But who, except a really attached friend, would
you get to believe it, under the circumstances? Ah! I am afraid it
will go hard with him," said the Conte; speaking with eager
volubility,--"I am sadly. afraid it will go hard with him."
"It seems to me, Signor Conte, that any such speculations are a
little premature. The Marchese Ludovico has not been even officially
accused as yet. At any rate you can console yourself, Signor Conte,
with the consideration that you have a magnificent subject for a
tragedy in your hands. To such a genuine poet as yourself, that is
enough to counterbalance any misfortune that only touches our
friends."
And with that the old lawyer turned away to go back to the library;
while the poet, though not altogether without a somewhat annoying
notion that he was laughed at, was nevertheless delighted with the
excellent idea that had been suggested to him.
"I made him understand that you could not see him. All he wanted was
to tell you just what I have already communicated to you," said the
lawyer, as he came back into the room. "He said too, by-the-by, that
all the town was talking of the offer of marriage made by the
Marchese Lamberto to Signora Bianca Lalli--"
"Of course, of course," groaned the Marchese, tossing himself
restlessly from one side to the other of his chair.
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