Hermione heard the laughter, but now it sounded a little harsh in her

ears.

"I wonder," she thought, as she leaned upon the terrace wall--"I wonder

if he has missed me at all? I wonder if men ever miss us as we miss

them?"

Her call, it seemed, had not been heard, nor her gesture of welcome seen,

but now Maurice looked up, waved his cap, and shouted. Gaspare, too, took

off his linen hat with a stentorian cry of "Buon giorno, signora."

"Signora!" said Lucrezia.

"Yes?"

"Look! Was not I right? Are they carrying anything?"

Hermione looked eagerly, almost passionately, at the two figures now

drawing near to the last ascent up the bare mountain flank. Maurice had a

stick in one hand, the other hung empty at his side. Gaspare still waved

his hat wildly, holding it with both hands as a sailor holds the

signalling-flag.

"Perhaps," she said--"perhaps it wasn't a good night, and they've caught

nothing."

"Oh, signora, the sea was calm. They must have taken--"

"Perhaps their pockets are full of fish. I am sure they are."

She spoke with a cheerful assurance.

"If they have caught any fish, I know your frying-pan will be wanted,"

she said.

"Chi lo sa?" said Lucrezia, with rather perfunctory politeness.

Secretly she thought that the padrona had only one fault. She was a

little obstinate sometimes, and disinclined to be told the truth. And

certainly she did not know very much about men, although she had a

husband.

Through the old Norman arch came Delarey and Gaspare, with hot faces and

gay, shining eyes, splendidly tired with their exertions and happy in the

thought of rest. Delarey took Hermione's hand in his. He would have

kissed her before Lucrezia and Gaspare, quite naturally, but he felt that

her hand stiffened slightly in his as he leaned forward, and he forbore.

She longed for his kiss, but to receive it there would have spoiled a

joy. And kind and familiar though she was with those beneath her, she

could not bear to show the deeps of her heart before them. To her his

kiss after her lonely night would be an event. Did he know that? She

wondered.

He still kept her hand in his as he began to tell her about their

expedition.

"Did you enjoy it?" she asked, thinking what a boy he looked in his

eager, physical happiness.

"Ask Gaspare!"

"I don't think I need. Your eyes tell me."




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