'Where are you going?' he asked.
'To Madonna Giulia.'
'But you went there yesterday!'
'That is no reason why I should not go to-day. She asked me to come.'
'That's very obliging of her, I'm sure.' Then, after a pause, during
which I continued my toilet, 'I have been gathering the news of Forli.'
'Oh!'
'Madonna Giulia has been affording a great deal of interest....'
'You have been talking to the lady whom you call the beautiful Claudia,'
I said.
'By the way, why have you not been to her?'
'I really don't know,' I said. 'Why should I?'
'You told me you had progressed a long way in her favours during the
half-hour's talk you had with her the other night; have you not followed
up the advantage?'