On this same day also he had spent several hours in talking over the situation with Contini.  The architect, strange to say, was more reconciled with his position than he had formerly been.  He, at least, received a certain substantial remuneration.  He, at least, loved his profession and rejoiced in the handling of great masses of brick and stone.  He, too, was rapidly making a reputation and a name for himself, and, if business improved, was not prevented from entering into other enterprises besides the one in which he found himself so deeply interested.  As a member of the firm, he could not free himself.  As an architect, he could have an architect’s office of his own and build for any one who chose to employ him.  For his own part, he said, he might perhaps be more profitably employed upon less important work; but then, he might not, for business was very bad.  The great works in which Del Ferice kept him engaged had the incalculable advantage of bringing him constantly before the public as an architect and of keeping his name, which was the name of the firm, continually in the notice of all men of business.  He was deeply indebted to Orsino for the generous help given when the realities of profit were so greatly at variance with the appearances of prosperity.  He would always regard repayment of the money so advanced to him as a debt of honour and he hoped to live long enough to extinguish it.  He sympathised with Orsino in his desire to be freer and more independent, but reminded him that when the day of liberation came, he would not regret the comparatively short apprenticeship during which he had acquired so great a mastery of business.  Business, he said, had been Orsino’s ambition from the beginning, and business he had, in plenty, if not with profit.  For his own part, he was satisfied.

Orsino felt that his partner could not be blamed, and he felt, too, that he would be doing Contini a great injury in involving him in a failure.  But he regretted the time when their interests had coincided and they had cursed Del Ferice in common and with a good will.  There was nothing to be done but to submit.  He knew well enough what awaited him.

On the following morning, by appointment, he went with a heavy heart to meet Del Ferice at the bank.  The latter had always preferred to see Orsino without Contini when a new contract was to be discussed.  As a personal acquaintance he treated with Orsino on a footing of social equality, and the balance of outwardly agreeable relations would have been disturbed by the presence of a social inferior.  Moreover, Del Ferice knew the Saracinesca people tolerably well, and though not so timid as many people supposed, he somewhat dreaded a sudden outbreak of the hereditary temper; if such a manifestation really took place, it would be more agreeable that there should be no witnesses of it.