Now that she had recovered so quickly, he remembered Gianbattista's violence and scornful words, and he seemed to feel the young man's strong hand upon his mouth, stifling his speech.

He hesitated, rose to his feet, and began to pace the floor.

Lucia watched him with intense anxiety.

There was a conflict in his mind between the resentment which was not half an hour old, and the love for his child, which had been so quickly roused during the last five minutes.
"Well--Lucia, my dear--I do not know--" he stopped short in his walk and looked at her.

She leaned forward as though to catch his words.
"Do you think you could not--that you would be so very unhappy, I mean, if he lived out of the house--I mean to say, if he had lodgings, somewhere, and came back to work ?" "Oh, papa--I should faint away again--and I should die.