Page:The Princess Casamassima (London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1886), Volume 2.djvu/144

 little hands, tightly locked together in front of her, formed the clasp of her generous girdle.

'Do tell me it is positive, Mr. Robinson!' she said, stopping short.

'What is positive, Madame Grandoni?'

'That you take the train in the morning.'

'I can't tell you that, because it wouldn't be true. On the contrary, it has been settled that I shall stay over. I am very sorry if it distresses you—but che vuole?' Hyacinth added, smiling.

Madame Grandoni was a humorous woman, but she gave him no smile in return; she only looked at him a moment, and then, shrugging her shoulders silently but expressively, shuffled back to her room.