and only ended when they reached Amanda's
door. According to his promise, he came again in the afternoon to bid
farewell.

Amanda talked with him of his approaching wedding in a tone which was
half playful and half sentimental, precisely as her feelings prompted
her; for to a well-brought-up Italian girl, marriage is the herald of
all earthly bliss, the entrance to that happy state in which
uncertainty, restraint, and trouble cease, and unchecked freedom, new
dresses, drives, and evenings at the opera, begin. And so her pretty
chatter in some way re-awakened his old feeling of yearning for
Theresa; her charm and personal attraction helped him still further to
a realisation of his own approaching happiness, and he found himself
confessing to her how much she herself had done towards this. A young
girl's tears flow readily at words of praise, and our little maiden
wept as she listened to Mansana's flattering talk. She thought it
necessary in return, to tell him what confidence she too had felt in
him; and though in her own heart she knew she had always, in his
presence, been conscious of a slight sense of fear, she would not
mention this. Then, as though in confirmation of her words, which were
not so truthful as she would have wished, she gave him one of her
smiling glances. The sunshine of her smile caught the glistening
tear-drops on her cheeks, and framed a rainbow of indescribable beauty
in Mansana's mind. He took her little round hand within both his as his
farewell. A blush rose to her cheeks as he murmured something--he did
not himself know what--and then he left her. He saw her pretty figure,
arms, and head, just above him on the stairs, and a minute later on the
balcony, as he looked up. He heard from the other side of the square, a
melodious "farewell," listened for it once again, then turned away down
the side street. So absorbed was he, that he had not noticed the
approach of Sardi, who was making straight towards him; indeed, he was
only awakened to the fact by a lusty slap upon the shoulder.

"Is it really true," asked Sardi, with a laugh, "that you are in love
with the little girl up yonder? Upon my word, it would almost seem so!"

Mansana's face grew copper red, his eyes flashed, his breath came
quickly as he answered:

"What are you talking about? What have you been told--that----?" He
stopped wondering what he could be about to hear; surely no one could
have--Luigi could never have---- "What did you