erman,' said Bonnetta.

'A _man_, do you say?' cried Graziella; 'let us hurry down to the door
and see him nearer.'

When they stood in the doorway the merman stopped to look at the
princess and made many signs of admiration. His voice was very hoarse
and husky, but when he found that he was not understood he took to
signs. He carried a little basket made of osiers and filled with rare
shells, which he presented to the princess.

She took it with signs of thanks; but as it was getting dusk she
retired, and the merman plunged back into the sea.

When they were alone, Graziella said to her governess: 'What a
dreadful-looking creature that was! Why do those odious sharks let him
come near the tower? I suppose all men are not like him?'

'No, indeed,' replied Bonnetta. 'I suppose the sharks look on him as a
sort of relation, and so did not attack him.'

A few days later the two ladies heard a strange sort of music, and
looking out of the window, there was the merman, his head crowned with
water plants, and blowing a great sea-shell with all his might.

They went down to the tower door, and Graziella politely accepted some
coral and other marine curiosities he had brought her. After this he
used to come every evening, and blow his shell, or dive and play antics
under the princess's window. She contented herself with bowing to him
from the balcony, but she would not go down to the door in spite of all
his signs.

Some days later he came with a person of his own kind, but of another
sex. Her hair was dressed with great taste, and she had a lovely voice.
This new arrival induced the ladies to go down to the door. They were
surprised to find that, after trying various languages, she at last
spoke to them in their own, and paid Graziella a very pretty compliment
on her beauty.

The mermaid noticed that the lower floor was full of water. 'Why,' cried
she, 'that is just the place for us, for we can't live quite out of
water.' So saying, she and her brother swam in and took up a position in
the bathroom, the princess and her governess seating themselves on the
steps which ran round the room.

[Illustration: The Sea-People visit Graziella]

'No doubt, madam,' said the mermaid, 'you have given up living on land
so as to escape from crowds of lovers; but I fear that even here you
cannot avoid them, for my brother is already dying of love for you, and
I am sure that once you are seen in our city he will have many rivals.'