Jerry | Page 3

arms with a
weary sigh. 'A week of Valedolmo! An eternity!'
Gustavo echoed the sigh. Though he did not entirely comprehend the
trouble, still he was of a generously sympathetic nature.
'It is a pity,' he observed casually, 'zat you are not acquaint wif ze
Signor Americano who lives in Villa Rosa. He also finds Valedolmo
undiverting. He comes--but often--to talk wif me. He has fear of
forgetting how to spik Angleesh, he says.'
The young man opened his eyes.
'What are you talking about--a Signor Americano here in Valedolmo?'
'Sicuramente, in zat rose-colour villa wif ze cypress trees and ze
terrazzo on ze lake. His daughter, la Signorina Costantina, she live wif
him--ver' young, ver' beautiful'--Gustavo rolled his eyes and clasped his
hands--'beautiful like ze angels in Paradise--and she spik Italia like I
spik Angleesh.'
Jerymn Hilliard, Jr., unfolded his arms and sat up alertly.
'You mean to tell me that you had an American family up your sleeve
all this time and never said a word about it?' His tone was stern.
'Scusi, signore, I have not known zat you have ze plaisir of zer
acquaintance.'

'The pleasure of their acquaintance! Good heavens, Gustavo, when one
shipwrecked man meets another shipwrecked man on a desert island
must they be introduced before they can speak?'
'Si, signore.'
'And why, may I ask, should an intelligent American family be living in
Valedolmo?'
'I do not know, signore. I have heard ze Signor Papa's healf was no
good, and ze doctors in Americk' zay say to heem, "You need change,
to breave ze beautiful climate of Italia." And he say, "All right, I go to
Valedolmo." It is small, signore, but ver' famosa. Oh, yes, molto
famosa. In ze autumn and ze spring foreigners come from all ze
world--Angleesh, French, German--tutti! Ze Hotel du Lac is full. Every
day we turn peoples away.'
'So! I seem to have struck the wrong season.--But about this American
family, what's their name?'
'La familia Veeldair from Nuovo York.'
'Veeldair.' He shook his head. 'That's not American, Gustavo, at least
when you say it. But never mind, if they come from New York it's all
right. How many are there--just two?'
'But no! Ze papa and ze signorina and ze--ze--' he rolled his eyes in
search of the word--'ze aunt!'
'Another aunt! The sky appears to be raining aunts to-day. What does
she do for amusement--the signorina who is beautiful as the angels?'
Gustavo spread out his hands.
'Valedolmo, signore, is on ze frontier. It is--what you say--garrison
città. Many soldiers, many officers--captains, lieutenants, wif uniforms
and swords. Zay take tea on ze terrazzo wif ze Signor Papa and ze
Signora Aunt, and most specialmente wif ze Signorina Costantina. Ze

Signor Papa say he come for his healf, but if you ask me, I sink maybe
he come to marry his daughter.'
'I see! And yet, Gustavo, American papas are generally not so keen as
you might suppose about marrying their daughters to foreign captains
and lieutenants even if they have got uniforms and swords. I shouldn't
be surprised if the Signor Papa were just a little nervous over the
situation. It seems to me there might be an opening for a likely young
fellow speaking the English language, even if he hasn't a uniform and
sword. How does he strike you?'
'Si, signore.'
'I'm glad you agree with me. It is now five minutes past four; do you
think the American family would be taking a siesta?'
'I do not know, signore.' Gustavo's tone was still patient.
'And whereabouts is the rose-coloured villa with the terrace on the
lake?'
'It is a quarter of a hour beyond ze Porta Sant' Antonio. If ze gate is
shut you ring at ze bell and Giuseppe will open. But ze road is ver' hot
and ver' dusty. It is more cooler to take ze paf by ze lake. Straight to ze
left for ten minutes and step over ze wall; it is broken in zat place and
quite easy.'
'Thank you, that is a wise suggestion; I shall step over the wall by all
means.' He jumped to his feet and looked about for his hat. 'You turn to
the left and straight ahead for ten minutes? Good-bye then till dinner. I
go in search of the Signorina Costantina who is beautiful as the angels
in Paradise, and who lives in a rose-coloured villa set in a cypress
grove on the shores of Lake Garda--not a bad setting for romance, is it,
Gustavo?--Dinner, I believe, is at seven o'clock?'
'Si, signore, at seven; and would you like veal cooked Milanese
fashion?'

'Nothing would please me more. We have only had veal Milanese
fashion five times since I came.'
He waved his hand jauntily and strolled whistling down the arbour that