Jerry | Page 8

a big new worry waiting for me that I'd
never thought of having before. What if my only daughter should take
it in her head to marry one of these infernally good-looking Italian
officers?'
Constance reached over and patted his arm.
'Don't let it bother you, Dad; I assure you I won't do anything of the
sort. I should think it my duty to learn the subjunctive mood, and that is
impossible.'
Gustavo came hurrying back with a tray. He arranged the glasses, the
ice, the sugar, the cakes, with hovering, elaborate obsequiousness. The
signorina examined the ice doubtfully, then with approval.
'It's exactly right to-day, Gustavo! You got it too large the last time,
you remember.'
She stirred in some sugar and tasted it tentatively, her head on one side.
Gustavo hung upon her expression in an agony of apprehension; one
would have thought it a matter for public mourning if the lemonade
were not mixed exactly right. But apparently it was right--she nodded
and smiled--and Gustavo's expression assumed relief. Constance broke
open a pine nut cake and settled herself for conversation.
'Haven't you any guests, Gustavo?' Her eyes glanced over the empty
courtyard. 'I am afraid the hotel is not having a very prosperous season.'
'Grazie, signorina. Zer never are many in summer; it is ze dead time,
but still zay come and zay go. Seven arrive last night.'
'Seven! That's nice. What are they like?'
'German mountain-climbers wif nails in zer shoes. Zey have gone to
Riva on ze first boat.'

'That's too bad--then the hotel is empty?'
'But no! Zer is an Italian signora wif two babies and a governess, and
two English ladies and an American gentleman----'
'An American gentleman?' Her tone was languidly interested. 'How
long has he been here?'
'Tree--four days.'
'Indeed--what is he like?'
'Nice--ver' nice.' (Gustavo might well say that; his pockets were lined
with the American gentleman's silver lire.) 'He talk to me always.
"Gustavo," he say, "I am all alone; I wish to be 'mused. Come and talk
Angleesh." Yes, it is true; I have no time to finish my work; I spend
whole day talking wif dis yong American gentleman. He is just a
little----' He touched his head significantly.
'Really?' She raised her eyes with an air of awakened interest. 'And how
did he happen to come to Valedolmo?'
'He come to meet his family, his sister and his--his aunt, who are going
wif him to ze Tyrollo. But zay have not arrive. Zey are in Lucerne, he
says, where zer is a lion dying, and zey wish to wait until he is dead;
zen zey come.--Yes, it is true; he tell me zat.' Gustavo tapped his head a
second time.
The signorina glanced about apprehensively.
'Is he safe, Gustavo--to be about?'
'Si, signorina, sicuramente! He is just a little simple.'
Mr. Wilder chuckled.
'Where is he, Gustavo? I think I'd like to make that young man's
acquaintance.'

'I sink, signore, he is packing his trunk. He go away to-day.'
'To-day, Gustavo?' There was audible regret in Constance's tone. 'Why
is he going?'
'It is not possible for him to stand it, signorina. Valedolmo too dam
slow.'
'Gustavo! You mustn't say that; it is very, very bad. Nice men don't say
it.'
Gustavo held his ground.
'Si, signorina, zat yong American gentleman say it--dam slow, no
divertimento.'
'He's just about right, Gustavo,' Mr. Wilder broke in. 'The next time a
young American gentleman blunders into the Hotel du Lac you send
him around to me.'
'Si, signore.'
Gustavo rolled his eyes toward the signorina; she continued to sip her
lemonade.
'I have told him yesterday an American family live at Villa Rosa; he
say, "All right, I go call," but--but I sink maybe you were not at home.'
'Oh!' The signorina raised her head in apparent enlightenment. 'So that
was the young man? Yes, to be sure, he came, but he said he was
looking for Prince Sartorio's villa. I am sorry you were away, father,
you would have enjoyed him; his English was excellent.--Did he tell
you he saw me, Gustavo?'
'Si, signorina, he tell me.'
'What did he say? Did he think I was nice?'
Gustavo looked embarrassed.

'I--I no remember, signorina.'
She laughed and to his relief changed the subject.
'Those English ladies who are staying here--what do they look like?
Are they young?'
Gustavo delivered himself of an inimitable gesture which suggested
that the English ladies had entered the bounds of that indefinite period
when the subject of age must be politely waived.
'They are tall, signorina, and of a thinness--you would not believe it
possible.'
'I see! And so the poor young man was bored?'
Gustavo bowed vaguely. He saw no connexion.
'He was awfully good-looking,' she added with a sigh. 'I'm afraid I
made