his wanderings had assuredly done him no harm. He had seen much of
the world not usually seen by men of his class and prejudices, and
the acquaintance he had thus got with things and people was a
source of great satisfaction to him. But the time had come to give
up all this. He was now not only married and settled in his own
home, but moreover he loved his wife with his whole heart, and
these facts were serious obstacles against roughing it in Norway,
Canada, or Transylvania. To travel with Corona and little Orsino
seemed a very different matter from travelling with Corona alone.
Then there was his father's growing affection for the child, which
had to be taken into account in all things. The four had become
inseparable, old Saracinesca, Giovanni, Corona, and the baby.

Now Giovanni did not regret his old liberty. He knew that he was
far happier than he had ever been in his life before. But there
were days when the time hung heavily on his hands and his restless
nature craved some kind of action which should bring with it a
generous excitement. This was precisely what he could not find
during the months spent in Rome, and so it fell out that he did
very much what most young men of his birth found quite sufficient
as an employment; he spent a deal of time in strolling where
others strolled, in lounging at the club, and in making visits
which filled the hours between sunset and dinner. To him this life
was new, and not altogether tasteful; but his friends did not fail
to say that Giovanni had been civilised by his marriage with the
Astrardente, and was much less reserved than he had formerly been.

When Corona went to see the dressmaker, Giovanni very naturally
took his hat and went out of the house. The September day was warm
and bright, and in such weather it was a satisfaction merely to