“That is it, Signor—­though she is but such a slip of a thing to look at.  I was afraid the Signor Marchese had taken it into his head that I was Paolina Foscarelli.  Lord love you!  I could not make, nor yet copy a picture, if it were to save my life!”

“My uncle will be equally happy to have it in his power to oblige either lady,” rejoined Ludovico.

“I am sure the Marchese is too good,” said Signora Steno; “we remain here till the Signorina Foscarelli has finished the job she has undertaken, and no longer, nor no shorter.  And some place we must find to live in the while.  And if your lordship could tell us where we would be likely to find a couple of bedrooms, a bit of a sitting-room, and the use of a kitchen, it would be very kind.”

“There will be no difficulty about that, I think, Signora,” said the Marchese Ludovico; “I will go at once and inquire!  I think I know where what we want may be had.  If you will permit me, I will return to you here in less than half an hour.”

“Troppo garbato, Signor Marchese!” said Orsola.

“If the Signorina will permit me,” said Leandro, “I think I know of just such a little quartierino as would suit her, snug, quiet, and parfettamente libero.”

To this offer, Paolina felt herself constrained to reply by a silent little bow.  His former speech had received no reply whatsoever.

“I think I had better do what my uncle has told me to do, Leandro,” said the Marchese Ludovico, drily.

And Paolina felt sufficiently grateful to him for the amount of snubbing contained in his accent to say the first words she had spoken since they entered the room.  “We shall be exceedingly obliged to you, Signore, if you will do so.  Any quartiere which the Marchese Lamberto di Castelmare could recommend to us,” she added, with a significant emphasis on the words, “would be sure to suit us.”

“But perhaps the Marchese Lamberto may not know half as much about such matters as I do, bella Signorina.  People forget so many things by the time they come to the age of the Marchese,” said the Conte Leandro, with a leering smile, which was meant to establish a confidential understanding between him and Paolina.  But the young girl’s only answer was to turn in her chair a little more away from him towards the window.

“I think we had better leave the ladies, and see if we can find for them what they require.  I should prefer doing myself what my uncle has entrusted to me,” said Ludovico, with a frown on his brow.

“Very good—­do so.  You say you shall be back here in half an hour; if these ladies will permit me I will remain with them till you come back, and then we can all go and look at the quartiere you have found together,” said the Conte Leandro.

Poor Paolina, though perfectly determined not to acquiesce in this arrangement, was quite at a loss what to say or do to prevent it from being carried out.