He got out of Del Ferice’s carriage at no great distance from his own home, and after a few words of very sincere thanks walked slowly away.  He found it very hard to arrange his thoughts in any consecutive order, though he tried several methods of self-analysis, and repeated to himself that he had experienced a great happiness and was probably on the threshold of a great success.  These two reflections did not help him much.  The happiness had been of the explosive kind, and the success in the business matter was more than problematic, as well as certainly distant in the future.

He was very restless and craved the immediate excitement of further emotions, so that he would certainly have gone to the club that night, had not the fear of losing his small and precious capital deterred him.  He thought of all that was coming and he determined to be careful, even sordid if necessary, rather than lose his chance of making the great attempt.  Besides, he would cut a poor figure on the morrow if he were obliged to admit to Del Ferice that he had lost his fifteen thousand francs and was momentarily penniless.  He accordingly shut himself up in his own room at an early hour, and smoked in solitude until he was sleepy, reviewing the various events of the day, or trying to do so, though his mind reverted constantly to the one chief event of all, to the unaccountable outburst of passion by which he had perhaps offended Maria Consuelo beyond forgiveness.  With all his affectation of cynicism he had not learned that sin is easy only because it meets with such very general encouragement.  Even if he had been aware of that undeniable fact, the knowledge might not have helped him very materially.

The hours passed very slowly during the next day, and even when the appointed time had come, Orsino allowed another quarter of an hour to go by before he entered the hotel and ascended to the little sitting-room in which Maria Consuelo received.  He meant to be sure that Del Ferice was there before entering, but he was too proud to watch for the latter’s coming, or to inquire of the porter whether Maria Consuelo were alone or not.  It seemed simpler in every way to appear a little late.

But Del Ferice was a busy man and not always punctual, so that to Orsino’s considerable confusion, he found Maria Consuelo alone, in spite of his precaution.  He was so much surprised as to become awkward, for the first time in his life, and he felt the blood rising in his face, dark as he was.

“Will you forgive me?” he asked, almost timidly, as he held out his hand.

Maria Consuelo’s tawny eyes looked curiously at him.  Then she smiled suddenly.

“My dear child,” she said, “you should not do such things!  It is very foolish, you know.”

The answer was so unexpected and so exceedingly humiliating, as Orsino thought at first, that he grew pale and drew back a little.  But Maria Consuelo took no notice of his behaviour, and settled herself in her accustomed chair.