely
fashion, wreathed in smiles. She had successfuly done what it would be
very hard for Malipieri to undo. He rose.
"Have you told Sabina what I said?" she enquired.
"Yes."
She turned to the girl, who was leaning back in the corner of the
sofa.
"Of course you agree, my child?" she said, with a question in her
voice, though with no intonation of doubt as to the answer.
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