Varillo

"Not even you, Signor Varillo?" enquired Gherardi affably.

The Master-Christian Marie Corelli 1889

Gherardi returned to the studio and resumed his confidential talk with Bonpre, while one by one the visitors departed, till at last the only persons left in the vast room were Angela and Florian Varillo, Prince Pietro, and the two dignitaries of the Church.

The Master-Christian Marie Corelli 1889

Varillo opened his eyes again languidly, and turned them on a monk sitting beside him, -- a monk whose face was neither old nor young, but which presented a singular combination of both qualities.

The Master-Christian Marie Corelli 1889

Varillo seemed to think so as he looked at her with the practised underglance of admiration which is a trick common to Italians, and which some women accept as a compliment and others resent as an insult.

The Master-Christian Marie Corelli 1889

"And takes the wealth of her fathers with her!" finished Varillo, maliciously.

The Master-Christian Marie Corelli 1889

The lay-brother made a gentle deprecatory gesture of his hands and retired, and Varillo was left to his own reflections.

The Master-Christian Marie Corelli 1889

Paralysed with fear Varillo stared at him, -- every drop of blood seemed to rush from his heart to his brain, turning him sick and giddy, for in the dark yet fiery eyes of the priest, there was a look that would have made the boldest tremble.

The Master-Christian Marie Corelli 1889

Varillo looked at him dubiously; and a moment's thought decided him to assume a certain amount of meekness and docility with this evident brother of some religious order, so that he might obtain both sympathy and confidence from him, and from all whom he might be bound to serve.

The Master-Christian Marie Corelli 1889

Varillo leaped forward -- then, as he saw the interior of the chapel, uttered one agonized shriek, and stood as though turned to stone.

The Master-Christian Marie Corelli 1889

"It is a stupid story!" said Varillo, opening his eyes, and smiling in the clear, candid way he always assumed when he had anything to hide.

The Master-Christian Marie Corelli 1889