"I must be going,--" he began to say, when his arm was touched from
behind, and he turned to confront Florian Varillo, who smiled with
all the brilliancy his white and even teeth could give him.
"Why must you be going?" asked Varillo cheerily, "Why not stay and
dine with my future father-in-law, and Angela, and the eminent
Cardinal? We shall all be charmed!"
"Thanks, no!--I have letters to write to England . . ."
"Good-bye!" said the Comtesse Hermenstein at this juncture,--"I am
going to drive the Princesse D'Agramont round the Pincio, will you
join us, Mr. Leigh? The Princesse is anxious to know you--may I
introduce you?"
And without waiting for a reply, as the Princesse was close at hand,
she performed the ceremony of introduction at once in her own light
graceful fashion.
"Truly a strange meeting!" laughed Varillo, "You three ought to be
very good friends! The Comtesse Hermenstein is a devout daughter of
the Roman Church--Madame la Princesse is against all Churches--and
you, Mr. Leigh, are making your own Church!"
Aubrey did not reply. It was not the time or place to discuss either
his principles or his work, moreover he was strangely troubled by
hearing Sylvie described as "a devout daughter of the Roman Church.
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