human
Depend upon it, bambina mia, he said,
gpt
And many a year afterwards, I hope, papa mio. And you may depend on my teaching my husband to behave like a good son-in-law,
human
As for the nephew, continued Quinto,
gpt
I can understand that it would be more agreeable to make your attack on him--
human
I don't know that at all, papa mio, interrupted Bianca.
gpt
You may laugh, if you will, and think that I am making a virtue of necessity--and small blame to me if I were--but the truth is, I do like the Marchese. I like him better, as far as I can yet tell, than any man I ever knew. Yes! you may make grimaces, and look as wicked as you please! But it is true. And, if you ever do see me Marchesa di Castelmare, you will see that I shall make him a very good, ay, and a very fond, wife.
human
Who could doubt it, Signora, that has the advantage of knowing you as well as I do?
gpt
You may sneer as much as you like, Quinto; but you understand nothing about it. The Marchese is a man any woman might love. You call him an old man? I tell you he is younger for a man than I am for a woman, God help me! It isn't only years that make people old.
human
That's true, bambina mia, poveretta. And I am sure I have nothing to say against it if you can fancy this Marchese a gay and handsome young cavalier.
gpt
Handsome he is, as far as that goes. I swear he is the handsomest man I have seen here! His nephew is good-looking enough, but he is not to be compared to his uncle either in face or person.
human
Well, whether you have succeeded or not in making the Marchese in love with you, cara mia, I begin to think that you have succeeded already in falling in love with him,
gpt
No; not quite that. But I won't say that it is impossible that if I am to make him love me, I may come to love him in the doing of it. You see, amico mio, it is something new. It is not the old weary mill-round. He did not come to me with the set purpose of making love to me, as all those young fellows have done, and do, just because they have nothing else to amuse them; because it's the fashion; because it's a feather in their caps; because it's the thing to have a prima donna for their mistress! If the Marchese has fallen, or falls, in love with me, he does so because he cannot help himself, he does it in despite of himself; and that flatters a woman, Quinto. Well, we shall see, she added, after another pause:
human
It is wisely said, bambina mia. That is the road which must lead, if any can, to the winning of your game.