d many _svanziche_ to live in
this way, you know."

The Commissary reflected a moment with a clouded brow, and eyes rolled
up to the ceiling, and then, in short, disjointed sentences that sounded
like fragments of an oracle, he let it be understood that Engineer
Ribera, an Imperial and Royal official, recently favoured by the
Imperial and Royal government with a promotion _in loco_, should exert a
better influence over his nephew's family. Then with further
questionings and further observations touching the engineer's present
weaknesses, he intimated to Bianconi that his paternal attention should
be directed with special secrecy and delicacy towards their Imperial and
Royal colleague, in order that--should this become necessary--they might
be able to enlighten their Superiors concerning certain acts of
tolerance which would be scandalous. He ended by inquiring if Bianconi
was aware that the lawyer V. from Varenna and another individual from
Loveno were in the habit of visiting the Maironis quite often. The
Receiver knew this, and had learned from his Peppina that they came to
make music. "I don't believe it," the Commissary announced, with sudden
and unusual asperity. "Your wife does not understand at all. If you go
on like this, my dear Bianconi, they will lead you by the nose. Those
two are a couple of rascals, who would be better off at Kufstein.[K] You
must seek for more information, and when you have obtained it, you will
pass it on to me. And now let us go into the garden. By the way, when
anything comes from Lugano for the Marchesa Maironi----" Zerboli
finished the sentence with a gesture of amiable munificence, and started
forward, followed by the deeply mortified mastiff.

Signora Peppina allowed them to find her in the garden watering the
flowers aided by a small boy. The Commissary looked, admired, and found
a means of giving the subaltern police-officer a little lesson. By
praising her flowers he easily led Signora Bianconi to mention Franco,
but, as if quite indifferent to that gentleman, he did not dwell a
moment upon him, but stuck to the flowers, declaring that Maironi could
not possibly have finer ones. Little cries, groans, and ejaculations
broke from the humble Signora Peppina, who was really embarrassed by
such a comparison. But the Commissary insisted. How? Even the Casa
Maironi fuchsias were finer? The heliotrope and the _pelargonia_ also?
How about the jasmine?

"The jasmine!" Signora Peppina e