did not affect the difficulty of the present case in any way.  She asked herself rather whether Del Ferice’s eavesdropping would appear to Orsino to be in the nature of an insult to her, to use his own words, and she had no doubt but that it would seem so.  At the same time she would find hard to explain to her son why Del Ferice suspected that there was to be anything said to her worth overhearing, seeing that she bore at that time the name of another man then still living.  How could Orsino understand all that had gone before?  Even now, though she knew that she had acted well, she humbly believed that she might have done much better.  How would her son judge her?  She was silent, waiting for him to speak again.

“That would be the only conceivable reason for my breaking with Del Ferice,” said Orsino.  “We only have business relations, and I do not go to his house.  I went once.  I saw no reason for telling you so at the time, and I have not been there again.  It was at the beginning of the whole affair.  Outside of the bank, we are the merest acquaintances.  But I repeat what I said.  If he ever did anything which makes it dishonourable for me to accept even ordinary business services from him, let me know it.  I have some right to hear the truth.”

Corona hesitated, and laid the case again before her own conscience, and tried to imagine herself in her son’s position.  It was hard to reach a conclusion.  There was no doubt but that when she had learned the truth, long after the event, she had felt that she had been insulted and justly avenged.  If she said nothing now, Orsino would suspect something and would assuredly go to his father, from whom he would get a view of the case not conspicuous for its moderation.  And Giovanni would undoubtedly tell his son the details of what had followed, how Del Ferice had attempted to hinder the marriage when it was at last possible, and all the rest of the story.  At the same time, she felt that so far as her personal sensibilities were concerned, she had not the least objection to the continuance of a mere business relation between Orsino and Del Ferice.  She was more forgiving than Giovanni.

“I will tell you this much, my dear boy,” she said, at last.  “That old quarrel did concern me and no one else.  Your father feels more strongly about it than I do, because he fought for me and not for himself.  You trust me, Orsino.  You know that I would rather see you dead than doing anything dishonourable.  Very well.  Do not ask any more questions, and do not go to your father about it.  Del Ferice has only advanced you money, in a business way, on good security and at a high interest.  So far as I can judge of the point of honour involved, what happened long ago need not prevent your doing what you are doing now.  Possibly, when you have finished the present contract, you may think it wiser to apply to some other bank, or to work on your own account with my money.”