I
don't suppose it; but--do you imagine that the Cardinal Legate will
permit you to snatch his niece's proposed husband from out of her
mouth! It would be a worse job than the other," said Quinto, shaking
his head emphatically.
"So that you are all for the uncle, papa mio?" rejoined Bianca;
yawning, as if she were tired of discussing the subject.
"Well, I confess it seems to my poor judgment the better scheme, and
indeed a very promising scheme. Depend upon it, my child, an old
man, who is his own master, is the better and safer game," replied
Quinto.
"Very well! Have at the old man then, as you call him; though, as I
have told you, Quinto, he is not an old man--not over forty-five I
should say; at all events the right side of fifty, I'd wager
anything! But I tell you fairly, that a less promising subject I
never saw. A man, who has lived till that age a bachelor, though the
head of his family,--and a bachelor of the out-and-out moral and
respectable sort, mind you,--the great friend of the Cardinal;
trustee to nunneries, and all that sort of thing!--a man who looks
at you and speaks to you as if he was a master of ceremonies
presenting a Duchess to a Queen,--a man, I should say, who had never
cared for a woman in his life, and was very unlikely to begin to do
so now," said Bianca, yawning again as she finished speaking.
Pages:
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252