He already connected Folco’s knowledge of the Contessa’s arrival in Pontresina so closely with Settimia’s note that Folco’s last statement had taken him by surprise, and a multitude of confused questions presented themselves to his mind.  If Settimia had not written about the Contessa, why had she written at all?  How did she know where Corbario was stopping in Saint Moritz?  Was she in the habit of writing to him?  Corbario had found her for Regina; was Settimia helping Corbario to exercise a sort of paternal vigilance over him?  Somehow Marcello did not like that idea at all.  So far as he knew, Folco had always been singularly frank with him, and had never deceived him in the smallest thing, even “for his own good.”  Marcello could only attribute good motives to him, but the mere idea of being watched was excessively disagreeable.  He wondered whether Settimia had influenced Regina to get him away from Paris, acting under directions from Corbario.  Was Regina deceiving him too, “for his own good”?  If there is anything a man cannot bear from those he loves best, it is that they should take counsel together secretly to direct him “for his own good.”

Marcello tried to put the thought out of his mind; but it had dawned upon him for the first time that Folco could tell even a pious falsehood.  Yet he had no proof whatever that he had guessed right; it was a sudden impression and nothing more.  He was much more silent during the rest of the afternoon as he drove up to Pontresina with Folco, and it seemed to him that he had at last touched something definite; which was strange enough, considering that it was all a matter of guess-work and doubt.

And now fate awoke again and did one of those little things that decide men’s lives.  If Folco and Marcello had stopped at the door of the Contessa’s hotel two minutes earlier, or thirty seconds later, than they did, they would not have chanced upon the Contessa and Aurora just coming in from a walk.  But fate brought the four together precisely at that moment.  As the carriage stopped, the two ladies had come from the opposite direction and were on the door-step.

“What a surprise!” exclaimed the Contessa, giving her hand graciously to Folco and then to Marcello.

The latter had got hold of a thread.  Since the Contessa was surprised to see Folco, she could not possibly have already let him know that she was in Pontresina.

“I came as soon as I knew that you were here,” said Corbario quickly.

Marcello heard the words, though he was at that moment shaking hands with Aurora, and their eyes had met.  She was perfectly calm and collected, none the worse for her adventure in the morning, and considerably the wiser.

“Will you come in?” asked the Contessa, leading the way, as if expecting both men to follow.

Corbario went at once.  Marcello hesitated, and flushed a little, and Aurora seemed to be waiting for him.