"Pray sit down, Monsieur l'Abbe," she said, "we are talking scandal, you see.
My poor Dario is accused of making love to every pretty woman in Rome.
People say that it's he who gives La Tonietta those white roses which she has been exhibiting at the Corso every afternoon for a fortnight past." "That's certain, my dear," retorted Celia impetuously.

"At first people were in doubt, and talked of little Pontecorvo and Lieutenant Moretta.
But every one now knows that La Tonietta's caprice is Dario.

Besides, he joined her in her box at the Costanzi the other evening." Pierre remembered that the young Prince had pointed out La Tonietta at the Pincio one afternoon.

She was one of the few _demi-mondaines_ that the higher-class society of Rome took an interest in.

For a month or so the rich Englishman to whom she owed her means had been absent, travelling.
"Ah!" resumed Benedetta, whose budding jealousy was entirely confined to La Pierina, "so my poor Dario is ruining himself in white roses! Well, I shall have to twit him about it.