y destroyed that belief now, by a single foolish speech. It
would be hard to build it up again.

Like many men of genius he could not forgive his own mistake, and Gloria
was involved in this one. Moreover, as an Italian, he fancied that she
secretly suspected him of meanness, and when Italians are not mean,
there is nothing which they resent more than being thought to be so. He
had plenty of money, for he had always lived very simply before his
marriage, and Dalrymple gave Gloria an allowance.

His tone changed, when he answered her, but she was far from suspecting
what she had done.

"We will get another apartment at once," he said quietly.

"No," she answered at once, protesting, "you must not do anything of the
kind! What an idea! To change our home merely because it is not on the
Corso or the Piazza di Venezia!"

"You would prefer the Corso?" inquired Angelo. "That is natural. It is
more gay."

The reflexion that the view of the deserted Forum of Trajan was dull
suggested itself to him as a Roman, knowing the predilection of Roman
women of the middle class for looking out of the window.

"It is ridiculous!" cried Gloria. "You must not think of it.
Besides--the expense--"

"The expense does not enter into the question, my dear," he answered,
having fully made up his mind. "You shall not live in a place to which
you think your friends may hesitate to come."

"Friends! They are not my friends, and they never mean to be," she
replied more hotly. "Why should I care whether they will take the
trouble to come and see me or not? Let them stay away, if I am not good
enough for them. Tell Donna Francesca not to bring them--not to come
herself any more. I hate to feel that she is thrusting me down the
throat of a society that does not want me! She only does it to put me
under an obligation to her. I am sure she talks about me behind my back
and says horrid things--"

"You are very unjust," said Reanda, hurt by the vulgarity of the speech
and deeply wounded in his own pride.

"You defend her! You see!" And the colour rose in Gloria's cheeks.

"She has done nothing that needs defence. She has acted always with the
greatest kindness to me and to us. You have no right to suppose that she
says unkind things of you when you are not present. I cannot imagine
what has come over you to-day. It must be the weather. It is sirocco."

Gloria turned away angrily, thinking that he was laughing at her,
whereas the suggestion a