The letter he had written her was of the kind a man might write to the woman he loved; it bordered upon the familiar, even while the writer expressed himself in terms of exaggerated respect.

Perhaps if Del Ferice had been well, she would have simply taken no notice of what he had written, and would not even have sent an answer; but she had not the heart to repulse him altogether in his present condition.

There was a phrase cunningly introduced and ambiguously worded, which seemed to mean that he had come by his wound in her cause.

He spoke of having suffered and of still suffering so much for her,--did he mean to refer to pain of body or of mind?
It was not certain.

Don Giovanni had assured her that she was in no way concerned in the duel, and he was well known for his honesty; nevertheless, out of delicacy, he might have desired to conceal the truth from her.