Part 14 (2/2)
He was aware of unusual activities all around--workmen, the sound of hammering, housemaids plying brooms and brushes. Leslie Foss, with her hat on, looked from the dining-room and said, ”h.e.l.lo, Gerald!” too busy for anything more. Fraulein seemed to be with her, helping at something.
The great central white-and-gold door, to-day open, permitted a glimpse, as he started up the stairs, of a man on a step-ladder fitting tall wax-candles into one of the great chandeliers. From unseen quarters floated Estelle's voice, saying, ”_Ploo bah! Nong, ploo hoe!_”
Mrs. Hawthorne met him at the head of the stairs. The slight disorder of her hair, usually so tidy, pointed to unusual exertions on her part, also. Her face was flushed with excitement and, to judge by her wreathing smiles, with happiness.
”I saw you coming,” she greeted him. ”_Riverisco! Beata Lei! Mamma mia!_ And do you know how I saw you? Come here.”
She led the way to the back, where the window-door stood open on to the roof of the portico, which formed a terrace.
”See? I've had it gla.s.sed in for to-morrow night. We couldn't say we hadn't plenty of rooms before, and plenty of room in them. That's just the trouble: there aren't any nooks in this big, square house. So I've made one. This is Flirtation Alcove. Here a loving couple can come to cool off after dancing and look up at the stars together. Oh, it's going to be so pretty! You can't tell anything about it as it looks now; I've only got these few things in it. But the gardeners are going to bring all sorts of tall plants and flowers in pots. Just wait till to-morrow night!”
”You are very busy, I am afraid, Mrs. Hawthorne. I ought not to take your time.”
”Can't you sit down a minute?”
”I have come to ask a favor.”
”I guess I can say it's granted even before you ask.”
”I should like to retract my refusal of your very kind invitation for to-morrow evening. I have explained to you my weak avoidance of crowds.
I have determined to overcome it in this case, and I want your permission to bring a friend.”
”That? How can you ask? Bring ten! Bring twenty! Bring as many as you've got! As for coming yourself, I'm tickled to death that you've reconsidered.”
”It's not quite as simple as it seems, Mrs. Hawthorne. I shall have to tell you more.”
At her indication, he took the other half of the little dumpling sofa which had seemed to her an appropriate piece of furniture for Flirtation Alcove, and which, with a rug on the floor, formed so far its only decoration. In the clear, bare morning light of outdoors, which bathed them, she still looked triumphantly fresh, but he looked tired.
”It is Lieutenant Giglioli for whom I have come to beg an invitation.
You perhaps know whom I mean.”
”Let me see. I can't tell. Quite a few officers have been introduced, but I never can get their names.”
”Hasn't Mrs. Foss or Leslie ever spoken of him?”
”Not so far as I can remember. In what way do you mean?”
”They evidently have not.” He seemed to be given pause by this and need to gather force from reflection before going on, as he did after a moment, overcoming his repugnance. ”He is the reason for poor Brenda being packed off to America.”
”Oh, is that it?”
”He came to see me last evening and spent most of the night talking of her. We were barely acquainted before; but he knew I am a close friend of the Fosses, and in that necessity to ease their hearts with talk which Italians seem to feel he chose me. I felt sorry for him.”
”She's turned him down?”
”No; she loves him.”
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