Part 20 (1/2)

”And the first one--this Guillaume?”

”When I got back he was gone,” said the Captain. ”But I bear marks of a scratch which he gave me, you perceive.”

He looked at the Count. The Count appeared excellently well satisfied with the story. He looked at the ladies; they were smiling and nodding approval.

”Deuce take it,” thought the Captain, ”I seem to have hit on the right lies by chance!”

”All ends most happily,” cried the Count. ”Happily for you, my dear friend, and most happily for me. And here is Lucia with us again too!

In truth it 's a most auspicious evening. I propose that we allow Lucia time to change her travelling-dress, and Dieppe a few moments to wash off the stains of battle, and then we 'll celebrate the joyous occasion with a little supper.”

The Count's proposal met with no opposition--least of all from Dieppe, who suddenly remembered that he was famished.

The next morning, the garden of the Castle presented a pleasing sight.

Workmen were busily engaged in pulling down the barricade, while the Count and Countess sat on a seat hard by. Sometimes they watched the operations, sometimes the Count read in a confidential and tender voice from a little sheaf of papers which he held in his hand. When he ceased reading, the Countess would murmur, ”Beautiful!” and the Count shake his head in a poet's affectation of dissatisfaction with his verse. Then they would fall to watching the work of demolition again.

At last the Count remarked:

”But where are Lucia and our friend Dieppe?”

”Walking together down there by the stream,” answered the Countess.

And, after a pause, she turned to him, and, in a very demure fas.h.i.+on, hazarded a suggestion. ”Do you know, Andrea, I think Lucia and Captain Dieppe are inclined to take to one another very much?”

”It 's an uncommonly sudden attachment,” laughed the Count.

”Yes,” agreed his wife, biting her lip. ”It 's certainly sudden. But consider in what an interesting way their acquaintance began! Do you know anything about him?”

”I know he 's a gentleman, and a clever fellow,” returned the Count.

”And from time to time he makes some money, I believe.”

”Lucia's got some money,” mused the Countess.

Down by the stream they walked, side by side, showing indeed (as the Countess remarked) every sign of taking to one another very much.

”You really think we shall hear no more of Paul de Roustache?” asked Lucia.

”I 'm sure of it; and I think M. Guillaume will let me alone too.

Indeed there remains only one question.”

”What's that?” asked Lucia.

”How you are going to treat me,” said the Captain. ”Think what I have suffered already!”

”I could n't help that,” she cried. ”My word was absolutely pledged to Emilia. 'Whatever happens,' I said to her, 'I promise I won't tell anybody that I 'm not the Countess.' If I had n't promised that, she could n't have gone to Rome at all, you know. She 'd have died sooner than let Andrea think she had left the Castle.”

”You remember what you said to her. Do you remember what you said to me?”