He certainly had had no intention of raising such a storm; he was a weak and good-natured fellow, whose vanity was easily wounded, but who was not otherwise very sensitive, and was certainly not very intelligent.
Astrardente had laughed at him and his friends in a way which touched him to the quick, and with childish petulance he had retaliated in the easiest way which presented itself.

Indeed there was more foundation for his tale than Astrardente would allow.

At least it was true that the story was in the mouths of all the gossips that morning, and Valdarno had only repeated what he had heard.

He had meant to annoy the old man; he had certainly not intended to make him so furiously angry.

As for the deliberate insult he had received, it was undoubtedly very shocking to be told that one lied in such very plain terms; but on the other hand, to demand satisfaction of such an old wreck as Astrardente would be ridiculous in the extreme.