Zoya agreed, and Nina was on her way to fetch her when she passed
Giovanni and Favorita. But she neither saw the former nor recognized the
latter.
It was after six o'clock when Nina returned from Tivoli, and she had to
hurry to dress for an early dinner, as it was the Sanseveros' regular
Lenten evening at home.
Nina particularly liked these informal receptions, where the company was
composed, for the most part, of really interesting, agreeable people.
There was always music, generally by amateur performers; occasionally
there was some other form of impromptu entertainment, an impersonation
or a recitation. Throughout the evening there was the simplest sort of
buffet supper: tea, bouillon--a claret cup, perhaps, and possibly
chocolate, little cakes, and sandwiches; never more. But the princess
was one of those hostesses whose personality thoroughly pervades a
house; a type which is becoming rare with every change in our modern
civilization, and without which people might as well congregate in a
hotel parlor. Each guest at the Palazzo Sansevero carried away the
impression that not only had he been welcome himself, but that his
presence had added materially to the enjoyment of others.
Early in the evening Nina was standing with Giovanni a little apart.
Giovanni was unusually quiet, and both had fallen into reverie, from
which Nina was aroused by the sudden announcement of a jarring name.
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