‘Whether they have been good to me, I can hardly yet decide,’ said Hans in a melancholy voice. He was practically left out in the cold while this interview was going on. ‘Anyhow,’ he continued, ‘they have blessed me with sense enough to see that I had better retire while I can do so with self-respect, and leave you two to your conversation. But you will perhaps favour me with the merest indication as to what I am to do for you later. Shall I disappear altogether, and return no more? Shall I come back for you, Mrs. Marchmont, and take you home? Or, in short, I am at your orders, ladies, when once I know what those orders are.’ ‘Poor Hans!’ said Minna, smiling, and looking at him more attentively. She was struck again with his altered appearance. She had not seen him now for more than three years, and had heard very little about him. He was, as she knew, about eight-and-twenty, but he looked considerably older. In some aspects he looked like eight-and-thirty. He had a dark, bronzed, richly-coloured face, grave, soft, dark-brown eyes, and a brown, pointed beard and moustache. The general aspect of his face was one of gravity--gravity, dignity, and poetical, artistic beauty. There was nothing left of his old, boyish manner, except its simplicity, for he had the great charm of simplicity. All this Minna realized and saw, as, with one of her hands laid upon one of Fulvia’s, she looked up at him, and listened to what he said. She turned to Fulvia. ‘What do you wish, Fulvia? What can you do for me? I mean, how long can we be together? And is this the best place? I can take you to my room at my friends’ if you like, where we can be alone.’ ‘I think this is as good a place as any,’ said Fulvia, who now spoke English, with but little foreign intonation. ‘We can then arrange how to meet again. You are very kind, Mr. Riemann. I don’t think there is anything you can do for me. I ordered my carriage to be here at one. It can come, and wait, or Mrs. Hastings and I can leave whenever we like. I shall see you again to-night, I suppose? Good-morning.’ With a gracious bow of her head she dismissed him. Minna called after him. ‘Hans, you will come and see me. I’m staying at the Montons’, where you have been many a time. I shall be there about a week longer. Send me a line, and I will be at home when you come.’ ‘Very well,’ said he, without the faintest trace of ungraciousness--definable, at any rate. For all the suavity of his manner, Minna knew that he was annoyed at the meeting. She, however, cared nothing for that. She smiled upon him. He lifted his hat, and saying ‘A rivederci’ went slowly out of the room. ‘Now, Fulvia, tell me something about yourself,’ said Minna, looking at her companion and stroking her hand. CHAPTER XV.