As they were returning in the full glare of the midday sun, they descried in front of them the figure of an old man; he was walking painfully and making poor progress. Carefully dressed in black broadcloth, he wore a soft felt hat of a shape seldom seen in England.
“I believe,” said Hilda, as they approached him, “that is Signor Bruno. Yes, it is. Please pull up, Christian. We must give him a lift!”
Christian obeyed her. He thought he detected a shade of annoyance in Hilda's voice, with which he fully sympathised.
On hearing the sound of the wheels, the old man looked up in surprise, as a deaf person might have been expected to do. This movement showed a most charming old face, surrounded by a halo of white hair and beard. The features were almost perfect, and might in former days have been a trifle cold, by reason of their perfection. Now, however, they were softened by the touch of years, and Signor Bruno was the living semblance of guilelessness and benevolence.
“How do you do, Signor Bruno?” said Hilda, speaking rather loudly and very distinctly. “You are back from London sooner than you expected, are you not?”
“Ah! my dear young lady,” he replied, courteously removing his hat and standing bareheaded.
“Ah! now indeed the sun shines upon me. Yes, I am back from London—a most terrible place—terrible—terrible—terrible! As I walked along just now I said to myself: 'The sun is warm, the skies are blue; yonder is the laughing sea, and yet, Bruno, you sigh for Italy.' This is Italy, Miss Hilda—Italy with a northern fairy walking in it!”
Hilda smiled her quick, surprising smile, and hastened to speak before the old gentleman recovered his breath.
“Allow me to introduce to you Sidney's friend, Mr. Vellacott, Signor Bruno!”
Sidney's friend, Mr. Vellacott, was by this time behind her. He had alighted, and was employed in arranging the back seat of the dog-cart. When Signor Bruno looked towards him, he found Christian's eyes fixed upon his face with a quiet persistence which might have been embarrassing to a younger man. He raised his hat and murmured something unintelligible in reply to the Italian's extensive salutation.