Suddenly the Admiral joined them. The Queen and General Mack had left off speaking French, and begun to talk Austrian-German—most likely because they were very interested about some point which they could not properly explain to each other except in their native language. The Admiral, however, who was very sensitive, took it as a hint, and fell back to join Will and Donna Rusidda.
“Well, you two happy people,” he began—“with nothing to talk about but yourselves?”
“It was sad for Sicilians,” she replied. By this time she could understand English readily, though she spoke it with difficulty.
“Well, how have you been entertaining yourselves?”
“We was not; we was on duty, as you say.”
“Yes, duty—excellent, as all our countries expect of us, and generally give us precious little help in doing it, though my Lord St. Vincent did give me the best ships afloat.”
“We was waiting for you for the pleasure.”
The Admiral made his best bow, and he put on that expression of his which reminded me of a dog pricking its ears. General Mack had doubtless been a little prosy, and occupied much of the conversation with what he was going to do with the French when he had beaten them.
“Well, what pleasure are we going to begin with?”
“We shall show to you the fountains.”