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"Put by the watering-pot, and come hither," continued Riccabocca, in Italian; and, moving towards the balustrade, he leaned over it. Mr. Mitford, the historian, calls Jean Jacques "John James." Following that illustrious example, Giacomo shall be Anglified into Jackeymo. Jackeymo came to the balustrade also, and stood a little behind his master.
"See!" he added, as he returned with a sprig in full bud. Dr. Riccabocca bent over the blossom, and then placed it in his bosom. "The other one should be there too," said Jackeymo. "To die as this does already!" answered Riccabocca. "Say no more." Jackeymo shrugged his shoulders; and then, glancing at his master, drew his hand over his eyes. There was a pause. Jackeymo was the first to break it.
"It is just," said Jackeymo, recovering himself, and with humility; "and the padrone does right to blame me, but not in so cruel a way. It is just, the padrone lodges and boards me, and gives me handsome wages, and he has a right to expect that I should not go in this figure." "For the board and the lodgment, good," said Riccabocca. For the handsome wages, they are the visions of thy fancy!"
"Ah, good Annetta," said Violante, in Italian. "Papa, she says she is to go back; but she is not to go back, is she?" Riccabocca, who had scarcely before noticed the woman, started at that question, exchanged a rapid glance with Jackeymo, and then, muttering some inaudible excuse, approached the nurse, and, beckoning her to follow him, went away into the grounds.
At first the Italian pished and grunted, and said Cospetto, and Per Bacco, and Diavolo, and tried to creep out of so much proffered courtesy. But like all single gentlemen, he was a little under the tyrannical influence of his faithful servant; and Jackeymo, though he could bear starving as well as his master when necessary, still, when he had the option, preferred roast beef and plum-pudding.
Presently the form of Jackeymo was seen emerging from the shrubs. Riccabocca turned hastily round, recognized his servant, uttered an exclamation loud enough to reach Randal's ear, and then, catching Jackeymo by the arm, disappeared with him amidst the deep recesses of the garden.
"Certainly. Now, tell me, Giacomo, is this count really unprincipled and dangerous? Remember I know him not personally." "He has neither heart nor conscience." "That defect makes him dangerous to men; perhaps not less so to women. Could it be possible, if he obtained any interview with the signora, that he could win her affections?" Jackeymo crossed himself rapidly and made no answer.
Jackeymo raised his eyes involuntarily towards the orange-trees, and the morning breeze swept by and bore to him the odour of their blossoms. "Those are sweet even here, with care," said he, pointing to the trees. "I think I have said that before to the padrone." But Riccabocca was now looking again at the letter, and did not notice either the gesture or the remark of his servant.
"The priests want you to turn heretic?" "Worse than that!" said the philosopher. "Worse than that! O Padrone! for shame!" "Don't be a fool, but pull off my pantaloons they want me never to wear THESE again!" "Never to wear what?" exclaimed Jackeymo, staring outright at his master's long legs in their linen drawers, "never to wear " "The breeches," said Riccabocca, laconically.
There seems, however, little chance of a lawsuit thus providently bequeathed to the misery of distant generations, since two sons and two daughters are already playing at hide-and-seek on the terrace where Jackeymo once watered the orange-trees, and in the belvidere where Riccabocca had studied his Machiavelli.
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