She would have liked to send Ugo del Ferice for it; she did what she thought least pleasant to herself, and she sent Giovanni.

The servants who were serving the refreshments had all left the room, and Saracinesca went in pursuit of them.

As soon as he was gone Del Ferice spoke.

His voice was soft, and had an insinuating tone in it.
"They are saying that Don Giovanni is to be married," he remarked, watching the Duchessa from the corners of his eyes as he indifferently delivered himself of his news.
The Duchessa was too dark a woman to show emotion easily.

Perhaps she did not believe the story; her eyes fixed themselves on some distant object in the room, as though she were intensely interested in something she saw, and she paused before she answered.
"That is news indeed, if it is true.