The theories advanced were various.  Some said he had been quarrelling with the local authorities of Saracinesca, who interfered with his developments and improvements upon the estate, and they gave laughable portraits of the village sages with whom he had been engaged.  Others said he had only stopped there a day, and had been in Naples.  One said he had been boar-hunting; another, that the Saracinesca woods had been infested by a band of robbers, who were terrorising the country.

“And what do you say, Del Ferice?” asked Corona, seeing a cunning smile upon the man’s pale fat face.

“It is very simple,” said Ugo; “it is a very simple matter indeed.  If the Duchessa will permit me, I will call him, and we will ask him directly what he has been doing.  There he stands with old Cantalorgano at the other end of the room.  Public curiosity demands to be satisfied.  May I call him, Duchessa?”

“By no means,” said Corona, quickly.  But before she had spoken, Valdarno, who was always sanguine and impulsive, had rapidly crossed the gallery and was already speaking to Giovanni.  The latter bowed his head as though obeying an order, and came quietly back with the young man who had called him.  The crowd of men parted before him as he advanced to the Duchessa’s chair, and stood waiting in some surprise.

“What are your commands, Duchessa?” he asked, in somewhat formal tones.

“Valdarno is too quick,” answered Corona, who was greatly annoyed.  “Some one suggested calling you to settle a dispute, and he went before I could stop him.  I fear it is very impertinent of us.”

“I am entirely at your service,” said Giovanni, who was delighted at having been called, and had found time to recover from his first excitement on seeing her.  “What is the question?”

“We were all talking about you,” said Valdarno.

“We were wondering where you had been,” said another.

“They said you had gone boar-hunting.”

“Or to Naples.”

“Or even to Paris.”  Three or four spoke in one breath.

“I am exceedingly flattered at the interest you all show in me,” said Giovanni, quietly.  “There is very little to tell.  I have been in Saracinesca upon a matter of business, spending my days in the woods with my steward, and my nights in keeping away the cold and the ghosts.  I would have invited you all to join the festivity, had I known how much you were interested.  The beef up there is monstrously tough, and the rats are abominably noisy, but the mountain air is said to be very healthy.”

Most of the men present felt that they had not only behaved foolishly, but had spoiled the little circle around the Duchessa by introducing a man who had the power to interest her, whereas they could only afford her a little amusement.  Valdarno was still standing, and his chair beside Corona was vacant.  Giovanni calmly installed himself upon it, and began to talk as though nothing had happened.