Page:The Saint (1906, G. P. Putnam's Sons).djvu/165

Rh mind. Probably, as Catholics, the Selvas would not wish this man who had fled from the world to return to it. She, a Protestant, could not feel thus; at least she should not feel thus. She should rather believe that God is better served out in the world and in the married state. She did feel this, but she could not hide from herself that should Signer Maironi marry Jeanne now, she could feel little respect for him. At any rate it would be wiser to hide the strange truth.

"Well, what is it you think?" said she. "That the priest who was here last night, and who passed in front of us, after all that by-play of yours, was really the former lover? Is he your Don Clemente? Very well then, he is not the man."

"Ah! Really not?" Giovanni exclaimed, between surprise and incredulity. His wife triumphed.

"There!" said she.

But Giovanni would not yield. He asked Noemi if she were quite sure of what she said, and how she explained Signora Dessalle's fainting? Noemi answered that there was nothing to explain. Jeanne suffered from anaemia, and was subject to attacks of terrible weakness. Giovanni was silent, but he was not convinced. If this were really so, how could Noemi assert so positively that Don Clemente was not the man? In his sister-in-law's words, in her manner, in her face,