As soon as the woman had shut the door Matilde seized her opportunity.
"Have you come to any conclusion, Veronica dear ?" she asked, making her voice full of a gentle preoccupation.
"I have not seen Bosio," answered the young girl.

"How can I decide, until I have seen him ?" "I thought that you did not wish to see him last night--" "No--not last night.

I wished to be alone--but--one of these days, I should like to talk to him." "One of these days! To-day, dear.

Why not?
He is naturally anxious for your answer--" "Is he?
It seems so strange! We have seen each other every day, for so long--and I never supposed--" She broke off, not, apparently, from any shyness about going into the subject, but because she was very much interested in the fastening of the second pin she had tried.
"I suppose it is much better not to wear any jewelry at all," she said, with exasperating indifference.
"Until you are married!" answered Matilde, who was not to be kept from the matter in hand.

"You see, everything turns upon that," she continued, with a low laugh.