That will do. Now, be
sure of your man before you let him in. The Marchese Lamberto, mind,
an elderly gentleman--not the Marchese Ludovico, who is a young man.
If he or anybody else should come before one o'clock tell them that
I can see nobody till that time. Now, don't bring me the wrong man;
and, Gigia, if he comes, don't announce him, you know. Just open the
door quietly, and let him walk into the room without disturbing me--
you understand?"
"A chi lo dite, Signora mia! Lasciate fare a me! Is it the first
time?" said Gigia.
"If only one could hope that it would be the last," returned her
mistress with a half laugh, half sigh.
By the time all these arrangements were made it was nearly twelve
o'clock; and Bianca, dismissing her maid, placed herself, not
without some care in the arrangement of her delicate draperies, on
the sofa.
The judicious Gigia had said that the extent of snowy bosom exposed
was not too liberal, due consideration being had to the circumstance
that the Diva was to be caught by an unexpected surprise in an
undress. So, as Bianca meant to be very much surprised, she
carefully, and with dainty fingers, drew back the muslin on either
side just a thought, so as to permit to an exploring eye merely such
a suggestive peep of the swelling curves on either side as might
furnish an estimate of the outline of the veiled heights beyond.
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