While Vere and Artois
had been out in the boat she had schooled herself. She felt more
competent to be the watcher of events. She even felt calmer, for
knowledge increased almost always brings an undercurrent of increased
tranquility, because of the sense of greater power that it produces in
the mind. She looked better. She talked more easily.
When dinner was over they went as usual to the garden, and when they
were there Hermione referred to the projected meeting with the
Marchesino.
"I made a promise," she said. "I must keep it."
"Of course," said Artois. "But it seems to me that I am always being
entertained, and that I am inhospitable--I do nothing in return. I
have a proposal to make. Monday will be the sixteenth of July, the
festa of the Madonna del Carmine--Santa Maria del Carmine. It is one
of the prettiest of the year, they tell me. Why should not you and
Vere come to dine at the Hotel, or in the Galleria, with me? I will
ask Panacci to join us, and we will all go on afterwards to see the
illuminations, and the fireworks, and the sending up of the fire-
balloons.
Pages:
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617