In one of the first of these
Rowland found himself waylaid and arrested by the distracted lady
herself.
"Well, well?" she cried, seizing his arm. "Has she listened to you--have
you moved her?"
"In Heaven's name, dear madame," Rowland begged, "leave the poor girl
alone! She is behaving very well!"
"Behaving very well? Is that all you have to tell me? I don't believe
you said a proper word to her. You are conspiring together to kill me!"
Rowland tried to soothe her, to remonstrate, to persuade her that it was
equally cruel and unwise to try to force matters. But she answered him
only with harsh lamentations and imprecations, and ended by telling him
that her daughter was her property, not his, and that his interference
was most insolent and most scandalous. Her disappointment seemed really
to have crazed her, and his only possible rejoinder was to take a
summary departure.
A moment later he came upon the Cavaliere, who was sitting with his
elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, so buried in thought that
Rowland had to call him before he roused himself. Giacosa looked at him
a moment keenly, and then gave a shake of the head, interrogatively.
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