CHAPTER IV.
At the Casa Doria, speaking of one thing and another, the Duchess Angelieri remarked--'It seems that Laura Miano and Elena Muti have quarrelled.' 'About Giorgio perhaps ?' returned another lady laughing.
'So they say.

The story began this summer at Lucerne--' 'But Laura was not at Lucerne,' 'Exactly--but her husband was--' 'I believe it is a pure invention,' broke in the Florentine countess Donna Bianca Dolcebuono--'Giorgio is in Paris now.' Andrea heard it all in spite of the chattering of the little Contessa Starnina, who sat at his right hand, and never gave him a moment's peace.

Bianca Dolcebuono's words did little to ease the smart of his wound.

At least, he would have liked to know the whole story.

But the Duchess Angelieri did not resume the thread of her discourse, and other conversations crossed and recrossed the table under the great gorgeous roses from the Villa Pamfili.
Who was this Giorgio?
A former lover?
Elena had spent part of the summer at Lucerne,--she had just come from Paris.