gly? was he good to his
beautiful wife? Monsieur Chiverton, Bessie believed, was perfectly
devoted and submissive to his wife--he was not handsome nor youthful--he
had great estates and held a conspicuous position. Madame replied with
an air of satisfaction that proud Miss Ada would be in her element then,
for she was born to be a grand lady, and her own family was so poor that
she was utterly without _dot_--else, added madame with some mystery, she
might have found a _parti_ in the imperial court: there had been a brave
marshal who was also duke. Here the amiable old lady checked herself,
and said with kind reassurance to the unambitious Bessie, "But, _ma
cherie_, you have chosen well for your happiness. Your Harry is
excellent; you have both such gayety of heart, like _us_--not like the
English, who are _si maussade_ often."

Bessie would not allow that the English are _maussade_, but madame
refused to believe herself mistaken.

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Musgrave still carry their gayety of heart wherever
they go. They are not fashionable people, but people like to know them.
They have adopted Italy for their country, and are most at home in
Florence, but they do not find their other home in England too far off
for frequent visits.

They are still only two, and move about often and easily, and see more
than most travellers do, for they charter queer private conveyances for
themselves, and leave the beaten ways for devious paths that look
attractive and often turn out great successes. It was during one of
these excursions--an excursion into the Brianza--that they not long ago
fell in with a large party of old friends from England, come together
fortuitously at Bellagio. Descending early in the evening from the
luxuriant hills across which they had been driving through a long green
June day, they halted at the hospitable open gate of the Villa Giulia.
There was a pony-carriage at the door, and another carriage just moving
off after the discharge of its freight.

"Oh, Aunt Olympia, look here! Mr. Harry Musgrave and Elizabeth!" cried a
happy voice, and there, behold! were my Lady Latimer and Dora--Lady
Lucas now--and Sir Edward; and turning back to see and asking, "Who?
who?" came Mr. Oliver Smith and his sisters, and Mr. Cecil Burleigh and
his dear Julia.

To Bessie it was a delightful encounter, and Harry Musgrave, if his
enthusiasm was not quite so eager, certainly enjoyed it as much, for his
disposition was always soci