the road, "that with all the traffic
now coming and going we may soon be overtaken by some vehicle that will
carry us to our destination."

He spoke calmly, but it was plain some pressing fear underlay his
composure, and the nature of the emergency was but too clear to Odo.

"Will not my carriage serve you?" he hastily rejoined. "I am for
Vercelli, and if you will honour me with your company we can go forward
at once."

Fulvia, during this exchange of words, had affected to be engaged with
the luggage, which lay in a heap beside the chaise; but at this point
she lifted her head and shot a glance at her father from under her black
travelling-hood.

Vivaldi's constraint increased. "This, sir," said he, "is a handsome
offer, and one for which I thank you; but I fear our presence may
incommode you and the additional weight of our luggage perhaps delay
your progress. I have little fear but some van or waggon will overtake
us before nightfall; and should it chance otherwise," he added with a
touch of irresistible pedantry, "why, it behoves us to remember that we
shall be none the worse off, since the sage is independent of
circumstances."

Odo could hardly repress a smile. "Such philosophy, sir, is admirable in
principle, but in practice hardly applicable to a lady unused to passing
her nights in a rice-field. The region about here is notoriously
unhealthy and you will surely not expose your daughter to the risk of
remaining by the roadside or of finding a lodging in some peasant's
hut."

Vivaldi drew himself up. "My daughter," said he, "has been trained to
face graver emergencies with an equanimity I have no fear of putting to
the touch--'the calm of a mind blest in the consciousness of its
virtue'; and were it not that circumstances are somewhat pressing--" he
broke off and glanced at Cantapresto, who was fidgeting about Odo's
carriage or talking in undertones with the driver of the chaise.

"Come, sir," said Odo urgently, "Let my servants put your luggage up and
we'll continue this argument on the road."

Vivaldi again paused. "Sir," he said at length, "will you first step
aside with me a moment?" he led Odo a few paces down the road. "I make
no pretence," he went on when they were out of Cantapresto's hearing,
"of concealing from you that this offer comes very opportune to our
needs, for it is urgent we should be out of Piedmont by tomorrow. But
before accepting a seat in your carriage, I must tell you that you