Jack Harkaway and his Sons Escape from the Brigands of Greece | Page 6

there was a fairy gondola, with a coloured
lantern dangling at the prow, and hung with curtains of pale blue silk
gauze.
In this gondola a lady was seated.
She had taken to the gondola, not alone for the sake of the freshness of
the breeze upon the water, but to read without interruption a letter she
had received from a mysterious man who professed to be deeply
smitten with her charms, and who, the messenger of love let fall, was a
prince.
She wore a black domino, but was not masked, for as she threw back its
folds to breathe more freely, you could see that her only veil was a
thick fall of black lace, fastened to a high comb in the back of her head.
"I hope he will not be long," said she to herself, while her heart beat
high with expectation. "His note says clearly enough on the lake in the
fairy gondola. Well, it will certainly be nice to be a princess, but I do
hope that his highness may prove to be a dashing, handsome youth,
such as a Cinderella might sigh for. Hush, boatman!"
"Lady?"
"Do you hear?"
"Someone singing on the bank yonder? Yes! I hear, lady."
"Row that way."
A voice was heard carolling gently the serenade--"Fair shines the moon
to-night."
The voice meant well, evidently, but something rather spoilt the effect.

It was not altogether in tune, nor had the singer the best idea in the
world of time.
Perhaps his singing was spoilt by excess of love.
Perhaps by liquor.
The latter idea was suggested by a certain unsteadiness that would
appear to indicate both love and liquor.
Be that as it may, the singer was not at all aware of the disadvantages
under which he laboured.
On the contrary, he had the greatest belief in himself.
"Boatman," exclaimed the lady, impatiently, "row me ashore."
"Yes, lady."
He obeyed, as he spoke, and as the boat grounded, the hidden minstrel
stepped forward.
The gallant was rather a tall man, masked and habited in a long cloak,
which almost concealed a glittering and gorgeous costume beneath.
This cavalier hastened to tender the lady his hand and to assist her to
disembark.
As soon as she was fairly upon terra firma the gentleman led her away
to a more secluded part of the garden, and then ensued a brief but
highly interesting conversation.
It took place in the Italian language.
That beautiful tongue was not to say elegantly spoken upon either side.
The gentleman spoke as a foreigner, but imperfectly acquainted with
the idiom.

"Sir," said the lady, after an embarrassing silence upon his part, "I
scarcely know if I ought to be here."
"Nor I either, my dear lady," began the gallant.
But then, aware that this was not exactly what might have been
expected of him, he stammered and broke down.
"Poor prince," thought the lady, with a very unladylike chuckle to
herself. "How embarrassed he is."
The cavalier stared at her through the great eyes in his mask, as he
muttered to himself--
"She is evidently in love with me very badly; I am curious to learn how
a princess makes love. I am anxious only of course to study it as a
matter of curiosity."
"I ought not to have come here, prince," said the lady, in a nervous
tone.
Prince!
The word made the masked gentleman stare.
"Prince! I suppose that she can't know I am a married man, and goes
straight to the question. This is popping the question sharply."
He had never been made love to before by a lady of any degree, much
less by a princess, so he was exceedingly anxious to see how she would
begin upon this occasion.
But after they had got to a quiet and remote part of the garden, they
came to a dead lock.
Not a word was spoken upon either side.
"I wish he would say something to me," thought the lady.

She was not used to such bashful suitors.
"I have kept your appointment, sir," she said, "although I fear I am very
wrong."
"My appointment," muttered the cavalier in English, "Come, I like
that."
However, he added in the softest tones he could assume--
"Fear nothing, princess, I am not a dangerous man."
She thought he was, though, for as he said this he chuckled.
The lady dropped her eyes before his bold glance and looked as timid
as you could wish.
Now this appeared only to encourage the gentleman, for he seized her
round the waist and pressed a kiss upon the only part of her cheek
which was left uncovered by her veil.
She struggled feebly, oh, very feebly to release herself; but that
libertine masker held her firmly; that is, as firmly