.

He already connected Folco's knowledge of the Contessa's arrival in
Pontresina so closely with Settimia's note that Folco's last statement
had taken him by surprise, and a multitude of confused questions
presented themselves to his mind. If Settimia had not written about the
Contessa, why had she written at all? How did she know where Corbario
was stopping in Saint Moritz? Was she in the habit of writing to him?
Corbario had found her for Regina; was Settimia helping Corbario to
exercise a sort of paternal vigilance over him? Somehow Marcello did not
like that idea at all. So far as he knew, Folco had always been
singularly frank with him, and had never deceived him in the smallest
thing, even "for his own good." Marcello could only attribute good
motives to him, but the mere idea of being watched was excessively
disagreeable. He wondered whether Settimia had influenced Regina to get
him away from Paris, acting under directions from Corbario. Was Regina
deceiving him too, "for his own good"? If there is anything a man cannot
bear from those he loves best, it is that they should take counsel
together secretly to direct him "for his own good."

Marcello tried to put the thought out of his mind; but it had dawned
upon him for the first time that Folco could tell even a pious
falsehood. Yet he had no proof whatever that he had guessed right; it
was a sudden impression and nothing more. He was much more silent during
the rest of the afternoon as he drove up to Pontresina with Folco, and
it seemed to him that he had at last touched something definite; which
was strange enough, considering that it was all a matter of guess-work
and doubt.

And now fate awoke again and did one of those little things that decide
men's lives. If Folco and Marcello had stopped at the door of the
Contessa's hotel two minutes earlier, or thirty seconds later, than they
did, they would not have chanced upon the Contessa and Aurora just
coming in from a walk. But fate brought the four together precisely at
that moment. As the carriage stopped, the two ladies had come from the
opposite direction and were on the door-step.

"What a surprise!" exclaimed the Contessa, giving her hand graciously
to Folco and then to Marcello.

The latter had got hold of a thread. Since the Contessa was surprised to
see Folco, she could not possibly have already let him know that she was
in Pontresina.

"I came as soon as I knew that you were here," said Corbario