Page:The Princess Casamassima (London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1886), Volume 3.djvu/144

 should say nothing about it—at least sitting here. But it concerns others, it concerns every one, so I will open my mouth at last. She has gone to that house to break up society.'

'To break it up, yes, as she has wanted before?'

'Oh, more than before! She is very much entangled. She has relations with people who are watched by the police. She has not told me, but I have perceived it by simply living with her.'

Prince Casamassima stared. 'And is she watched by the police?'

'I can't tell you; it is very possible—except that the police here is not like that of other countries.'

'It is more stupid,' said the Prince. He gazed at Madame Grandoni with a flush of shame on his face. 'Will she bring us to that scandal? It would be the worst of all.'

'There is one chance—the chance that she will get tired of it,' the old lady remarked. 'Only the scandal may come before that.'

'Dear friend, she is the devil,' said the Prince, solemnly.

'No, she is not the devil, because she wishes to do good.'

'What good did she ever wish to do to me?' the Italian demanded, with glowing eyes.

Madame Grandoni shook her head very sadly. 'You can do no good, of any kind, to each other. Each on your own side, you must be quiet.'

'How can I be quiet when I hear of such infamies?' Prince Casamassima got up, in his violence, and, in a tone which caused his companion to burst into a short,