Part 3 (1/2)
”Brigands? Ippolito is a great liar.”
Seeing the angry sparkle in the old fellow's eyes, Norvin hastened to say:
”He told me nothing, I a.s.sure you.”
”Thieves, yes! We have ladri here, as elsewhere. Sometimes it is well to take precautions.”
”But Francesca was quite excited, and I heard you and Martel mention La Mafia last night,” Blake persisted. ”I see you all go armed. I am naturally curious. I thought you might be in trouble with the society.”
”Children's tales!” said Ricardo, gruffly. ”There is no society of La Mafia.”
”Oh, see here! We have it even in my own country. The New Orleans papers have been full of stories about the Mala Vita, the Mafia, or whatever you choose to call it. There is a big Italian population there, you know, and they are causing our police a great deal of worry. I live in Louisiana, so I ought to know. We understand it's an offshoot of the Sicilian Mafia.”
”In Naples I hear there is a Camorra. But this is Sicily. We have no societies.”
”Nevertheless, I heard you say something about 'Mafioso' last night,”
Blake insisted.
”Perhaps,” grudgingly admitted the overseer. ”But La Mafia is not a man, not a society, as you say. It is--” He made a wide gesture. ”It is all Sicily. You do not understand.”
”No, I do not.”
”Very well. One does not speak of it. Would the Signore care to see the horses?”
”Thank you, yes.”
The two went into the stables together, and Blake for the time gave up the hope of learning anything further about Sicilian brigandage. Nor did Martel show any willingness to enlighten him when he tentatively introduced the subject at breakfast, but laughingly turned the conversation into another channel.
”To-day you shall see the star of my life,” he declared. ”Be prepared to wors.h.i.+p as all men do.”
”a.s.suredly.”
”And promise you will not fall in love.”
”Is that why you discouraged my coming until a week before your wedding? Really, if she is all you claim, we might have been such delightful enemies.”
”Enemies are never that,” said the Count, gravely.
I know men in my country who cherish their enemies like friends. They seem to enjoy them tremendously, until one or the other has pa.s.sed on to glory. Even then they are highly spoken of.”
”I am impatient for you to see her. She, of course, has many preparations to make, for the wedding-day is almost here; but it is arranged that we are to dine there to-night with her and her aunt, the Donna Teresa. Ah, Norvin mine, seven days separate me from Paradise.
You can judge of my ecstasy. The hours creep, the moments are leaden.
Each night when I retire, I feel faithless in allowing sleep to rob my thoughts of her. When I awake it is with the consolation that more of those miserable hours have crept away. I am like a man insane.”
”I am beginning to think you really are so.”
”Diamine! Wait! You have not seen her. We are to be married by a bishop.”
”No doubt that will insure your happiness.”