Joseph was indifferent so long as it was a song, and with head aside, Roma touched the keys and pretended to think. After a moment of sweet duplicity she struck up the air she had come expressly to play.
It was the "British Grenadiers." She sang a verse of it. She sang in English and with the broken pronunciation of a child—
"Some talk of Allisander, and some of Hergoles;
Of Hector and Eyesander, and such gate names as these..."
Suddenly she became aware that David Rossi was looking at her through the glass on the mantel-piece, and to keep herself from crying she began to laugh, and the song came to an end.
At the same moment the door burst open with a bang, and the dog came bounding into the room. Behind it came Elena, who said:
"It was scratching at the staircase door, and I thought it must have followed you."
"Followed Mr. Rossi, you mean. He has stolen my dog's heart away from me," said Roma.
"That is what I say about my boy's," said Elena.
"But Joseph is going for a soldier, I see."
"It's a porter he wants to be."