Then she laughed bitterly as she thought how the selfish old dandy would scoff at her sensitiveness, and how utterly incapable he would be of discovering the offender or of punishing the offence.

Then again her face was grave, and she asked herself whether it was true that she was innocent; whether she were not really to be blamed, if perhaps she had really prevented Giovanni from marrying Donna Tullia.
But if that were true, she must herself be the woman he spoke of in his letter.

Any other woman would have suspected as much.

Corona went to the window, and for an instant there was a strange light of pleasure in her face.

Then she grew very thoughtful, and her whole mood changed.