"Oh, Signor Ludovico," said Fortini, as he met him, "I was on my
way, to the Circolo, on purpose to see if I could meet with you
there."
"Why, what is it? Have you any news to tell me?" said the young man
in a hurried manner, that the lawyer thought odd.
"Yes. I wished to speak to you on rather an important matter. Have
you seen the Marchese Lamberto this morning?"
"No. I have been out of the town. I am but this moment come back,"
replied Ludovico, evidently anxiously.
"I should be glad to speak to you for a few minutes before you go to
the Palazzo Castelmare. If you are going to the Circolo, I would
walk with you, and we could speak there," said Fortini.
"I'll be there in less than ten minutes. But I want first to run
just as far as La Lalli's lodging in the Strada di Porta Sisi, only
to ask a question," said Ludovico.
"La Lalli again! The devil fly away with her! It was about her that
I wanted to speak to you," said the lawyer.
"What about her? Have you seen her? Do you know where she is?" asked
Ludovico, hurriedly and anxiously.
"I seen her! No. Where she is? In her bed most likely, after dancing
all last night, I should think!"
"Well, I must run and just ascertain whether she is at home!" said
Ludovico, again trying to escape. But the old lawyer, partly put a
little bit out of temper by the young man's evident wish to get rid
of him, partly angered by finding the nephew thus running after the
same mischief that was threatening to ruin his uncle, and partly
thinking that it was desirable that the news he had to tell should
be told before Ludovico should come to speech with his uncle, was
determined not to let him escape till he had said what he had to
say.
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