The Argosy — page 130: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Perplexities of Captain Freramosca. II5 A brisk haggling instantly began between the musicians and a sharp-visaged, hawk-eyed old gentleman with a voice like a corn- crake—as obviously Signor Biagio as though his name had been written on his forehead. Fieramosca was gratified to see how ugly he was, and to hear how avaricious. Only with the gratification mingled fresh disgust at the thought that Clelia should ever be expected to marry such a man. Signor Biagio swore that he had engaged the musicians for three songs (selected by himself) and that they had only had time to sing two. ‘They vowed that he must have been asleep, and conse- quently oblivious of the flight of time. Venetian wit is keen and Venetian tongues are rapid, so that there is no saying how long the battle might have lasted, had not another gondola glided up along- side of the old lawyer’s, and its occupant, a lady, courteously requested to be allowed to disembark. She was young, and Fieramosca, somewhat lighter of heart now, remarked that she was pretty, and a foreigner unmistakably. She caught her foot in her dress as she was ascending the steps, and stumbled. He darted forward to assist her, but she recovered her- self, and thanked him sweetly. As he bowed and drew back to let her pass, she hesitated and said a few words in English to her com- panion, apparently a maid. Looking at her more closely now, in the bright light, her face struck Fieramosca as not entirely un- known. To his surprise, she turned and addressed him by name. ‘You are in the regiment of which my brother-in-law is colonel,” she said. ‘“‘T have heard of you. Perhaps you have heard of me. My name is Mrs. Walford.” He had, in truth, heard of her, as an eccentric, rich, and beauti- ful young widow. ‘The adventure would have been delightful, had his heart not been given to Clelia. ‘IT should like to say something to you,” she continued, in a tone of frank and friendly kindness. ‘‘ Would you mind walking a few steps down the street with me. I know,” she added, with an arch smile, ‘‘ you do not shun this neighbourhood.” Astonished, interested, and rather amused, he protested his willing- ness to accompany her. ‘“‘T only wished to get you out of earshot of that old lawyer,” said Mrs. Walford. ‘‘I fancy he will stay bargaining there till dawn. No doubt you think my addressing you in this way rather strange. . . Never mind protesting. . . . I shall soon explain myself. . . . Ihave seen you before, twice. Once, for a moment, at a ball at ——, when my brother-in-law was quartered there ; and the second time, the other day, in the Campiello Nuovo.” He remembered now. She was the lady who had been sitting on the balcony. “IT know quite well why you are always hanging about there,” she continued, laughingly. ‘‘ I have one or two acquaintances who know COMMICDAOOKS.CO