On my soul; and oh, Signorina, it is not much to ask!"

[Illustration: Pepita.]

His ardor carried him away. In the broad street he actually made a
gesture as though he would take her hand. The young girl drew back
blushing deeply. She looked at him with a reproachful glance.

"You forget--"

Whereupon Dick interrupted her with innumerable apologies.

"You do not deserve forgiveness. But I will forgive you if you leave
me now. Did I not tell you that I was in a hurry?"

"Will you not tell me where I can see you again?"

"I suppose I will be walking out about this time to-morrow."

"Oh, Signorina! and I will be at the gate."

"If you don't forget."

"Would you be angry if you saw me at the gate this evening?"

"Yes; for friends are going out with me. Addio, Signore."

The young girl departed, leaving Dick rooted to the spot. After a
while he went on to the Piazza del Popolo. A thousand feelings
agitated him. Joy, triumph, perfect bliss, were mingled with countless
tender recollections of the glance, the smile, the tone, and the
blushes of Pepita. He walked on with new life. So abstracted was his
mind in all kinds of delicious anticipations that he ran full against
a man who was hurrying at full speed and in equal abstraction in the
opposite direction. There was a recoil. Both fell. Both began to make
apologies. But suddenly:

"Why, Buttons!"

"Why, Dick!"

"Where in the world did you come from?"

"Where in the world did you come from?"

"What are you after, Buttons?"

"Did you see a carriage passing beyond that corner?"

"No, none."

"You must have seen it."

"Well, I didn't."

"Why, it must have just passed you."

"I saw none."

"Confound it!"

Buttons hurriedly left, and ran all the way to the corner, round which
he passed.

CHAPTER XXVI.

CONSEQUENCES OF BEING GALLANT IN ITALY, WHERE THERE ARE LOVERS,
HUSBANDS, BROTHERS, FATHERS, COUSINS, AND INNUMERABLE OTHER RELATIVES
AND CONNECTIONS, ALL READY WITH THE STILETTO.

After his meeting with Pepita, Dick found it extremely difficult to
restrain his impatience until the following evening. He was at the
gate long before the time, waiting with trembling eagerness.

It was nearly sundown before she came; but she did come at last. Dick
watched her with strange emotions, murmuring to himself all those
peculiar epithets which are commonly used by people in his situation.
The young girl was unmistakably lovely, and her grace