ak of their betrothal, scarcely knowing why she made the request, but she was afterwards very glad that she had done so. To her, h

acute melancholy which belongs to the people of the far south, as well as of the far north, of Norway and of Sicily or Egypt alike, at once asserted itself and took possession of her. The next time Orsino saw her he wa

n the meantime, and had wisely abstained from visiting her mother, lest, in any way, he should betray their joint secret. She was

l,' said the Princess, and

could not keep from Orsino, and she half guessed the truth, though her son's face was i

acing branches of ilex trees. Another couple was walking at some distance before them. Orsino glanced down at Vittoria, and tried to say something,

' he said softly, a

use of talking about it? I have said al

g. I shall be bac

ck,' said Vittoria, in

t for a moment. He had not the smallest belief in an

way of Randazzo. It is above Randazzo that the black lands begin, all lava and ashes, with deep furrows in which a man can lie hidden to shoot. That is where they will try to kill you. Go the other way, round by Catania. It is longer

o me on either side,'

ead and walked on i

ontinued. 'There are much more important thin

you go to Sicily,' answered Vi

ed the end of the walk, turned, met them, and passed them with a greeting, for they were acquaintances. Where the little avenue ended there was a great

ter that trickled down an almost shapeless stone triton. The statue and the fountain hid them from any on

, and she looked already as th

they will guess. I want it to be all my secret. I want to say goodbye to you-for th

n, taking her grief back to her heart. Orsino's brows frowned with pain, for he saw how profoundly she believed that she was never

e day after that go and see my mother, and she will tell you that she h

ooked long and earn

mber,' she said

rsino smiled lovingl

y gravely, and her fingers c

ainst such possession of presentiment. Common sense

said softly. 'G

lex leaves overhead in the spring afternoon, and the water trickled down, with a pleasant murmur, into the big basin. It was all lovely and peace

look like a man who is going to be killed like a dog

s fille

Say goodbye to me-I cannot bear it any

hands for a moment, while he put his arm round h

ve-goodbye!' s

er to her must be his safe return, but as they went back along the walk she felt

here could be anything in presentiments of evil. He had never had any himself, that he could rememb

own private furniture made to suit his own dimensions. The table was covered with note-books and papers, very neatly arranged, and the gray-haired giant was writing a

un license?' asked San Gia

cour

he journey,' was the answer,

ut Camaldoli?' enquire

an Giacinto, laconica

an to finish his letter. His eyes wandered about the room, and presently they fell on a stout sole-leather bag which stood by a chair near the window. On the chair itself lay two leathern g

d San Giacinto, st

ght, and raising the rifle to his shoulde

served San Giacinto, who had signed his

for?' asked the younger

m down there,' said the other. 'Besides, ther

not like to rep

were joking,' r

n a good deal of trouble lately, and we shall not be particularly popular as Romans going to take possession of

how at his cousin's confirmation of much that Vittoria had said. 'How about the mafia?

the Sicilian character-Sicilian honour, Sicilian principles. It is an id

there,' sugg

ething about it very soon, if you try to manage that

nervous, I

oul, and leaves your body to the chemistry of the universe, where it belongs. If your bo

at Vittoria's presentiments lightly. It had been characteristic of San Giacinto that he had hitherto simply forgotten to mention that there might be real danger in the expedition to Camaldoli, and it was equally in a

lian difficulties were more or less imaginary. That is what most Romans think, and the conviction is general in the north of Italy. As Orsino said nothing about his conversation with San Giacinto on that last eve

bade him good

shaking his snowy old head energetic

hed, as he took his grandfather's hand. It was oddly smooth, as the hands of very

the head of the house, who had known Sicily seventy

e will be much shooting now

Saracinesca, turning upon his son, for the least appr

Giovanni. 'It is

contentedly. 'I never gave anyone bad advice in m

years old should live much longer, but he felt what a break in the household's life th