swarthy and handsome countenance. As soon as he
could speak he poured forth a torrent of exclamations with amazing
volubility, in the midst of which his keen black eyes scrutinized very
closely the faces of the ladies, and finally turned an interrogative
glance upon Hawbury, who sat on his horse regarding the new-comer with
a certain mild surprise not unmingled with superciliousness. Hawbury's
chin was in the air, his eyes rested languidly upon the stranger, and
his left hand toyed with his left whisker. He really meant no offense
whatever. He knew absolutely nothing about the stranger, and had not
the slightest intention of giving offense. It was simply a way he had.
It was merely the normal attitude of the English swell before he is
introduced. As it was, that first glance which Girasole threw at the
English lord inspired him with the bitterest hate, which was destined
to produce important results afterward.

Mrs. Willoughby was too good-natured and too wise to slight the Count
in any way. After introducing the two gentlemen she spoke a few more
civil words, and then bowed him away. But Girasole did not at all take
the hint. On the contrary, as the carriage started, he turned his
horse and rode along with it on the side next Mrs. Willoughby. Hawbury
elevated his eyebrows, and stared for an instant, and then went on
talking with Minnie. And now Minnie showed much more animation than
usual. She was much agitated and excited by this sudden appearance of
one whom she hoped to have got rid of, and talked rapidly, and laughed
nervously, and was so terrified at the idea that Girasole was near
that she was afraid to look at him, but directed all her attention to
Hawbury. It was a slight, and Girasole showed that he felt it; but
Minnie could not help it. After a time Girasole mastered his feelings,
and began an animated conversation with Mrs. Willoughby in very broken
English. Girasole's excitement at Minnie's slight made him somewhat
incoherent, his idioms were Italian rather than English, and his
pronunciation was very bad; he also had a fashion of using an Italian
word when he did not know the right English one, and so the
consequence was that Mrs. Willoughby understood not much more than
one-quarter of his remarks.

Mrs. Willoughby did not altogether enjoy this state of things, and so
she determined to put an end to it by shortening her drive. She
therefore watched for an opportunity to do this so as not to make it
seem