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

CARMELA.
l8l
square. In this room he had the supper laid. The landlord,
his neighbor, lent him an immense dining-table, came himself
to cook in the house the few dishes
that were needed, and set
the table with the greatest possible luxury, as he had done
three years before for the other officer. Toward nine o'clock
in the evening the doctor arrived, the first comer. " She is
"
down below," he said to his friend on entering ; she was complaining
that she had not seen you yet. I asked her if she felt
well, and she replied, after looking fixedly at me :
'
Steamship,'
and she did not laugh. Well ! God alone can tell what is
passing through her head. Oh, let us see these splendid preparations
!
"
When both had given a glance at the table, they began to
arrange between them the best mode of representing the
comedy, or rather the drama, because to them it was a drama
and a serious one too. When the matter was settled, the doctor
asked " : Have they all learned their parts well " ? and the
officer replied that he hoped so.
Shortly before ten they heard a shuffling of many feet, and
" They are here !
a confused sound of voices.
" said the doctor,
and he looked out of the window.
The soldier went down and opened
" It is really they."
the door. The doctor
lighted the four candelabra at the four corners of the table.
" "
How my heart beats ! said the officer.
" "
Courage, courage
!
At that moment they heard Carmela exclaim :
" I am going
on the steamship too " and then she began clapping her hands.
!
" " Courage
!
repeated the doctor hastily in his friend's ear ;
" do you hear that ? She is beginning to get that idea into her
head ;
it is a good sign take heart
; ;
here are "
your guests !