"Oh, no, Signorina," answered Violante, gently, "the knowledge that
you were painting up there would not suffice to distract my
thoughts. But will you not let me look at your work? It must be very
difficult to copy these strange old wall-paintings. May I climb up?
I know your friend the Marchese Lamberto well. Do you know who I
am?"
"Pray, come up, Signorina, if you have any curiosity. Oh, yes, I
know your ladyship. I saw you once in the Cardinal's carriage. You
are his niece, the Contessa Violante," replied Paolina, blushing a
little at the name of the Marchese Lamberto, only because, though
assuredly not the rose, he lived close to it.
So the two girls climbed the steps of the estrade together.
"How came you to know the Marchese Lamberto?" asked Violante, after
they had matured their acquaintanceship by a little talk about the
subject of Paolina's work.
"Only because the Englishman, who employed me to copy these mosaics,
gave me a letter to him. He seems to be very highly esteemed."
"More so than any other man in all Ravenna,--except my uncle the
Cardinal, I suppose I ought to say; he is a most excellent man in
all ways. But you know his nephew also, the Marchese Ludovico? non e
vero?" said Violante, looking down on the ground, while a pale blush
came over her white cheeks.
"Yes," replied Paolina, flushing crimson, and similarly looking
down, but stealing a side-glance under her eyelashes at her
companion,--"yes; I became acquainted with him also in the same
manner--at least, on the same occasion; and, in truth, I have seen
more of him than of his uncle, for the Marchese Lamberto is always
so busy, and he commissioned his nephew to do all that he could to
assist us, when we were first settling ourselves here.
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