"Invincible you always are!" he said in softer tones, "As many
unhappy men in Europe can testify!"
"Are you among them?" queried Sylvie mischievously, the light of
laughter beginning to twinkle and flash in her pretty eyes.
"Of course!" answered Gherardi suavely, though his heart beat
thickly, and the secret admiration he had always felt for the
delicate beauty of this woman who was so utterly out of his reach,
made his blood burn with mingled rage and passion. "Even a poor
priest is not exempt from temptation!"
Sylvie hummed a little tune under her breath, and looked up at the
sky.
"It will be a lovely day!" she said--"There will be no rain!"
"Is that the most interesting thing you can say to me?" queried
Gherardi.
"The weather is always interesting," she replied, "And it is such a
safe subject of conversation!"
"Then you are afraid of dangerous subjects?"
"Oh no, not at all! But I dislike quarrelling,--and I am afraid I
should get very angry if you were to say anything more against the
book I am reading"--here she paused a moment, and then added
steadily, "or its author!"
"I am aware that he is a great friend of yours," said Gherardi
gently, "And I assure you, Contessa--seriously I assure you, I
should be the last person in the world to say anything against him.
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