"What! you not in the supper-room, Signor Leandro. I thought your
place was always there?" said the Marchese.

"I'm no greater a supper-eater than another; let them say what they
please. But I have just been getting a glass of wine and a biscuit
in the little supper-room at the further end there."

"What, are there two supper-rooms? I did not know that!"

"Only a buffet in the little room at the end, where the papers
generally are. It was mainly Ludovico's doing,--in order to have
less crowd in the supper-room,--and perhaps to have a quiet place
for a tete-a-tete supper himself. Oh! I knew better than not to
clear out, when he and La Diva Bianca came in; specially as there
was nobody else there. Faith! I left them there alone together."

"Oh! that's where he is supping, then?" said the Marchese, in the
most unconcerned tone he could manage.

"Yes; supping,--or enjoying himself in some other way, quite as
delightful. The fact is, Signor Marchese," continued the poet, in a
lowered voice, and rapidly glancing around to see that there were no
ears within such a distance as to overhear his words,--"the fact is,
that I am afraid Signor Ludovico is less cautious than it would be
well for him to be, circumstanced as he is! I am sure I did not want
to listen to what he and the Lalli were saying to each other. It is
nothing to me. But they spoke with such little precaution, that I
could not help overhearing what they said; and what do you think
Ludovico is up to now?"