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But the casements and the door of the belvidere were open; and where they sat, both wife and daughter could see the padrone leaning against the wall, with his arms folded and his eyes fixed on the floor; while Jackeymo, with one finger on his master's arm, was talking to him with visible earnestness.
After a while he walked calmly, and Beppo came up beside him. Merthyr shook his hand. "Ah, signor Mertyrio! ah, padrone!" said Beppo. Merthyr directed his observation to a regiment of Austrians marching down the Corso Venezia to the Ticinese gate. "Yes, they are ready enough for us," Beppo remarked. "Perhaps Carlo Alberto will beat them this time. If he does, viva to him!
There seemed to be an attempt at a jest in the question, for the apothecary almost smiled. "Padrone," he said, retiring backwards through the narrow door. "A game of scopa to-day?" "Have you the time to spare?" inquired the other, in a serious tone. They always maintained the myth that Tiberio Colaisso was a very busy man.
Quick as we were, we found both the padrone and his man, together with a dozen others, already seated at a monte table. The padrone was acting as banker! We discovered the name of this place to be Gatun. Talbot found us a native hut in which were hammocks we could rent for the night. The hut was a two-storied affair, with a notched pole by which to clamber aloft.
He would have done the same as his padrone in similar circumstances with a light heart, with no sense of doing wrong. Only sometimes he raised a warning voice. "Signorino," he would say, "do not forget what I have told you." "What, Gaspare?" "Salvatore is birbante. You think he likes you." "Why shouldn't he like me?" "You are a forestiere. To him you are as nothing. But he likes your money."
"Bless her, it is our signorina. I will run and tell her you are come." "That I am come; but she cannot know me even by name." "Ah, Excellency, can you think so? Many and many a time has she talked to me of you, and I have heard her pray to the holy Madonna to bless you, and in a voice so sweet " "Stay, I will present myself to her. Go into the house, and we will wait without for the padrone.
By carefully sorting our reserve of worn clothes and shoes we managed to fit out the little strangers more comfortably, but the problem of what to do with them remained. Grandmother Ruth thought that their padrone might trace them and appear on the scene. Several days more passed; and then the old Squire, having business at Portland, decided to take them with him.
'Annoying! said Manisty, with his ready irritability. 'Reggie might really have managed better. Who's this fellow? It was the padrone or tenant of the Giardino, who came up and parleyed with them. Yes, 'Vostra Eccellenza' might put down their baskets and make their tea. He pointed to a bench behind the shed. The forestieri came every day; he turned away in indifference.
The crew consisted of the padrone, two men and a boy; the three latter, with their gregos, or night greatcoats with hoods, sitting forward before the sail, with their eyes fixed on the land as they flew past point after point, thinking perhaps of their wives, or perhaps of their sweethearts, or perhaps not thinking at all.
"It's true." "You have done it?" "Yes. The Padrone is worth knowing. He but to-night you will know him. Yes, Frisio's is characteristic. Vere will be amused." With a light tone he hid a faint chagrin. "What fun!" repeated Vere. "If I had diamonds I should put them on." She too was hiding something, one sentiment with another very different.
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