In truth he was violently agitated.

He was as fiery as his father, but his passions were of greater strength and of longer duration; for his mother had been a Spaniard, and something of the melancholy of her country had entered into his soul, giving depth and durability to the hot Italian character he inherited from his father.

Nor did the latter suspect the cause of his son's sudden change of tone in regard to the marriage.

It was precisely the difference in temperament which made Giovanni incomprehensible to the old Prince.
Giovanni had realised for more than a year past that he loved Corona d'Astrardente.

Contrary to the custom of young men in his position, he determined from the first that he would never let her know it; and herein lay the key to all his actions.