Once, when this was discussed before them, Taquisara met Don Teodoro’s eyes, and the two men looked steadily at each other for several seconds.  But even after that they avoided a meeting.  It did not seem absolutely necessary yet, and each knew that the other had not yet found the solution of the difficulty.  To every one’s surprise, Gianluca opposed the plan altogether.  They all seemed to have taken it for granted that he need not be consulted, and Veronica, in her complete self-sacrifice, would have been willing to do whatever pleased the rest.  But Gianluca quietly refused to go to Avellino at all.  So long as his wife would give him hospitality, he said with a proud smile, he would stay in Muro.  After that, he should prefer to return directly to Naples.  It was not easy to argue against an invalid’s prerogative.  After some fruitless attempts to move him, his father and mother temporarily desisted.

“You shall not go to Avellino,” he said to Veronica, when they were alone.  “It is a den of wild children and intolerable relations, and you would not have a moment’s peace.  You have no idea how detestable that sort of existence would be after this heavenly calm.  I am very fond of my father and mother, and my brothers and sisters, and my relations, and most of them are very good people in their way.  But that is no reason why you and I should be set up to be looked at, and tallied at, by them all, twelve hours every day.”

“I would certainly much rather stay here,” answered Veronica, with a little laugh.  “That is, if you can induce them to stay here, too.”

“For that matter, they are quite unnecessary,” said Gianluca.  “There is no reason in the world why, if you like, we should not have the legal marriage here since you have a syndic and a municipality.  Then we could announce it, and there would be no objection to our staying here alone.”

“That is true,” replied Veronica, thoughtfully.  “We could always do that, if we chose.”

But she did not propose to do it at once, and he did not like to press her.  He saw no harm, however, in speaking of the project with Taquisara.  The Sicilian looked at him, said nothing, and then carefully examined a cigar before lighting it.  He had long expected that such a proposal would come either from Gianluca or Veronica, and he was not surprised.  But when he at last heard it made he held his breath for a moment or two and then began to smoke in silence.

“You say nothing,” observed Gianluca.  “Do you see any possible objection to our doing that?  Society ought to be satisfied.”

“I should think so,” answered Taquisara.  “I should think that anything would be better than Avellino and all the relations.  As for going back to Naples and having a municipal wedding there, and no religious ceremony, I would not do it if I were you.  The two marriages are always supposed to take place on consecutive days, or at least very near together, since both are necessary nowadays.”