Thus encouraged, I went and sat down by her. I believe I took her hand.
“You don’t love him?”
“Not at all,” she replied.
I must beg to be excused recording the exact terms in which I placed my hand and heart at the signorina’s disposal. I was extremely vehement and highly absurd, but she did not appear to be displeased.
“I like you very much, Jack,” she said, “and it’s very sweet of you to have made a revolution for me. It was for me, Jack?”
“Of course it was, my darling,” I promptly replied.
“But you know, Jack, I don’t see how we’re much better off. Indeed, in a way it’s worse. The President wouldn’t let anybody else marry me, but he wasn’t so peremptory as the colonel. The colonel declares he will marry me this day week!”
“We’ll see about that,” said I savagely.
“Another revolution, Jack?” asked the signorina.
“You needn’t laugh at me,” I said sulkily.