CHAPTER II.
AT THE CONTESSA'S FETE--A ROMANTIC ADVENTURE BETWEEN CERTAIN OLD FRIENDS.
The most brilliant fete of the year was that given by therich Contessa Maraviglia at her palazzo.
All the rank and fashion of the land were there.
The palazzo itself was a building of great beauty, and stood in groundsof great extent.
The contessa, who was a widow, had a princely fortune, and she spentit lavishly too.
Upon the night of the masquerade the gardens were brilliantly lighted.
Upon the miniature lake there was a fairy gondola, with a colouredlantern dangling at the prow, and hung with curtains of pale blue silkgauze.
In this gondola a lady was seated.
She had taken to the gondola, not alone for the sake of the freshness ofthe breeze upon the water, but to read without interruption a letter shehad received from a mysterious man who professed to be deeply smittenwith 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 itsfolds to breathe more freely, you could see that her only veil was athick fall of black lace, fastened to a high comb in the back of herhead.
"I hope he will not be long," said she to herself, while her heart beathigh with expectation. "His note says clearly enough on the lake in thefairy gondola. Well, it will certainly be nice to be a princess, but Ido 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 moonto-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 theworld of time.
Perhaps his singing was spoilt by excess of love.
Perhaps by liquor.
The latter idea was suggested by a certain unsteadiness that wouldappear to indicate both love and liquor.
Be that as it may, the singer was not at all aware of the disadvantagesunder 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 minstrelstepped 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 todisembark.
As soon as she was fairly upon _terra firma_ the gentleman led heraway to a more secluded part of the garden, and then ensued a brief buthighly 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 theidiom.
"Sir," said the lady, after an embarrassing silence upon his part, "Iscarcely 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 expectedof him, he stammered and broke down.
"Poor prince," thought the lady, with a very unladylike chuckle toherself. "How embarrassed he is."
The cavalier stared at her through the great eyes in his mask, as hemuttered to himself--
"She is evidently in love with me very badly; I am curious to learn howa princess makes love. I am anxious only of course to study it as amatter of curiosity."
"I ought not to have come here, prince," said the lady, in a nervoustone.
Prince!
The word made the masked gentleman stare.
"Prince! I suppose that she can't know I am a married man, and goesstraight to the question. This is popping the question sharply."
He had never been made love to before by a lady of any degree, muchless by a princess, so he was exceedingly anxious to see how she wouldbegin upon this occasion.
But after they had got to a quiet and remote part of the garden, theycame 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 amvery wrong."
"My appointment," muttered the cavalier in English, "Come, I likethat."
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 asyou could wish.
Now this appeared only to encourage the gentleman, for he seized herround the waist and pressed a kiss upon the only part of her cheekwhich was left uncovered by her veil.
She struggled feebly, oh, very feebly to release herself; but thatlibertine masker held her firmly; that is, as firmly as possible, forhe was not very strong upon his pins.
"Sir, you must not take advantage of my unprotected situation," shefaltered.
"I should be very sorry to, my coy princess," said the gallant.
These words set her heart beating like clockwork.
"He means well," she thought, growing quite easy in her mind.
Meanwhile the ardent young lover, growing bolder by encouragement,wanted to remove her veil.
"Grant me one favour, my princess," he said. "Let me bask in thesunshine of your eyes; let me feast my vision upon your rare beauty."
The lady was enraptured at such poetical imagery.
"It sounds like a lovely book," she murmured in ecstasy.
But she would not accede to his request.
She was so filled with joy, so supremely happy, that she feared tobreak the enchanting spell by any accident.
"Desist, prince," she said, struggling gently in his embrace,
"I must gaze on that angelic face," said the passionate Adonis.
"Why," exclaimed the lady, "since you know it so well?"
"Know it!" exclaimed the gallant in surprise.
"Yes."
"I have never seen it."
"Yet your letter praises each feature to the skies."
"My letter!"
He was staggered evidently.
"Undoubtedly."
"I sent no letter."
The lady was amazed "If you sent no letter, why are you here?" shedemanded.
"In obedience to yours," responded the gallant.
"My what?"
"Your note--your ever-to-be-treasured missive," gushed the swain.
Now what would have followed in the way of explanations it isimpossible to say, for at the momentous crisis, a voice close by washeard repeating softly a couplet heard before--
"Dear Marietta, Never had been A sweeter or neater Face or form seen."
The lady started and screamed, and would have fallen had not theprotecting arm of the gentleman been there to catch her.
But her veil fell aside.
When the lover saw her face, he was staggered, and he nearly let herfall.
"Marietta!" he exclaimed, "Marietta! Mrs. Harkaway's maid, by allthat's wonderful."
"Oho," screamed the lady, "you're standing on my toe!" saying which shejerked herself back, and dragging his foot away too, down he went.
"It's Mr. Mole," shrieked the lady; and catching up her pink skirt andblack lace flounces, she fled precipitately along the path, leaving heradmirer scrambling in the most undignified manner upon the gravel walk.
Poor Mr. Mole.
But oh, poor Marietta; how sadly was she di
sappointed with her prince.
Jack Harkaway and His Son's Escape from the Brigands of Greece Page 2