An unexpected event disturbed the quiet life of the inmates of the
Hotel-Maulear. Aminta received a letter from her mother, in which
Signora Rovero announced to her daughter a piece of intelligence, which
for her children's sake delighted, while for her own sake it distressed
her. The Roman Cardinal, Filippo Justiniani, her brother, of whom we
spoke in one of the first chapters of this book, had died, leaving his
fortune to his nephew and niece. This fortune was more than a million.
Signora Rovero, therefore, wished her son-in-law, the Marquis de
Maulear, and Taddeo, to come at once to Rome, to receive this
inheritance; the one in the name of his wife, and the other for himself.

This letter produced very different effects in the family of the Prince
de Maulear. Instead of rejoicing at a fortune which was to be purchased
by the absence of her husband, the young _marquise_ was rather grieved
than pleased at it. The revenue the Prince had appropriated to his
children was sufficient to make their career quite brilliant. This
increase of fortune, therefore, had little value in Aminta's eyes; but a
separation, though but temporary, from Henri might endanger, in one so
volatile as the Marquis was, the influence she had acquired over him.
She apprehended this, and fear, in a heart impassionable as his was,
could not but be the source of uneasiness and torment. The idea of
accompanying the Marquis often suggested itself to her, but it was then
the depth of winter, and her health, naturally delicate, had been so
recently shaken by the troubles she had experienced, that she could not,
at such a time, venture on such an excursion. The Prince de Maulear did
not see his son leave him without dissatisfaction. He did not think him
completely cured of the moral malady he had undertaken to cure, but
watched over him paternally and kindly. The Marquis, though he sincerely
regretted that he must be separated from his charming wife, whom he now
loved better than ever, did not conceal the pleasure which such a trip
caused him. He did not deny that the kind of atony to which his
monotonous life subjected him, made it necessary that he should be
somewhat galvanised by the excitement of travel.

Taddeo, too, had been more kindly received by the Duchess since the
scene which had taken place between Monte-Leone and her. He was
distressed at the absence which removed him from that woman whose
influence over his heart nothing could overcome.