V

AFEWdayslater,MatteocametomeasIwasdressing,havingrescuedmyclothesfromhim. 'Iwonderyou'renotashamedtogooutinthosegarments,'heremarked,'peoplewillsaythatyouwearmyoldthings.' Itooknonoticeoftheinsult. 'Whereareyougoing?'heasked. 'ToMadonnaGiulia.' 'Butyouwentthereyesterday!' 'ThatisnoreasonwhyIshouldnotgoto-day.Sheaskedmetocome.' 'That'sveryobligingofher,I'msure.'Then,afterapause,duringwhichIcontinuedmytoilet,'IhavebeengatheringthenewsofForli.' 'Oh!' 'MadonnaGiuliahasbeenaffordingagreatdealofinterest....' 'YouhavebeentalkingtotheladywhomyoucallthebeautifulClaudia,'Isaid. 'Bytheway,whyhaveyounotbeentoher?' 'Ireallydon'tknow,'Isaid.'WhyshouldI?' 'Youtoldmeyouhadprogressedalongwayinherfavoursduringthehalf-hour'stalkyouhadwithhertheothernighthaveyounotfolloweduptheadvantage?' Ishruggedmyshoulders. 'Idon'tthinkIlikeawomantomakealltheadvances.' 'Don'tyou?'saidMatteo.'Ido!' 'Besides,Idon'tcareforthetypesheistoomassive.' 'Shefeelsverymuchhurtatyourneglect.ShesaysyouhavefalleninlovewithGiulia.' 'Thatisabsurd,'Ireplied'andastoherbeinghurtatmyneglect,Iamverysorry,butIdon'tfeelanyobligationtothrowmyselfintothearmsofeverywomanwhochoosestoopenthem.' 'IquiteagreewithyouneithershenorGiuliaareabitbetterthantheyshouldbe.I'mtoldGiulia'slatestloverisAmtrogiodellaTreccia.ItseemsonedayhewasalmostcaughtbyoldBartolomeo,andhadtoslipoutofthewindowandperformfeatsworthyofaprofessionalacrobattogetoutoftheway.' 'Idon'tthinkIattachbelieftoallthescandalcirculatingonthesubjectofthatla