The Children of the King

fine gentlemen was limited indeed, but he could not believe that they all behaved like San Miniato, whose temper was apparently as changeable as his tastes. Sometimes he went to bed at nine o'cl

his fits of amateur seamanship, when he would insist upon taking the tiller from Ruggiero's hand. The latter, on such occasions, remained perched upon the stern in case of an emergency. San Miniato was a thorough landsman and never understood why the wind always seemed to change, or die away, or do something unexpected so soon as he began to steer the boat. From time to time Ruggiero, by way of a mild hint, held up his palm to the breeze, but San Miniato did not know what

is tastes might be as variable as the moon, or the weather, but his face rarely expressed anything of what he felt, and if he felt anything at such times it was assuredly not fear. He had good qualities, and courage was one of them, if courage may be called a quality at all. Ruggiero was not at all sure that his new master liked the sea, and it is possible that the Count was not sure of the fact himself; but for the time, it suited him to sail as mu

ne might be found with more to recommend him than San Miniato could boast. Most of them were livelier than he, and certainly all were noisier. Many of them had very bright black eyes, which Beatrice liked, and they were all dressed a little beyond the extreme of the fashion, a fact of which she was too young to understand the psychological value in judging of men. Some of them sang very prettily, and San Miniato did not possess any similar accomplishment. Indeed, in the young girl's opinion, he approached dangerously near to being a "serious" man, as the Italians express it, and but for his known love of gambling he might have seemed to her altogether too dull a personage to be thought of as a possible husband. It is not easy to define exactly what is meant

uliarly tasteless and saltless nature of actions and speeches done and delivered by persons who are born dull, or who are mentally exhausted, or are absent-minded, or very shy, but who, in spite of natural or accidental disadvantages are determined to make themselves agreeable. The standard of banality differs indeed for every woman, and with every woman for almost every hour of the day, and men of the world who husband their worldly resources are aware of the fact. Angelina at three in the afternoon, fresh from rest and luncheon-if both agree with her-is wreathed in smiles at a little speech of Edwin's which would taste like sweet camomile tea after dry champagne, at three in the morning, when the Hungarian music is ringing madly in her ears and there are only two more waltzes on the programme. Music, dancing, lights and heat are to a woman of the world what strong drinks are to a normal man; they may not intoxicate, but they change the humour. Fortunately for San Miniato the young lady whom he wished to marry was not just at present exposed to the action of those stimulants, and her moods were tolerably even. If he had been at all eloq

perous financial condition with mitigated frankness. The Marchesa listened dreamily in the darkness on the terrace while her daughter played soft dance music in the dimly lighted room behind her. Beatri

she tapped her companion twice upon the arm with her fan, in a way which woul

say it all!"

esa?" asked the Count, with

well to Beatrice-there might be some possibility.

dle of the sentence with

said San Miniato, "I w

voice that pleased the middle

he asked, fanning hers

peak to he

a laughed. The idea seemed e

y n

make me argue such insane questions with yo

to be persuaded. It is enough

shut m

neel at y

l go to

ld wak

ow

I mean to speak to Do

ea would wa

better. They

ou, if they heard you,

ear witness to the ans

should not be what you wish, or expect-woul

the answer b

ce is herself uncertain. You know well enough that no man should ever tell a woman

one?" asked San M

ne, in our world, a man deliberatel

e Marchesa could not see t

impossible in Piedmon

that." The lady's t

are less old-fashi

lly done in-in

ge and pressing it. "I could give you many instan

deal of trouble," observed the Marchesa, lazil

ost vital question in life in the ha

y, for he knew how to impress his com

nging up the time-honoured argument, "the two young people most concer

udged for us-and there is no one else to judge-do you not think that you might leave the rest in my hands? The mere question to be asked, you know, in the hope of a final answer

fan. "You without much experience! But you are historica

We will all go in my boat to Tragara and dine on the rocks. It will be beautiful. Then after dinner we can walk about in the moonlight-slowly, not far from you, as at the end of this terrace. An

ble to go all the way to Capri

water rippling against the rocks, the soft breeze-a little music, too, such as a pair

t how he could attach so much value to things which seem

e lanterns. That would be much prettier than to picnic on uncomfortable rocks out in the sea with nothing

niato

ou not imagine that a young girl's disposition may be

moonlight you can have it here. If it shines at Capri

ered San Miniato triumphantl

t the

ses we do not see it here, on ac

Marchesa. "I am sure it is not a week ago that I saw it. You do not mean t

moon is full we can see it rise from Traga

lazily. "I will not try to understand the moon any more. It tires me.

trice's opinion about

to ri

n you will give me cold macaroni and dry bread and warm wine and water, and the sailors will eat garlic, and it will be insufferable and you will call it divine. And of course Beatrice will be s

ot what she wanted, San

e piano, in th

deign to tell me whether you prefer the moon to C

d the young gir

the rocks of Tragara with a couple of mandolins in the distance, or would you like better a party in the hotel gardens with an illuminatio

estion!" exclaimed Be

ridic

swer well enough. Imagine compari

r prefers t

on the trees-gas if possible! When are we going to Tragara? Where is it?

you will listen to me, I will explain why to-morrow would be better. In the f

it supper," sug

also ten o'clock, and we could not get to Tragara before o

ked Beatrice with sudden an

confidently. "We must make her comfo

wait on her. And she will want champagne, well iced, and a carpet for her feet, and a screen to keep the wind from her, if there is any, and several more thing

iniato smiling at the catalogue of the Marchesa's

e chair and take her away," answered Beatrice. "Dear mamma

to the Marchesa. The number of articles was about two hundred and their bulk filled a boat which was desp

e boat lacks interest, and if circumstances had been, different Ruggiero would probably have shipped before now as boatswain on board one of the neat schooners which are yearly built at the Piano di Sorrento, to be sold with their cargoes of salt as soon as they reach Buenos Ayres. But Ruggiero had contracted that malady of the heart which had taken him to the

ed the spot where the main cargo of comforts would be waiting; the last sandwich, the last box of sweetmeats, the iced lemonade, the wraps and the par

yourself the trouble to sit in this chair, I will prom

ooked up with a glance

? I am so comfortable here. And why ha

our dinner at Tragar

to take me to Tragara! Good heavens! I am utterly

ong. "It is one thing to talk of death, it is quite another to die. Only this littl

id, San Miniato-send for Teresina. Dio mio! I can never go! Go without us, dearest fri

strosity at that time, something between a cart wheel, an umbrella and a flower garden, depending for its stability upon the proper position of several solid s

not even to please you, dearest friend. What a place of torture this world is! How right we a

and placed her in the chair. The porters lifted their burden, settled the straps upon thei

he door of the sitting room. "How can you have the heart, dearest fri

fe as a young bird. Behind her came Teresina, the maid, necessary at every minute for the Marchesa's comfort, her p

h, mamma, you will enjoy it so much! I promise you shall. There is iced champagne, and the foot warmer and the marrons glacés

ings?" asked the Marchesa.

her mother's chair. "And we really will enjoy ourselves," she added, turning her hea

the greatest possible favour upon me," said the Count. "He would have no trouble in persuad

ero. Beatrice followed her. As she set her foot on the gunwale Ruggiero held up his hand towards her to help her. It was not the first time this duty had fallen to him, but she was more radiantly fresh to-day than he had ever seen her befor

giero?" she asked

hat was far from steady, while the shadow of a

e got no answer for her look, and he turned away and shoved the boat off the little stone pier. Bastianello was watching them both, and wishing hims

and talking to Beatrice-which things are not to be done together with advantage-the Marchesa lying back in a cane rocking-chair and thinking of nothing, while Teresina held the p

asked Bastianell

answered h

it? Ask her in marriage. The M

e! Thou dost

said Bastiane

houghtfully as it grew under his broad hands, till the rope lay in a perfectly smooth disk beside him. But R

ome did not understand themselves. But what was most clear to all before long

ello in a low voice as the boat fell off more

rst time in his life he had