he continued,
delightedly. 'But you should have come into the Customs-house with me
when I went to declare my cigars. You see it wouldn't do for me, who
might one day get a coastguard appointment, to try on any smuggling.
But I did remonstrate. I said I had already paid at Paris and at
Basel; and that it was hard to have to pay three import dues on my
cigars. Well, they were very civil. They said they couldn't help it.
"Why not buy your cigars in the country where you smoke them?" asked an
old gentleman in spectacles. "Because, Monsieur," I answered him, with
the usual cheek of the English, "I prefer to smoke cigars made of
tobacco." But he was quite polite. After charging me eighteen francs,
he bowed me out, and said "a rivederla;" to which I responded "Oh no,
thank you;" and then I found you and your sisters all laughing at me,
as if I had been before a police-magistrate to be admonished.'

'You don't forget all the disagreeable details, then?' said Nan, with a
smile.

But the smile vanished from her face when he began to talk about
Bellagio. He did so without any covert intention. It was always a joy
to him to think or talk about the time that he and the three sisters
spent together far away there in the south. And it was only about the
Serenata and the procession of illuminated boats that he was thinking
at this moment.

'I suppose they will sooner or later have all our ships and steamers
lit with the electric light; and everything will be ghastly white and
ghastly black. But do you remember how soft and beautiful the masses
of yellow stars were when the boats came along the lake in the
darkness? It was indeed a lovely night. And I think we had the best
of it--sitting there in the garden. I know I for one didn't miss the
music a bit. And then it was still more lovely when the moon rose; and
you could see the water, and the mountains on the other side, and even
the houses by the shore. I remember there was a bush somewhere near us
that scented all the air----'

Madge had been regarding her sister closely.

'It must have been a magical night,' she said quickly, 'for Nan's face
has got quite white just thinking of it.'

He started. A quick glance at the girl beside him showed him that she
was indeed pale; her eyes cast down; her hand trembling. Instantly he
said, in a confused hurry,--

'You see, Miss Anne, there was some delay about the concert. One
steamer did really come back to Bellagi