Page:The Princess Casamassima (London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1886), Volume 3.djvu/138

 'Yes, you may well ask, in such a black little hole as this. My wife should not live here,' he added.

'Ah, my dear friend, for all that she's your wife!' the old woman exclaimed.

The Prince sprang up in sudden, passionate agitation, and then she saw that the rigid quietness with which he had come into the room and greeted her was only an effort of his good manners. He was really trembling with excitement. 'It is true—it is true! She has lovers—she has lovers!' he broke out. 'I have seen it with my eyes, and I have come here to know!'

'I don't know what you have seen, but your coming here to know will not have helped you much. Besides, if you have seen, you know for yourself. At any rate, I have ceased to be able to tell you.'

'You are afraid—you are afraid!' cried the visitor, with a wild accusatory gesture.

Madame Grandoni looked up at him with slow speculation. 'Sit down and be tranquil, very tranquil. I have ceased to pay attention—I take no heed.'

'Well, I do, then,' said the Prince, subsiding a little. 'Don't you know she has gone out to a house, in a horrible quarter, with a man?'

'I think it highly probable, dear Prince.'

'And who is he? That's what I want to discover.'

'How can I tell you? I haven't seen him.'

He looked at her a moment, with his distended eyes. 'Dear lady, is that kind to me, when I have counted on you?'

'Oh, I am not kind any more; it's not a question of that. I am angry—as angry, almost, as you.'