Grey and Miss
Girond and wish them a pleasant Christmas. Estelle, when she made her
appearance, knew better what had brought him hither.
"Ah, it is so kind of you to send me the pretty work-case--thank you,
thank you very much; and Mrs. Grey is so proud of the beautiful
lamp--she will tell you in a moment when she comes in. And if there is
something we might have liked better--pardon, it is no disfavor to the
pretty presents, not at all--it is what you would like, too, I am
sure--it is a message from Nina. Yes, I expected it a little--I was
awake hour after hour this morning--when the postman came I ran down the
stairs--no! no word of any kind."
He stood silent for a minute.
"I confess I had some kind of fancy she might wish to send you just a
line or a card--any sort of reminder of her existence--on
Christmas-day; for she knows the English custom," he said, rather
absently. "And there is nothing--nothing of any kind, you say. Well, I
have written to Pandiani."
"Ah, the _maestro_?--yes?"
"You see, I knew it was no use writing to her friends," he continued,
"for, if she were with them, she would tell them not to answer. But it
is different with Pandiani.
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