And then the monotonous
peacefulness was only disturbed by a final incident, a threat of trouble,
as it were, with which Pierre found himself mixed up one evening when he
was lingering beside the convalescent patient.
Benedetta had absented herself for a few minutes, and as Victorine, who
had brought up some broth, was leaning towards the Prince to take the
empty cup from him, she said in a low voice: "There's a girl, Monsieur,
La Pierina, who comes here every day, crying and asking for news of you.
I can't get rid of her, she's always prowling about the place, so I
thought it best to tell you of it."
Unintentionally, Pierre heard her and understood everything. Dario, who
was looking at him, at once guessed his thoughts, and without answering
Victorine exclaimed: "Yes, Abbe, it was that brute Tito! How idiotic,
eh?" At the same time, although the young man protested that he had done
nothing whatever for the girl's brother to give him such a "warning," he
smiled in an embarrassed way, as if vexed and even somewhat ashamed of
being mixed up in an affair of the kind. And he was evidently relieved
when the priest promised that he would see the girl, should she come
back, and make her understand that she ought to remain at home.
"It was such a stupid affair!" the Prince repeated, with an exaggerated
show of anger. "Such things are not of our times.
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