"Oho!" he cried. "So the family are away, are they?"
"Yes, Signorino."
"Aha!" cried he. "The family are away. That explains
everything. Have--have they been gone long?"
"Since a week, ten days, Signorino."
"A week! Ten days!" He started up, indignant. "You secretive
wretch! Why have you never breathed a word of this to me?"
Marietta looked rather frightened.
"I did not know it myself, Signorino," was her meek apology.
"I heard it in the village this morning, when the Signorino
sent me to buy coarse salt."
"Oh, I see." He sank back upon his rustic bench. "You are
forgiven." He extended his hand in sign of absolution. "Are
they ever coming back?"
"Naturally, Signorino."
"What makes you think so?"
"But they will naturally come back."
"I felicitate you upon your simple faith. When?"
"Oh, fra poco. They have gone to Rome."
"To Rome? You're trifling with me. People do not go to Rome
in August."
"Pardon, Signorino. People go to Rome for the feast of the
Assumption. That is the 15th. Afterwards they come back,"
said Marietta, firmly.
"I withdraw my protest," said Peter. "They have gone to Rome
for the feast of the Assumption. Afterwards they will come
back."
"Precisely, Signorino. But you have now the right to visit the
castle, upon presentation of your card. You address yourself
to the porter at the lodge. The castle is grand, magnificent.
The Court of Honour alone is thirty metres long."
Marietta stretched her hands to right and left as far as they
would go.
"Marietta," Peter enquired solemnly, "are you familiar with
the tragedy of 'Hamlet'?"
Marietta blinked.
"No, Signorino."
"You have never read it," he pursued, "in that famous edition
from which the character of the Prince of Denmark happened to
be omitted?"
Marietta shook her head, wearily, patiently.
Wearily, patiently, "No, Signorino," she replied.
"Neither have I," said he, "and I don't desire to."
Marietta shrugged her shoulders; then returned gallantly to her
charge.
"If you would care to visit the castle, Signorino, you could
see the crypt which contains the tombs of the family of
Farfalla, the former owners. They are of black marble and
alabaster, with gilding--very rich. You could also see the
wine-cellars. Many years ago a tun there burst, and a serving
man was drowned in the wine. You could also see the bed in
which Nabulione, the Emperor of Europe, slept, when he was in
this country. Also the ancient kitchen. Many years ago, in a
storm, the skeleton of a man fell down the chimney, out upon
the hearth. Also what is called the Court of Foxes. Many
years ago there was a plague of foxes; and the foxes came down
from the forest like a great army, thousands of them. And the
lords of the castle, and the peasants, and the village people,
all, all, had to run away like rabbits--or the foxes would have
eaten them. It was in what they call the Court of Foxes that
the King of the foxes held his court. There is also the park.
In the park there are statues, ruins, and white peacocks."