She learned further that the artist in question
was a young Venetian lady: that she was a protegee of the Marchese
Lamberto; and that the permission to execute the copies in question,
and to have that scaffolding placed there, had been obtained by him.
Then Violante knew right well who the Venetian artist was. The
worthy Assunta Fagiani had taken care that all the gossip of Ravenna
which connected this girl's name with that of Ludovico di Castelmare
should reach her ears. And she was glad of the easy opportunity
which thus offered itself to her of gratifying her natural curiosity
respecting the stranger--the girl who could win that love which had
been promised to her; but which she had been unable to inspire.
This Paolina Foscarelli--she well knew her name--was, in some sense,
her rival. Ludovico di Castelmare was bidden to love her, the
Contessa Violante, and instead of doing so, had given his love, as
she had been assured, to this Venetian. She knew, indeed, quite well
that had the stranger never come near Ravenna, Ludovico would not
have loved her the more. She did not love Ludovico. She was anxious
to be quit of the engagement it had been proposed to make between
them; and it might be very likely that this girl might be
serviceable to her, rather than otherwise, in helping to bring about
such a consummation.
Pages:
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325