but, my dear sir," said Von Zoesch laughing. "I have ample right.
Her mother Natalie and I are very old friends indeed. You have not seen
the charming young lady, then, since your arrival?"

"No."

"Excellent--excellent! You shall come and hear the scolding I have to
give her. Oh, I assure you it will not harm her much. Calabressa will
bring you along to the Villa Odelschalchi, eleven sharp. We must not
keep a lady--two ladies, indeed--waiting, after making an appointment."

He rose from the plain wooden chair on which he had been sitting; and
his visitor had to rise also. But Brand stood reluctant to go, and his
brows were drawn down.

"I beg your pardon," said he, "but if you are so busy, why not depute
some friend of the young lady to carry her a message? A girl is easily
frightened."

"No, no, my dear sir; having made an appointment, must we not keep it?
Come, I shall expect you to make one of the party; it will be a pleasant
little comedy before we go to more serious matters. _Au revoir!_" He
bowed slightly, and withdrew.

Some little time afterward Brand, Evelyn, and Calabressa were driving
along the rough streets in an open carriage. The presence of Lord Evelyn
had been a last concession obtained from General von Zoesch by
Calabressa.

"Why not?" Von Zoesch had said, good-naturedly; "he is one of us.
Besides, there is nothing of importance at Portici. It is a little
family party; it is a little comedy before we go to Genoa."

As they rattled along, Lord Evelyn was very talkative and joyous. He had
seen Natalie the evening before, within an hour after his arrival. He
was laughing at Brand for fearing she might have been induced to go to
some wretched inn.

"I myself, did I not say to you it was a beautiful hotel?" said
Calabressa, with a hurt air. "The most beautiful view in Naples."

"I think, after what she will hear to-day," said Evelyn, "she ought to
ask us to dine there. That would be an English way of finishing up all
her trials and troubles." But he turned to Calabressa with a graver
look. "What about Lind? Will they reinstate him now? Will they send him
back to England?"

"Reinstate him in office?" said Calabressa, with a scornful smile. "My
faith, no! Neither him nor Beratinsky. They will give them letters to
Montenegro: isn't it enough?"

"Well, I think so. And Reitzei?"

"Reitzei has been stationed at Brindisi--one of our moral police; and
lucky for him also."

When they arrived at th