Apollinare in Classe, and ought to have been back hours ago. And I
am quite uneasy about her."
"Why, your trouble, Signora, is of a piece with our own," said the
porter, with a burly laugh; "and it seems to me like enough we can
help each other. You miss a young lady; and we miss a young
gentleman. When I used to go out into the marshes a-shooting with
the Marchese, we used to be sure, when we had put up the cock bird,
that the hen was not far off; or, if we got the hen, we knew we had
not far to look for the cock. Do you see, Signora? Two to one the
pair of runaways are together; and they'll come home safe enough
when they've had their fun out. I dare say the Signor Marchesino and
the Signorina you speak of are old friends?"
"Why, yes, Signore. For that matter they are old friends!" replied
Orsola, adopting the porter's phrase for want of one which could
express the meaning she had in her mind more desirably.
"To be sure--to be sure. And if you will take my advice, Signora,
you will go home, and give yourself no trouble at all about the
young lady. Lord bless us! what though 'tis Lenten-tide? Young folks
will be young, Signora Orsola. They'll come home safe enough. And
maybe I might as well say nothing to the Signor Marchesino about
your coming here, you know. When folks have come to that time of
life, Signora, as brings sense with it, they mostly learn that least
said is soonest mended," said the old porter, with a nod of deep
meaning.
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