Nina was enchanted with her, and instinctively compared her appearance with that of the sister-in-law, glittering with diamonds.  “The Contessa Potensi was a rich girl in her own right, I suppose,” Nina remarked aloud.

With a suspicion of awkwardness Tornik glanced at Giovanni, who had returned to the box.  The latter began to screw up his mustache as he replied in Tornik’s stead.  “The Contessa Potensi inherited some very good jewels from her mother’s family, I am told.”

“Her mother was an Austrian, a cousin of mine,” Tornik drawled.  “I never heard of that branch of the family’s having anything but stubble lands and debts.  However, it is evident she has got the jewels!  I felicitate her on her valuable possessions. Elle a de la chance!” He shrugged his shoulders.  Tornik’s detached and impersonal manner gave no effect of insult, and Giovanni, beyond looking annoyed, made no further remark.  But the Princess Sansevero interposed: 

“Maria Potensi has a passion for jewels, as a child might have for toys, and she accepts them in the same way.  She tells every one about it quite frankly; in that lies the proof of her innocence.”

But the Contessa Zoya showed neither sympathy nor credulity, and there was no misinterpreting her meaning as she said: 

“It is true, Princess, you know the Potensi well, and I only slightly—­but if my husband offered a diamond ornament——­”

“He would never give her another!  Is that it?” put in Tornik.

“No—­nor any one!” The intensity of her tone alarmed Nina, who was beginning to feel confused by the succession of violent impressions.  Scorpa, Giovanni, Carpazzi, Zoya Olisco, all struck such strident notes that their vibrations jangled.

Another act and entr’acte passed.  Nina saw Giovanni enter the box of the Contessa Potensi.  In contrast to her greeting across the house, she seemed now scarcely to speak to him.  He talked to her companion, the Princess Malio, who bobbed her head and prattled at a great rate; but as he left the box Nina saw him lean toward the Contessa Potensi as though saying something in an undertone.  She answered rapidly, behind her fan.  Giovanni inclined his head and left.

This small incident made a greater impression on Nina than its importance warranted.  And the Contessa Potensi occupied her thoughts far more than the various men who had come into the box, and who seemed little more than so many varieties of faces and shirt-fronts.  She noticed that many of the older men wore Father Abraham beards and clothes several sizes too big.  On account of the Court Ball those who had orders wore them, frequently so carelessly pinned to their coats that the decorations seemed likely to fall off.  The Marchese Valdeste—­a really imposing man—­had two huge ones dangling from the flapping lapel of his coat, and a sash with a bow on the hip that would put any man’s dignity to a supreme test.