She cautiously pushed aside the curtain and looked out.
The Astrardente carriage was just disappearing in the distance.

Donna Tullia descended the steps, got into her brougham, and proceeded to the studio of Monsieur Anastase Gouache, the portrait-painter.

She had not accomplished much, save to rouse her curiosity, and that parting thrust concerning Don Giovanni had been rather ill-timed.
She drove to the door of the studio and found Del Ferice waiting for her as usual.

If Corona had accompanied her, she would have expressed astonishment at finding him; but, as a matter of fact, Ugo always met her there, and helped to pass the time while she was sitting.

He was very amusing, and not altogether unsympathetic to her; and moreover, he professed for her the most profound devotion--genuine, perhaps, and certainly skilfully expressed.