Page:The Princess Casamassima (London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1886), Volume 3.djvu/139

 'Then why don't you watch her, eh?'

'It's not with her I am angry. It's with myself,' said Madame Grandoni, meditatively.

'For becoming so indifferent, do you mean?'

'On the contrary, for staying in the house.'

'Thank God, you are still here, or I couldn't have come. But what a lodging for the Princess!' the visitor exclaimed. 'She might at least live in a manner befitting.'

'Eh, the last time you were in London you thought it was too costly!' she cried.

He hesitated a moment. 'Whatever she does is wrong. Is it because it's so bad that you must go?' he went on.

'It is foolish—foolish—foolish,' said Madame Grandoni, slowly, impressively.

'Foolish, chè, chè! He was in the house nearly an hour, this one.'

'In the house? In what house?'

'Here, where you sit. I saw him go in, and when he came out it was after a long time, with her.'

'And where were you, meanwhile?'

Again Prince Casamassima hesitated. 'I was on the other side of the street. When they came out I followed them. It was more than an hour ago.'

'Was it for that you came to London?'

'Ah, what I came for! To put myself in hell!'

'You had better go back to Rome,' said Madame Grandoni.

'Of course I will go back, but if you will tell me who this one is! How can you be ignorant, dear friend, when he comes freely in and out of the house where I have to