occasion, and she talked
irresistible nonsense. "Bring the best they have," she said, "no matter
if it ruins us! And if the best is very bad, it will be all the
more amusing. I shall enjoy seeing Mr. Mallet try to swallow it for
propriety's sake! Mr. Hudson will say out like a man that it 's horrible
stuff, and that he 'll be choked first! Be sure you bring a dish of
maccaroni; the prince must have the diet of the Neapolitan nobility. But
I leave all that to you, my poor, dear Cavaliere; you know what 's good!
Only be sure, above all, you bring a guitar. Mr. Mallet will play us
a tune, I 'll dance with Mr. Hudson, and mamma will pair off with the
prince, of whom she is so fond!"

And as she concluded her recommendations, she patted her bland old
servitor caressingly on the shoulder. He looked askance at Rowland; his
little black eye glittered; it seemed to say, "Did n't I tell you she
was a good girl!"

The Cavaliere returned with zealous speed, accompanied by one of the
servants of the inn, laden with a basket containing the materials of a
rustic luncheon. The porter of the villa was easily induced to furnish
a table and half a dozen chairs, and the repast, when set forth, was
pronounced a perfect success; not so good as to fail of the proper
picturesqueness, nor yet so bad as to defeat the proper function of
repasts. Christina continued to display the most charming animation,
and compelled Rowland to reflect privately that, think what one might
of her, the harmonious gayety of a beautiful girl was the most beautiful
sight in nature. Her good-humor was contagious. Roderick, who an hour
before had been descanting on madness and suicide, commingled his
laughter with hers in ardent devotion; Prince Casamassima stroked
his young moustache and found a fine, cool smile for everything; his
neighbor, Mrs. Light, who had Rowland on the other side, made the
friendliest confidences to each of the young men, and the Cavaliere
contributed to the general hilarity by the solemnity of his attention
to his plate. As for Rowland, the spirit of kindly mirth prompted him to
propose the health of this useful old gentleman, as the effective author
of their pleasure. A moment later he wished he had held his tongue, for
although the toast was drunk with demonstrative good-will, the Cavaliere
received it with various small signs of eager self-effacement which
suggested to Rowland that his diminished gentility but half relished
honors which