The message, indeed, concerned all of Benedetto's
friends, therefore concerned the Selvas also. Maria trembled.
"A message from him?" she asked eagerly. "A message from Benedetto?"
Di Leyni looked at her, astonished at her eagerness, and hesitated
slightly before answering. No, it was not from Benedetto, but it
concerned him. As Signora Dessalle might come in at any moment, and as
the matter was rather lengthy, rather complicated, he judged it as
well not to begin discussing it until she arrived. Then he inquired,
innocently, how this Signora Dessalle had come to take such an interest
in Benedetto's fate. She had never been seen at the meetings in Via
della Vite, and he had never even heard her name mentioned.
"But what makes you think she does take an interest in his fate?" said
Maria.
"Because, you see," di Leyni answered, "I have a message for her which
is about him."
Di Leyni, whose devotion to Benedetto was boundless, had never credited
the scandalous rumours which had been spread concerning him; he had
repulsed them with passionate indignation.
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