ng his house, towards the home of that
fiendish beast. But the engineer, whose fine, honest features betrayed
marked disapproval and a growing contempt for this cowardly little man,
who stood wriggling there before him, exclaimed several times
impatiently: "Oh, dear me!" as if pitying himself for the poor company
he was in. Finally, his patience entirely exhausted, he extended his
arms with the elbows turned outwards, and shaking them as if he were
holding the reins of a lazy old horse, exclaimed: "What is all this?
What is all this? It is absurd! This is the language of a fool, my good
Signor Giacomo! I would never have believed that a man like you, a man
let us say----"

Here the engineer, being really at a loss for a suitable phrase
wherewith to describe his companion, simply puffed out his cheeks,
emitting a long-drawn-out rumble, a sort of rattling noise, as if he had
an epithet in his mouth which was so big that he could not spit it out.
Meanwhile Signor Giacomo, who had turned very red, was protesting
eagerly: "Enough! Enough! Pray excuse me! I am quite ready! I will come!
Don't get excited! I only expressed a doubt, most worshipful engineer.
You know the world. So did I, at one time, but I know it no longer."

He withdrew for a moment to reappear again presently carrying an
enormously high hat with a broad brim, which had seen Ferdinand enter
Verona in 1838, the so-called "emperor's year."

"I feel this sign of respect and satisfaction is fitting," said he.

When the engineer caught sight of the thing, he once more ejaculated his
"What is all this?" But the little man, who had a ceremonious spirit,
stuck to his point. "It is my duty, my duty!" and he called to Marianna
to light them down stairs. When the servant saw her master with that
immense "sign of satisfaction" on his head, she gave voice to her
astonishment. "Hold your tongue!" puffed the unfortunate Signor Giacomo.
"Be quiet!" and as soon as he was out of the door his wrath burst forth.
"There is no doubt about it, that cursed servant will be the death of
me!"

"Why don't you send her away, then?" the engineer enquired.

Signor Giacomo had already placed one foot on the first step of the
narrow lane that leads upwards on one side of the Puttini house, when he
was brought to a stand-still by this pointed question, which pierced his
conscience like a dagger.

"Alas!" he replied, sighing.

"I understand," said the engineer.

"Besides, what good w