Military life in Italy : sketches - Societa italiana di storia militare

"Oh, darling, darling!"
CARMELA. 163
broke out Carmela as soon as she
saw the lighted face of the lieutenant, and, stretching out her arm,
she tried to take his chin between her thumb and forefinger.
He seized her by one arm, she in her turn took hold of the arm
which held her, fastened her mouth on his hand, and kissed and
bit it.
the door.
The officer broke away, dashed into the house, and closed
"Treasure!" cried Carmela once again, and then, without
saying any thing more, reseated
herself on the steps, with her
arms crossed over her knees and her head bent to one side.
Shortly after she was asleep.
As soon as he had entered the house and lighted the lamp,
the officer looked at the back of his right hand and saw there
the light imprint of eight little teeth, all around which still
gleamed the foam of that convulsive mouth. " What kind of
love is this ?" he said aloud to himself, and, lighting a cigar, he
began pacing the room, thinking over the time-table for his
"
small detachment I '11 think to-morrow," he said suddenly,
and he turned his thoughts to something else. He seated himself,
opened a book, read several pages ; finally decided to go
to bed. He had nearly finished undressing when he was seized
by an idea ;
he stood meditating for an instant, ran to the window,
stretched out his hand to open it ... withdrew it,
shrugged his shoulders, and went to sleep.
The following morning his orderly, who entered his room betimes
on tiptoe, was astonished to find him awake, as it was not
"
his habit to wake himself. And he said, smiling
: That mad
girl is down at the door." "What is she doing?" "Nothing
she
; says she is waiting for you, lieutenant."
The officer tried to laugh, and looking then at the soldier