ad seated
himself in the stern of his boat, started to his feet, crying
delightedly--

"Who goes there?" A fine, big, bass voice answered him--

Buona sera
Miei signori,
Buona sera,
Buona sera.

They were his friends from the Lake of Como, the lawyer V. of Varenna
and a certain Pedraglio of Loveno, who were in the habit of coming to
make music openly, and discuss politics in secret; this was known only
to Luisa.

They called from the terrace--

"Well done, Don Basilio!--Bravo, bassoon!" And in the interval the voice
could be heard of some one who was begging to be excused from _tarocco_:
"No, no, most gracious Controller, it is late! The time is too short;
really too short. Oh, Lord! Oh, Lord! Indeed you must excuse me. I
cannot, I cannot. Most worshipful Engineer, I appeal to you!"

But they made the little man play, promising that they would not go
beyond two games. He puffed very hard, and sat down to the little table
with the engineer, Pasotti, and Pedraglio. Franco seated himself at the
piano, and the lawyer placed himself beside him with the bassoon.

Between Pasotti and Pedraglio, two terrible quizzers, poor Signor
Giacomo passed a short half-hour which was full of tribulation. They did
not leave him alone a minute. "How goes it, _Scior Zacomo_?--Badly,
badly! _Scior Zacomo_, are there no friars walking about in
slippers?--Not one. And the bull, how is the bull, _Scior
Zacomo_?--Stop, stop--A most accursed beast, eh?--Yes, indeed, Sir. And
the servant, _Scior Zacomo_?" "Hush!" exclaimed Pasotti at this
impertinent question of Pedraglio's. "Be prudent. On this point Signor
Giacomo is having a great deal of trouble, through the indiscretion of
certain individuals." "Let us not discuss it, most gracious Controller,
let us not discuss it!" Signor Giacomo exclaimed, writhing all over, and
the engineer advised him to send his tormentors to the devil. "But how
is this, _Scior Zacomo_," Pasotti went on, undaunted, "don't you call
that little priest indiscreet?" "I call him an ass!" Signor Giacomo
answered angrily. Then Pasotti, smiling and triumphant, because this
joke was really of his own making, ordered Pedraglio to be quiet, and
started the game afresh, although Pedraglio was bursting with curiosity
to hear the story.

Franco and the lawyer were studying a new composition for piano and
bassoon, continually making mistakes and beginning over again. Presently
Signora Bianconi came in on tip