After all, as he had said, the moment for using the documents had not yet come, for hitherto Giovanni had never proposed to marry any one.

Perhaps this secret wedding in Aquila explained his celibacy; Del Ferice had perhaps misjudged him in saying that he was unscrupulous; he had perhaps left his peasant wife, repenting of his folly, but it was perhaps on her account that he had never proposed to marry Donna Tullia; he had, then, only been amusing himself with Corona.
That all seemed likely enough--so likely, that it heightened the certainty of Del Ferice's information.
A few days later, as Giovanni had intended, news began to reach Rome that he had been in Florence, and was actually in Paris; then it was said that he was going upon a shooting expedition somewhere in the far north during the summer.

It was like him, and in accordance with his tastes.

He hated the quiet receptions at the great houses during Lent, to which, if he remained in Rome, he was obliged to go.

He naturally escaped when he could.