Volume VI Part 48 (1/2)

We alking along engaged in agreeable converse, when all at once we heard the church bells peal out Betty said she had never seen a Catholic service, and I was glad to give her that pleasure It was the feast day of soh estures of the people, so that no one would have taken her for a Protestant After it was over, she said she thought the Catholic rite was elican She was astonished at the southern beauty of the village girls, whom she pronounced to be land She askedthat I wondered she had not got a watch She blushed and said the count had asked her to give it him to leave in pawn for the horse he hired

I was sorry for what I had said, for I had put Betty, as incapable of a lie, to great pain

We started at ten o'clock with three horses, and as a cool as bloe had a pleasant drive, arriving at Radicofani at noon

The landlord, as also the postmaster, asked if I would pay three pauls which the French the landlord that his friend would pay

For Betty's sake I said I would pay; but this was not all

”The gentleman,” added the man, ”has beaten three of my postillions with his naked sword One of them ounded in the face, and he has followed his assailant, and will make him pay dearly for it The reason of the assault was that they wanted to detain hi to allow violence to be used; he does not look like a thief, and you ranted that I should pay”

”You are ranted; I have been cheated in this sort many times before Your dinner is ready if you want any”

Poor Betty was in despair She observed a distressed silence; and I tried to raise her spirits, and to ood dinner, and to taste the excellent Muscat, of which the host had provided an enormous flask

All my efforts were in vain, so I called the vetturino to tell him that I wanted to start directly after dinner This order acted on Betty like o as far as Centino, I suppose,” said the man ”We had better wait there till the heat is over”

”No, we must push on, as the lady's husband may be in need of help

The wounded postillion has followed him; and as he speaks Italian very i what o off”

Betty looked atit, she pretended to have a good appetite She had noticed that this was a certain way of pleasing me

While ere at dinner I ordered up one of the beaten postillions, and heard his story He was a frank rogue; he said he had received so sent a stone after the Frenchave hio to Centino to bear witness against his coan to speak up for the count, much to Betty's amusement He said the man's wound in the face was a ht it on himself, as he had no business to oppose a traveller as he had done By way of comfort he told us that the Frenchman had only been hit by two or three stones Betty did not find this very consoling, but I saw that the affair wasThe postillion went off, and we followed hiot there, and heard that the count had gone on to Acquapendente with the two postillions at his heels; she seemed quite vexed I told her that all would be well; that the count kne to defend hih

I suspected that she was afraid we should have to pass the night together, and that I would demand some payment for all the trouble I had taken

”Would you like us to go on to Acquapendente?” I asked her

At this question her face beamed all over; she opened her arms, and I embraced her

I called the vetturino, and told hio on to Acquapendente immediately

The fellow replied that his horses were in the stable, and that he was not going to put them in; but that I could have post horses if I liked

”Very good Get me two horses immediately”

It is ivenat that moment, for she let herself fall into my arms

I pressed her tenderly and kissed her, and that was all She seerateful for my self-restraint

The horses were put in, and after I had paid the landlord for the supper, which he swore he had prepared for us, we started