He realized that his accurate knowledge of
Neapolitan women, hitherto considered by him as amply sufficient to
conduct him without a false step through all the intricacies of the
world feminine, might not serve him perfectly with the ladies of the
island. His fever had, it seemed, struck a little blow on his self-
confidence, and rendered him so feeble as to be almost thoughtful.
And then, what exactly did he want? To discomfit Emilio utterly? That,
of course, did not need saying, even to himself. And afterwards? There
were two perpendicular lines above his eyebrows as the boat drew near
to the island.
But when he came into the little drawing-room, where Hermione was
waiting to receive him, he looked young and debonair, though still
pale from his recent touch of illness.
Vere was secretly irritated by his coming. Her interview with Peppina
had opened her eyes to many things, among others to a good deal that
was latent in the Marchesino. She could never again meet him, or any
man of his type, with the complete and masterful simplicity of
ignorant childhood that can innocently coquet by instinct, that can
manage by heredity from Eve, but that does not understand thoroughly,
either, what it is doing or why it is doing it.
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