At the table Michele and Riccardo didn’t even notice her absence. Michele was enthusiastically describing the visit to Clara: they hadn’t been able to read the script, because other people had arrived, but Clara had promised to read it soon and would call to make another appointment. Both Michele and Riccardo were satisfied and lively. Michele opened the window: it’s already spring outside, they said, and I was almost sorry I’d stayed in the house all day. I showed Michele the drawers I’d reorganized; he said, “Great, that’s great,” and then resumed talking about Clara and her friends, people known in the world of cinema. He said they all have cars, and one of them had driven him home. Riccardo took advantage of his father’s mood to announce to him that he is engaged, that I know who the girl is, and that he wants to introduce her to him soon. I was afraid that Michele would get angry, and I was irritated with Riccardo, who was spoiling a happy day. But Michele seems to have changed his mind about marrying young. He said to him as well: “Great, that’s great.”