The King of Alsander

et, have

assionate as

weep; now pale,

werful moon of

ch of E

wake. Little boys and girls had begun to play on the thresholds with portentous solemnity; half-naked men were washing their brown bodies at the pumps; and from the newly opened shutters many a glittering eye m

re were innumerable doors. However, he proceeded up the very dirty steps as long as the splashings from the pail guided him onward

INO P

I PRO

ng with exaggerated vigour. He rang, and the girl opened, scanned him up and down with mild astonishment (a piece of delicate acting, for

re in a room," was

, sir; I will speak

face with a crashing slam

n as there was a lull in the clanking of the kett

lmrei

omes from; but I am sure

rs cleaned with petroleum every day, and if there's a flea in the bed they curse one as if one were a beggar. It's no good, Peronella. I don't want any foreigners her

h a very nice foreigner, and not a bit like an Ulmreicher. And

ee him. But I won't have one of those dirty Ulmre

at all events, a peculiarly powerful noise. When the widow at length appeared at the door, a gigantesque apparition, he felt her to be striking enough to have a superior voice, or even to be the mother of Peronella. True, her face was wrinkled like an old lemon, or like a raised map of some uncharted country on the invisible side of the mo

id to Norman in the language of tha

to master the import of her question, pre

from?" the widow pu

Engl

ch I met an American whose name I have forgotten, but he was a nice man, in a

nly just

t arrived. And you

t it on

just arrived? We do not advertise: we are not a regul

ooking for a room, and s

could t

w. A little man

obbler with red hair? That would be Sim

ardly consigning the old girl to

said the Widow Prasko. "A

ming on b

come by tra

t, from Braxea, and I am very tired. Please give me

and I must ask questions. And, of course, you must be either very mad or very poor or you

who would misbehave with your

. But you might want to marry her, and I

ut I have not seen your daughter lo

d you want to fi

, pl

d f

food

mple living. You would live

orman. "I like to have people to

as well come in a

statuette of a nakedish lady apparently eight feet high, called Mignon, an oleograph representing a romantic northern castle surrounded by impossible waterfalls, and a clock which had be

he family; he did not want to be lonely, and wanted to learn Alsandrian. All this obviously pleased the old lady, and Norma

collar and its concomitant tie is practically unknown, in impressing the Vidvino Prasko, who in her turn took great care to let him know that she was of old family and good education, and had been Maid of Honour to the last Queen of the country. And so she rambled on, giving Norman, who was eager to hear about the country, an account even of its history and commerce, and l

the peasant girl he had thought her, but a half-educated young lady with ideas. Troubled, he looked at her again. She was still there, still beautiful, still charming; but, alas! how the spell of the morning was broken! The nymph who stood befor

pposite him, still beau

d herself sleepy and departed, admonis

like mother,"

ha

nd goes off, leaving me alone with you as

ggested Norman. "By t

es

have you any

o I look as if I hadn't? He is called Cesano. He will be co

ha

g kil

, I should

ow. I mean, you

f being killed, so so

omebody for me if

was likely to b

at all brave, or very

ened of you, Perone

ell interrupted some similar ina

that's Cesano, as I suppose it is, there will be fireworks. Be careful, Normano; he's a rival. Alsandrian lovers are not like English. They have h

m frightened? I am longing to see this very pass

e looked very much like an English maidservant's idea of a typical Spaniard, being, furthermore, dressed in one of those horrible colour-combinat

me introduce you to our n

other without saying a w

oming out?

possibly leave a stranger quite alone f

t pink-faced lout of an Englishman. Besides, what does he

," said Norman. "I hav

s mind that a foreigner could understa

and me, sir? Then

I didn't matter. Particularly so since you

ng foreigners speak our tongue. And as you have understood me, you have understood that I was only in jest. And if there was a little offence, you must pardon me. I am a lover.

Cesano," said Norman. "I pardo

foreigner, he had all a brave man's objections to hauling down his colours, especially in the face of so ridiculous an opponent as the Italian opera personage who stood there gesticulating at him, and who

young lady in a very sweet voice-"that

at do you mean by cause

eak, you know. Even you who are native do not seem to hav

you mean? What do you dare to

her new lover, she thought also that it would be more prudent to display her colours at once. Cesano staggered

moon-mad? Have all the devils possessed me? Ar

hands. Peronella would n

ner bewitched your heart? Are you tormen

ing a little white but not relaxing her

Who or what is he? I h

who came here this af

lord in this

nough for him

oubtless it was his own fault, for kissing lonely nymphs all in the morning of the world. There she was publicly avowing him, and

s happened. You cannot give me up after all these months for some one you do n

replied Peronella. "What have we ever d

e up everything for you

blasted bef

atures. I cannot bear it. I will go mad. I will beat you. As for you, sir"

othly. "I am very sorry indeed.

hand of Fate. Do you kiss a new man every week? Have you a price? Was I not honourable? D

ic, Cesano, or

hed many for you at night beneath

en about so sto

nd stood his ground. Cesano sobbed, put one hand on his breast and the other on a tableknife with which he made the most threatening gestures a

erociously. "Some day I will make y

rman's surprise, he went softl

an to be rude to him; he is a good man. I am sorry you

And, O, Normano,

y. He was tired, and therefore had sagacious misgivings as to what he

id Peronella, ope

y Englishma