Indeed Ugo did not know what to make of the scene.

He had miscalculated the strength of Donna Tullia's fears as compared with her longing to possess a flattering portrait of herself.

Rather than leave the picture unfinished, she exhibited a cynical indifference to danger which would have done honour to a better man than Del Ferice.

Perhaps, too, she understood Gouache well enough to know that he might be trusted.

Indeed any one would have trusted Gouache.