the younger answered that, for his part, he would travel and see the
world and try to divert his thoughts. In their different ways they were
hard-headed, experienced men; yet neither of them suspected for a moment
that there was anything wrong. Both were honestly convinced that Folco
had been a model husband to his dead wife, and a model father to her
lost son. What they could not understand was that he should not find
consolation in possessing their millions, and they could only account
for the fact by calling him a person of the deepest feeling--a feeling,
indeed, quite past their comprehension.

Even the Contessa dell' Armi was impressed by the unmistakable signs of
suffering in his face. She went twice to see him within three weeks
after her friend's death, and she came away convinced that she had
misjudged him. Aurora did not go with her, and Corbario barely asked
after her. He led Maddalena to his dead wife's room and begged her to
take some object that had belonged to the Signora, in memory of their
long friendship. He pressed her to accept a necklace, or a bracelet, or
some other valuable ornament, but Maddalena would only take a simple
little gold chain which she herself had given long ago.

Her own sorrow for her friend was profound but undemonstrative, as her
nature had grown to be. Aurora saw it, and never referred to it,
speaking only now and then of Marcello, to ask if there were any news of
him.

"He is not dead," the girl said one day. "I know he will come back. He
went away because I called him a baby."

Her mother smiled sadly and shook her head.