The Signora raised herself in her long chair and stared hard at the
girl. The Contessa looked at her in surprise.

"What do you know about it?" cried the Signora. "Why have you not
spoken, if you know anything? Don't you see that I am half mad with
anxiety?"

Aurora had never seen the good lady in such a state, and was almost
frightened; but there was nothing to be done now, except to go on. She
told her little story timidly, but truthfully, looking from her mother
to the Signora while she spoke, and wondering what would happen when she
had finished.

"He said, 'You shall wish me back, but I will not come.' I think those
were his last words."

"You have broken my boy's heart!" cried the Signora Corbario, turning
her face away.

Maddalena, whose heart had really been broken long ago, could not help
smiling.

"I am sure I did not mean to," cried Aurora, contritely. "And after all,
though I daresay it was my fault, he called me a miserable little flirt,
and I only called him a baby."

Maddalena would have laughed if her friend had not been in such real
distress. As for Aurora, she did not know whether she would have laughed
or cried if she had not felt that her girl's dignity was at stake. As it