The Beautiful Wretch; The Pupil of Aurelius; and The Four Macnicols

nsomuch that even Nan noticed it, and good-naturedl

ram I got last night makes it necessa

cheerfully, 'you will see

er smiled in he

don't you, Nan? Blue water and golden boats, and pink hills, and Claude Melnotte's castle li

after hours of rattling and splashing along a muddy road, they came upon a stretch of

mo!' cried Nan

ord said, laughing. 'At leas

themselves to every scrap of luggage, and when they had got on board the steamer and secured commanding positions on the upper deck, then Nan declared that t

e anxious about a certain banking up of purple clouds in the south-west. They forgot about the eternal summer, and got out their waterproofs. They were glad to find themselves drawing near to Bellagio, and its big hotels, and villas, and terraced

got in in time,' said Frank K

nder blackness in the south-west had deepened; the wind was whirling by great masses of vapour; the water was springing high along the terraces; and t

uade Lieutenant King to

en Como. Thi

t have I to do with it? He c

dith, 'in consequence

ains cats and dogs,' said Nan, whose

to-morrow night. Now he ought to stay

an. 'I should think he had

or other, he could remain at Bellagio over the next day. And he was rewarded, so far as the weather went. The morning was quite Como-like-fair and blue and calm; the sun shining on the far wooded hills, and on the sparkling little villages at thei

ey could hear the bells on shore faint and distant. Or they walked in that long allée leading from one end of the gardens-the double line of short chestnuts offering cool and pleasant shadow; the water lapping along the stone parapet beside them; and between each two of the stems a framed picture, as it were, of the lake and the velvet-soft slopes beyond. It was all very pretty, they said. It was a trifle common-place, perhaps; there were a good many hotels and little excursion steamer

gan to bethink themselve

ians from La Scala if they had attempted to g

o go on board their steamer this evening. It will be far too loud. You should never be

n,' said Nan. 'They are all put

said Frank King, quickly. 'I

boats!' said Miss

know papa used to say it was always the most experienced sportsman who took most care about unloading his gun on going into a house. Why, if you're walking along the pier, and see some you

King's face flushed with pleasure at thi

t be under the paddles in a second. I think you should either get on board or stay ashore; and I should say you were as well off here as anywhere. You

, seriously. 'I don't at all like small boats. And t

is departure on the morrow. Once, however, when they happened to be

ame of the woman you told me ab

answered Nan,

her when I get to P

s; she prefers tramping by her

ry people. She is like the children when they are sent down to the beach when the tide is l

d she is neither monstrous nor hideous. She is very wel

ve afternoon tea with us?' sa

find it interesting enoug

hinese lanterns, of all colours, just moving in the almost imperceptible breeze; while along the shore, the villas had their frontage-walls decorated with brilliant lines of illuminated cups, each a crimson, or white, or emerald star. Moreover, at the steps of the terrace below, there was a great bustle of boats; and each boat had its pink paper lantern gl

parated into points, each point a ruby-coloured shaft of fire, and they saw that this must be a steamer illuminated by red lamps. And then another steamer, and another, came sailing up, with different colours gleaming; until one,

at has the musicians, c

sic,' answered Edith, in a vo

y were left alone in front of the big hotel. The moon was rising behind the hills in the so

is it possible they can be playi

t steamers. And then, as they watched, some order seemed to grow out of that confusion of coloured lights; the high golden mass drew away; and then the others followed, until the long undulating line seemed like some splendid meteor in the night. There was no sound. Cadenabbia, with all its

ed pleasantly, and enjoyed the beautiful night, until M

he said. 'That girl

the chestnuts, and a dark figure there that was slowly pacing up and down, occasionally crossing the patches of moonlight. W

id, 'your sister wants

heerfully, raising hers

have been trying for an opportunity these two days. I hop

dden fear of she knew not wh

ps I should not ask you to pledge yourself, but all I ask for is to be al

; but she withdrew quickly,

my fault, I am sure; but I did not know-I wa

ave to hope?' he said. '

't think of such a thing. It never could be-never, never. I am very sorry if I have pained you; but-but you don't know anything abou

ver to think of it again, eve

has been a mistake, let it be cle

After a second or so of

you were the first half-hour I had spoken to you. And I know you know your own mind, and that you are sincere. Well, I

n to think of; that is of far more importance. I know you will be wise, and generous too, and forgive me if th

oken of good-bye. These two did not see e