"But you did love him a few days ago," he said, coming back to
Teresina's side.
"Indeed, I never did!" she said.
"Nor any one else?" asked Bastianello suddenly.
"Eh! I did not say that," answered the girl, blushing a little and
looking down.
"Well do not tell me his name, because I should tell Ruggiero, and
Ruggiero might do him an injury. It is better not to tell me."
Teresina laughed a little.
"I shall certainly not tell you who he is," she said. "You can find that
out for yourself, if you take the trouble."
"It is better not. Either Ruggiero or I might hurt him, and then there
would be trouble."
"You, too?"
"Yes, I too." Bastianello spoke the words rather roughly and looked
fixedly into Teresina's eyes. Since she did not love Ruggiero, why
should he not speak? Yet he felt as though he were not quite loyal to
his brother.
Teresina's cheeks grew red and then a little pale. She twisted the cord
of the Venetian blind round and round her hand, looking down at it all
the time. Bastianello stood motionless before her, staring at her thick
black hair.
"Well?" asked Teresina looking up and meeting his eyes and then lowering
her own quickly again.
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