“Far more to the purpose were it if I could tell you how would the Three per Cents stand,” broke in Dunn.
“I 'm coming to that,” said the other, dryly. “No, no,” said he, after a pause; “let us see this unhappy war finished,—let us wait till we know who are to be partners in the-great game of European politics. Lanfranchi tells me that the French and Russians who meet here come together on the best of terms; that intimacies, and even friendships. spring up rapidly between them. This fact, if repeated in Downing Street, might be heard with some misgiving.”
Though Dunn affected indifference to this remark, he winced, and walked to the window to hide his irritation.
Immediately beneath where he stood, a trellised vine-walk led down to the lake, where the boats were usually in waiting; and from this alley now a number of voices could be heard, although the speakers were entirely hidden by the foliage. The gay and laughing tones indicated a pleasure-party; and such it was, bent on a picnic to Bellaggio. Some were loud in praises of the morning, and the splendid promise of the day; others discussed how many boats they should want, and how the party was to be divided.
“The Americans with the Russians,” said Twining, slapping his legs and laughing; “great friends—capital allies—what fun! Ourselves and the O'Reillys.—Spicer, look out, and see if they are coming.”
“And do you mean to say you'll not come?” whispered a very soft voice, after the crowd had passed on.
“Charmante Molly!” said Lord Lackington, in his most dulcet of accents, “I am quite heart-broken at the disappointment; but when I tell you that this man has come some hundreds of miles to meet me here,—that the matter is one of deepest importance—”
“And who is he? Could you make him come too?”
“Impossible, ma belle. He is quite unsuited to this kind of thing,—a mere creature of parchments. The very sight of him would only suggest thoughts of foreclosing mortgages and renewal fines.”
“How I hate him!”