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about?'
'You.'
'Tellmewhathesaid.'
'Nothingtoyourcredit,mydear,'Isaid,laughing.
'PoorMatteo,'sheanswered.'He'ssuchaclumsy,lumberingcreature,onecanseehe'sspenthalfhislifeincamps.'
'AndI?IhavespentthesamelifeasMatteo.AmIaclumsy,lumberingcreature?'
'Oh,no,'sheanswered,'youarequitedifferent.'Sheputthepleasantestcomplimentsinthelookofhereyes.
'Matteotoldmeallsortsofscandalaboutyou.'Sheblushedalittle.
'Didyoubelieveit?'
'IsaidIdidnotmuchcareifitweretrueornot.'
'Butdoyoubelieveit?'sheasked,insisting.
'Ifyou'lltellmeitisnottrue,Iwillbelieveabsolutelywhatyousay.'
Thelittleanxiouslookonherfacegavewaytoabrightsmile.
'Ofcourse,itisnottrue.'
'Howbeautifulyouarewhenyousmile,'Iremarkedirrelevantly.'Youshouldalwayssmile.'
'Ialwaysdoonyou,'sheanswered.Sheopenedhermouth,asifabouttospeak,heldback,asifunabletomakeuphermind,thensaid,'DidMatteotellyouhemadelovetomeonce,andwasveryangrybecauseIwouldnotpickupthehandkerchiefwhichhehadcondescendedtothrow.'
'Hementionedit.'
'Sincethen,Iamafraidhehasnothadverymuchgoodtosayofme.'
IhadthoughtatthetimethatMatteowasalittlebitterinhisaccountofDonnaGiulia,andIfeltmoreinclinedtobelieveherversionofthestorythanhis.
'Hehasbeenbeseechingmenottofallinlovew
