\"Certainly,\"saidI,\"forIamnotinlovewithher。\"
Osoriolookedatmeslyly,andobserved,\"SomehowIdon’tthinkyourindifferencewillbeverypleasingtothevirtuousduenna。\"
Iunderstoodwhathemeant,butpersonallyIwasdelightednottobeabletoseetheCorticellisaveinthepresenceofafemaledragon。Itwouldmakepeopletalk,andIlovedalittlescandal,andfeltcurioustoseewhatwouldhappen。
WhenIreturnedtomyhouseIfoundtheGenoesePassano,abadpoetandworsepainter,towhomIhadintendedtogivethepartofaRosicrucian,becausetherewassomethinginhisappearancewhichinspired,ifnotrespect,atleastaweandacertainfeelingoffear。Inpointoffact,thiswasonlyanaturalpresentimentthatthemanmustbeeitheracleverrogueoramoroseandsullenscholar。
Imadehimsupwithmeandgavehimaroomonthethirdfloor,tellinghimnottoleaveitwithoutmypermission。AtsupperI