Baron Leyni knew well how fallacious such hopes were; but in a spirit of mischief he refrained from enlightening him.

There was barely: room for the five people in the tiny dining-room.

It was fortunate the other two had not come.

In fact, neither the Abbe Marinier nor Don Fare was expected, but others who had been expected were absent.

A monk and a priest, men of repute from northern Italy, who should have been present, had both written to apologise for their absence, to the lively regret of Selva, of Fare, and of Leyni.