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of the world was up and about； but at length there appeared； round the
corner of a long white wall which skirted the beach； a little lady； thickly
veiled； who； on catching sight of me； whisked round； and incontinently
vanished。 This was so evidently the fair Bianca that I followed her without
hesitation； and almost ran into her arms as I swung round the angle of the
wall behind which she had retreated。 She gave a great start； stared at me；
for an instant； like a startled fawn； and then took to her heels and fled。 It
was rather ridiculous； but there was nothing for me to do but to give chase。
My legs are long； and I had soon headed her round。
〃I presume that I have the honour of addressing the Signorina
Marinelli？〃 I panted； in French； as I faced her； hat in hand。
She answered me by a piercing shriek； which left no room for doubt as
to her identity。
〃For the love of Heaven； don't do that！〃 I entreated； in an agony。 〃You
will alarm the whole neighbourhood and ruin us both。 Believe me； I am
only here as your friend； and very much against my own wishes。 I have
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come on the part of Count Albrecht von Rosenau； who is unable to come
himself； because〃
Here she opened her mouth with so manifest an intention of raising
another resounding screech that I became desperate； and seized her by the
wrists in my anxiety。 〃/Sgridi ancora una volta/；〃 says I； in the purest
/lingua Toscana/； 〃/e la lascero qui/to get out of this mess as best you
can/cosi sicuro che il mio nome e Jenkinsono/！〃
To my great relief she began to laugh。 Immediately afterward； however；
she sat down on the shingle and began to cry。 It was too vexatious： what
on earth was I to do？
〃Do you understand English？〃 I asked； despairingly。
She shook her head； but sobbed out that she spoke French； so I
proceeded to address her in that language。
〃Signorina； if you do not get up and control your emotion； I will not be
answerable for the consequences。 We are surrounded by dangers of the
mostcompromising description； and every moment of delay must add to
them。 I know that the officers often come out here to bathe in the morning；
so do many of the English people from Danielli's。 If we are discovered
together there will be such a scandal as never was； and you will most
assuredly not become Countess von Rosenau。 Think of that； and it will
brace your nerves。 What you have to do is to come directly with me to the
boat which is all ready to take us to Mestre。 Allow me to carry your hand…
bag。〃
Not a bit of it！ The signorina refused to stir。
〃What is it？ Where is Alberto？ What has happened？〃 she cried。 〃You
have told me nothing。〃
〃Well； then； I will explain；〃 I answered； impatiently。 And I explained
accordingly。
But； dear me； what a fuss she did make over it all！ One would have
supposed； to hear her； that I had planned this unfortunate complication for
my own pleasure； and that I ought to have been playing the part of a
suppliant instead of that of a sorely tried benefactor。 First she was so kind
as to set me down as an imposter； and was only convinced of my honesty
when I showed her a letter in the beloved Alberto's handwriting。 Then she
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declared that she could not possibly go off with a total stranger。 Then she
discovered that； upon further consideration； she could not abandon poor
dear papa in his old age。 And so forth； and so forth； with a running
accompaniment of tears and sobs。 Of course she consented at last to enter
the boat； but I was so exasperated by her silly behaviour that I would not
speak to her； and had really scarcely noticed whether she was pretty or
plain till we were more than half…way to Mestre。 But when we had hoisted
our sail； and were running before a fine； fresh breeze toward the land； and
our four men had shipped their oars and were chattering and laughing
under their breath in the bows； and the first perils of our enterprise seemed
to have been safely surmounted； my equanimity began to return to me； and
I stole a glance at the partner of my flight； who had lifted her veil； and
showed a pretty； round； childish face； with a clear； brown complexion； and
a pair of the most splendid dark eyes it has ever been my good fortune to
behold。 There were no tears in them now； but a certain half…frightened；
half…mischievous light instead； as if she rather enjoyed the adventure； in
spite of its inauspicious opening。 A very little encouragement induced her
to enter into conversation； and ere long she was prattling away as
unrestrainedly as if we had been friends all our lives。 She asked me a great
many questions。 What was I doing in Venice？ Had I known Alberto long？
Was I very fond of him？ Did I think that the old Count von Rosenau would
be very angry when he heard of his son's marriage？ I answered her as best
I could； feeling very sorry for the poor little soul； who evidently did not in
the least realise the serious nature of the step which she was about to take；
and she grew more and more communicative。 In the course of a quarter of
an hour I had been put in possession of all the chief incidents of her
uneventful life。
I had heard how she had lost her mother when she was still an infant；
how she had been educated partly by two maiden aunts； partly in a
convent at Verona； how she had latterly led a life of almost complete
seclusion in the old Venetian palace； how she had first met Alberto； and
how； after many doubts and misgivings； she had finally been prevailed
upon to sacrifice all for his sake； and to leave her father； who；stern；
severe； and suspicious； though he had always been generous to her；had
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tried to give her such small pleasures as his means and habits would
permit。 She had a likeness of him with her； she said；perhaps I might like
to see it。 She dived into her travelling… bag as she spoke； and produced
from thence a full…length photograph of a tall； well…built gentleman of
sixty or thereabouts； whose gray hair； black moustache； and intent；
frowning gaze made up an ensemble more striking than attractive。
〃Is he not handsomepoor papa？〃 she asked。
I said the marchese was certainly a very fine…looking man； and
inwardly thanked my stars that he was safely at Padua； for looking at the
breadth of his chest； the length of his arm； and the somewhat forbidding
cast of his features； I could not help perceiving that 〃poor papa〃 was
precisely one of those persons with whom a prudent man prefers to keep
friends than to quarrel。
And so； by the time that we reached Mestre； we had become quite
friendly and intimate； and had half forgotten； I think； the absurd relation in
which we stood toward each other。 We had rather an awkward moment
when we left the boat and entered our travelling…carriage； for I need
scarcely say that both the boatmen and the grinning vetturino took me for
the bridegroom whose place I temporarily occupied； and they were
pleased to be facetious in a manner which was very embarrassing to me；
but which I could not very well check。 Moreover； I felt compelled so far to
sustain my assumed character as to be specially generous in the manner of
a /buona mano/ to those four jolly watermen； and for the first few miles of
our drive I could not help remembering this circumstance with some regret；
and wondering whether it would occur to Von Rosenau to reimburse me。
Probably our coachman thought that； having a runaway couple to drive；
he ought to make some pretence； at least； of fearing pursuit； for he set off
at such a furious pace that our four half…starved horses were soon beat； and
we had to perform the remainder of the long； hot； dusty journey at a foot's
pace