gained.

"But Piero! You don't think! If the Marchesa finds out about the
marriage this way, she will, of course, refuse to receive Luisa into her
house, and then what are the children to do? Where can they go? There is
no room here, and even if there were, nothing is ready. At your house
it is the same. You must consider all these points. If we wished to keep
the marriage a secret for a month or two, it was not in order to
deceive, it was to gain time in which to win over Franco's grandmother,
and if she would not yield, to prepare one or two rooms at Oria."

"Oh, dear me!" said the engineer, "Does it take two months to do that?
It seems incredible!"

At this point a prolonged puff in the shadow reminded them of Signor
Giacomo's presence; he was leaning against the wall in one corner not
daring to move, because it was so dark.

Signora Teresa had not yet welcomed him.

"Oh, Signor Giacomo!" she now hastened to say. "I beg your pardon. I am
really so very, very much obliged to you! Pray come this way. Did you
hear what we were saying? Do let us have your opinion."

"Your very humble servant," said Signor Giacomo from his corner. "Really
I dare not move, for with my poor sight----"

"Luisa!" Signora Teresa called. "Bring a lamp. But did you hear, Signor
Giacomo? What do you think about it? Do tell us."

In his profound wisdom Signor Giacomo emitted three or four little hasty
puffs which meant: Ah, this is indeed an embarrassing question!

"I cannot say," he began hesitatingly, "I cannot say at present, being
in the dark----"

"Luisa!" Signora Teresa called once more.

"No, no, Signora! I mean being in the dark on so many points. I feel
that in my ignorance I may not pronounce an opinion. Still I will say it
seems to me that perhaps it might ... well, at any rate, I am here at
your service and at the service of this most respected family, though
indeed I should not be astonished if the Imperial and Royal
Commissary--a most excellent person, but very punctilious.... But
enough, we will not talk of that, for here I am. But I do say, it seems
to me that we might wait a little while, and our most noble friend Don
Franco here might be able to wheedle and persuade.... Well, well, well.
Do as you like. It is all the same to me."

A furious protest on Franco's part had caused Signor Giuseppe to face
about thus suddenly. Luisa seconded this protest, and Signora Teresa,
who now would perhaps have been in favour of a p