Vittoria shook her head. Like those who have become passive, she read
faces--the duchess's imploring looks thrown from time to time to the
Lenkenstein ladies, Wilfrid's oppressed forehead, the resolute neutrality
of the countess--and she was not only incapable of seconding Laura's
aggressive war, but shrank from the involvement and sickened at the
indelicacy. Anna's eyes were fixed on her and filled her with dread lest
she should be resolving to demand a private interview.

"You refuse to sing?" said Laura; and under her breath, "When I bid you
not, you insist!"

"Can she possibly sing before she grows accustomed to the air of the
place?" said the duchess.

Merthyr gravely prescribed a week's diet on grapes antecedent to the
issuing of a note. "Have you never heard what a sustained grape-diet
will do for the bullfinches?"

"Never," exclaimed the duchess. "Is that the secret of their German
education?"

"Apparently, for we cannot raise them to the same pitch of perfection in
England."

"I will try it upon mine. Every morning they shall have two big
bunches."

"Fresh plucked, and with the first sunlight on them. Be careful of the
rules."