or a kiss."

"You're quite right; I can't understand," she hurried in. "What makes
you say 'cut his throat'? Couldn't he go into some other business just
as well as the army?"

"All in the world he's fitted for is the army. Do you see that beautiful
fellow going to America, for instance, and earning a living as a teacher
of Italian, or as the representative of some tobacco interest? There is
no way of earning a proper living over here, you know. Oh, I'm afraid he
will feel, when he wakes up, like a deserter toward his country and an
ingrate toward his family and even toward Brenda like a misguider of her
youth."

"But, look here, isn't there a chance that having each other will make
up to them for everything else?"

"That of course was their sentiment at the moment of doing it. We did
the work so well, Mrs. Hawthorne, that their passion, raised to a
beautiful madness, would make them see anything as possible to be done
so long as it gave them to each other, obviated the horrible necessity
to part. Oh, it is touching, but dreadful! What were we dreaming? The
thing I so greatly fear is that when he comes to himself he will feel
dishonored, and Italians do not bear that easily, if at all."

"Now, see here, don't you go imagining things and worry. And don't you
let that young man worry. He isn't leaving the army to-morrow or the day
after, is he?"

"No. In the natural course of things, I suppose, it will take some
time."

"Well, I don't at all relish, myself, the idea of seeing that beautiful
fellow, as you say, in every-day clothes--the sort they wear over
here--after seeing him all glorious in silver braid and stars. No. I
just can't bear to think of him giving them up. At the same time I don't
agree with you that he had better have given up his girl than them. And
I don't believe she will mind about his clothes one way or the other."

"But there is his family, a thousand obligations--he spoke of them
himself."

"Perhaps the Fosses, now this has happened and they see how much in
earnest the blessed creatures are, will sell some of their stock in
California gold-mines and afford the dowry you spoke of."

"But Giglioli will blush at this forcing of their hand."

"Now, see here, you keep that young man cool. He hasn't done anything to
be ashamed of. Brenda knows her own mind, and I don't believe her father
and mother would stand in the way of her marrying a tramp if he was
honest and her heart set on him. You t