Is it possible that you do not know that this duel was fought for your wife ?" Astrardente looked fixedly at Valdarno; his eyeglass dropped from his eye, and he turned ashy pale beneath his paint.

He staggered a moment, and steadied himself against the door of a shop.

They were just passing the corner of the Piazza di Sciarra, the most crowded crossing of the Corso.
"Valdarno," said the old man, his cracked voice dropping to a hoarser and deeper tone, "you must explain yourself or answer for this." "What! Another duel!" cried Valdarno, in some scorn.

Then, seeing that his companion looked ill, he took him by the arm and led him rapidly through the crowd, across the Arco dei Carbognani.

Entering the Caffe Aragno, a new institution in those days, both men sat down at a small marble table.