to Maddalena.

She looked conscious.

"No, signore."

"They will all be here this evening, signore," said Amedeo, "for the
giuochi di fuoco."

"The giuochi di fuoco--they will be at the end?"

"Si, signore. After the giuochi di fuoco it is all finished."

Maurice stifled a sigh. "It is all finished," Amedeo had said. But for
him? For him there would be the ride home up the mountain, the arrival
upon the terrace before the house of the priest. At what hour would he be
there? It would be very late, perhaps nearly at dawn, in the cold, still,
sad hour when vitality is at its lowest. And Hermione? Would she be
sleeping? How would they meet? How would he----?

"Andiamo! Andiamo!"

He cried out almost angrily.

"Which is the way?"

"All the auctions are held outside the town, signore," said Amedeo.
"Follow me."

Proudly he took the lead, glad to be useful and important after the
benefits that had been bestowed upon him, and hoping secretly that
perhaps the rich Inglese would give him something to spend, too, since
money was so plentiful for donkeys and clocks.

"They are in the fiume, near the sea and the railway line."

The railway line! When he heard that Maurice had a moment's absurd
sensation of reluctance, a desire to hold back, such as comes to a man
who is unexpectedly asked to confront some danger. It seemed to him that
if he went to the watercourse he might be seen by Hermione and Artois as
they passed by on their way to Marechiaro. But of course they were coming
from Messina! What a fool he was to-day! His recklessness seemed to have
deserted him just when he wanted it most. To-day he was not himself. He
was a coward. What it was that made him a coward he did not tell himself.

"Then we can all go together," he said. "Salvatore and all."

"Si, signore."

Salvatore's voice was close at his ear, and he knew by the sound of it
that the fisherman was smiling.

"We can all keep together, signore; then we shall be more gay."

They threaded their way through the throng. The violent jig of Bellini
died away gradually, till it was faint in the distance. At the end of the
narrow street Maurice saw the large bulk of Etna. On this clear afternoon
it looked quite close, almost as if, when they got out of the street,
they would be at its very foot, and would have to begin to climb. Maurice
remembered his wild longing to carry Maddalena off upon the sea, or to
some eyrie in the mountains, to be alone with h