Then, to her surprise, he
put one hand under her chin, and laid the other on the top of her head,
and with gentle force made her look at him. Giovanni's wife was there,
and most of the servants were standing near the foot of the staircase to
welcome their master.
Beroviero said nothing as he gazed into his daughter's eyes. They met
his own fearlessly enough, and she opened them wide, as she rarely did,
as if to show that she had nothing to conceal; but while he looked at
her the blood rose blushing in her cheeks, telling that there was
something to hide after all, and as she would not turn her eyes from
his, they sparkled a little with vexation. Beroviero did not speak, but
he let her go and went on towards the stairs, bending his head
graciously to the other persons who were assembled to greet him.
He was a man of strong character and of much natural dignity, far too
proud to break down under a great loss or a bitter disappointment, and
at dinner he sat at the head of the table and spoke affably of the
journey he had made, explaining his unexpectedly early return by the
fact that the Lord of Rimini had at once approved his designs and
accepted his terms. Occasionally Giovanni asked a respectful question,
but neither his wife nor Marietta said much during the meal.
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