The Children of the King

ever learned to do at all. He laughed when Ruggiero advised him to luff a little, and he did as he was told. But Ruggiero came

bserved the Marchesa languidly. "But then at least my discomforts will be over

nter out of a bucket of snow and brought

st friend," she said, and moist

more to do with provid

wered t

ed about a teaspoonful from the

" she said. "It w

l drank

"I can think of the comfort of

een broken in his face. How could she be so gay when his heart was beating so hard for her? He drew his breath sharply and looked

there will be no life left any more. For who shall tell me that the earth herself may not be a living, thinking, feeling being, on whose not unkindly bosom we wear out our little lives, but whose high loves are with the stars, beyond our sight, and her voice too deep and musical for ears used to our shrill human speech? Who shall say surely that she is not conscious of our presence, of some of our doings when we tear her breast and lay burdens upon her neck and plough up her fair skin with our hideous works, or when we touch her kindly and love her, and plant sweet flowers in soft places? Who shall know and teach us that the summer breeze is not her breath, the storm the sobbing of her passion, the rain her woman's tears-that she is n

atrice and San Miniato used. If he had never been away from the coast, the probability is that he would have understood nothing at all; but in his long voyages he had been thrown with men of other parts of Italy and had picked up a smattering of what Neapolitans call Italian, to distinguish it from their own speech. Even as it was, the most part of what they said escaped him, because they seemed to think so very differently from him about simple matter

interested. Ruggiero had once seen a puppet show and had not found it at all funny. The theatre was only a big puppet show, and he could pay for a seat there if he pleased; but he did not please, because he was sure that it would not amuse him to go. Why should Beatrice like the theatre? And she liked the races at Naples, too, and those at Paris much better. Why? Everybody knew that one horse could run faster than another, without trying

g the word. "It always makes one l

and lifted her sleepy eyes to look

ever in love. But you are far t

ove is for the young and

necessary evil, but it is also t

aimed Beatrice. "You must

with a very well executed look of ten

ven!" interposed the March

he love of heaven," answe

ake any place a heaven," said San Miniato, agai

cond to unship the heavy brass tiller and bring it down on

asked Beatri

again, then turned away hi

understand that language. Whose love would make a

man ought to exhibit whenever h

ughed. "And you are decidedly ostentatious at the present moment. It woul

med the Marchesa w

young girl. "Here I am. Do

an Miniato, with a languid smile. "But really, San

ad been spoken. He also wondered how long it would take San Minia

ll hardly agree. Now I maintain that Donna Beatrice is the contrary

etty," said Bea

to say that," lau

say someth

, which make it impossible that she should ever

ung girl. "The compliments a

d San Miniato, "si

ma. I am anxious to get at the compliments. Do pray let your indisc

ddressing himself to the Marchesa. "Donna Beatrice

zle his brains, asking himself what this foreign virtue could be which his master estimated so highly. He also thought it very s

eed not have been in such a hurry t

wered San Miniato unmoved, "you would se

the young girl. "Unless you mean much more th

gh in this world, Donna Be

is c

iolet has, and th

g to sigh to me in the

he Marchesa, with the same af

omfortable? Oh no! I see

readful?" she asked, t

just beginning to explain to Donna Beatrice what charm is, when yo

trice makes no comment

esi

the benediction," said Beatrice folding her small hands

omething which some women possess, an

em?" interrupted Beatri

to give us any comments." She dropped the words one

comment, mamma. I a

said her mother to the Co

as. The question was to the point. All men feel the charm of

flowers again!"

flower," answered

again, then grew g

er, and San Miniato, who supposed he wa

he matter?

king, Excellency,"

that mean?" a

boat rises and falls with each sea, when t

ger?" asked Beatr

there be, Excellenc

, Ruggiero. What is the

g, Exce

laughed San Miniato. "I

face and stayed there a moment and then sank away again. He looked stead

s of love and charm, and all the rest of it,"

urned slowly upon her,

looked a

id San Miniato in a

elle

nk about love. What is the be

" answered Rug

r that, w

beaut

rich, I

ugh if she did n

does not say anything about charm, you see. I think his des

d gleamed rather fie

, Ruggiero?" asked B

French, Excellen

word one cannot say in Italian. I do n

iniato. "I will make him understand. Which do

ly flower, Excellency, but

hy

ellency. One would tire of camelias, but one would nev

of his experiment. "And charm is the same thing in a woman. One is n

llency-è la femmina

heart. And if you found a woman who was honest and beautiful

," answered Ruggiero. But h

uch? T

es flashed suddenly as he looked down at

nd the sea would take her, rather than t

nd San Miniato looked up in surprise. Even the Marchesa vouchsafed the sailor a glance of

ny more. He is in love a

ttempt to seem emotional, which might have done well eno

er really in earnest. You only think

uccess of the plan he meant to put into execution that very evening. He felt stro

that those who are most in earnest are not

sed that if a man said nothing it was because he ha

chesa, wearily lifting her hand as though in pro

lly. "When San Miniato jumps into the sea and drowns himse

y child! Wha

. Italian with a little S

nt. "Would you like me to drown myself immediately,

g away as the sun sank lower. They were already nearing the southernmost point of Capri, commonly called by sailors the Monaco, for what reason no one knows. To reach Tragara where the Faraglioni, or needles, rise out of the deep sea close to the rocky shore under the cliffs, it is necessary to go round the point. The

there, San Miniato carissimo? As I heard no more conversatio

d as to put off the execu

dreadful place, and ever rea

San Miniato. "And we sha

as in the hotel, and after all

il to see how your exertion

had been ready to upset the boat and drown every one in it indiscriminately. Nevertheless he believed that if there had been a stiff breeze just then, enough for his purpose, he would have stopped the boat's way, and then put the helm hard up again, without slacking out a s

knew how sharp the stones are at Tragara, when one must tread them barefoot

d lovely things are reflected, with blots of liquid gold and sheen of soft-hued damask, and great handfuls of pearls and opals strewn between, and roses and petals of many kinds of flowers without names. And the air was full of the faint, salt odours that haunt the lonely places of the sea, sweet and bitter at once as the

nded as she breathed. There was less colour in her face than there had been

tiful!" she exclaimed tw

ul still when the moon r

d you are

tter, perhaps, than some of h

aid. "Thank you fo

its everlasting gossip and chatter. He, at least, was a little unlike all those other people, beginning with her own mother, who think of self first, comfort second, and of others once a month or so, in the most favourable cases. Yet she wondered a little about his past life, and whether he had ever spoken to any woman with that ringing passion she had heard in Ruggiero's voice, with that f

tern close behind her. She smiled uneasily at the idea, and then she thought seriously of it for a moment. If such a man as Ruggiero appeared, not as a sailor, but as a man of her own world, would he not be a very lovable person, would he not turn the heads of the languid ladies on the terrace of the hotel at S

orn by the waves and often full of dry salt for a day or two after a storm. There, to the Marchesa's inexpressible relief, the numberless objects inscribed in the catalogue of her comforts were already arrang

room. And there at her place stood an immaculate individual in an evening coat and a white tie, ready and anxious to do her bid

"you have forgotten the red pepper! It is all over

tastes. There is red pepper and also Tab

esa's bro

so dependent on these little things! You

you mean to say," answered Sa

are delightful. But I am droppi

," said Beatrice, gazing with clasped hands at the great yell

San Miniato in a low voice. Something told him that in the face o

e wine that dyes the air, the sea and the light clouds, until it is almost dark, and then to feel the darkness growing light again with the warm, yellow moon-to watch the jewels gathering on the velvet sea, and the sharp black cliffs turning

ght improved it, she thought. There seemed to be more vigour in the well-drawn lines, more strength in the forehead than she had noticed until now. She felt that she was in sympathy with him, and that the sympathy might be a lasting

nd not astronomers," she sa

said San Miniato, holding Beat

again to look at the moon. "You see what an illumination we hav

. I always said so. But if you begin to talk of eating with

ould!" excla

h all my heart,"

e Marchesa, lazily picking out the most deli

inze, the world, the fl

Mini

rice is at the table," observed the March

cisely for her sake that I would like t

ttle of each for Sundays!"

exclaimed