omadeasiftowalkon,pretendingnottonoticetheCount.MatteoandIweredumbfounded,absolutelyataloss.ThentheCountsteppedforward,andheldouthishand.
'Ah,myChecco!howgoesit?'
HesmiledandpressedwarmlythehandwhichtheOrsigavehim.Checcowastakenaback,paleasifthehandheheldwerethehandofdeath.
'Youhaveneglectedmeoflate,dearfriend,'saidtheCount.
'Ihavenotbeenwell,mylord.'
GirolamolinkedhisarminChecco's.
'Come,come,'hesaid,'youmustnotbeangrybecauseIusedsharpwordstoyoutheotherday.YouknowIamhot-tempered.'
'Youhavearighttosaywhatyouplease.'
'Oh,noIhaveonlyarighttosaypleasantthings.'
Hesmiled,butallthetimethemobileeyeswereshiftinghereandthere,scrutinisingChecco'sface,givingoccasionalquickglancestomeandMatteo.Hewenton,—
'Youmustshowaforgivingspirit.'Then,toMatteo,'WemustallbegoodChristiansifwecan,eh,Matteo?'
'Ofcourse!'
'Andyetyourcousinbearsmalice.'
'No,mylord,'saidChecco.'IamafraidIwastoooutspoken.'
'Well,ifyouwere,Ihaveforgivenyou,andyoumustforgiveme.Butwewillnottalkofthat.Mychildrenhavebeenaskingforyou.Itisstrangethatthisferociouscreature,whotellsmeIamtheworstamongbadmen,shouldbesoadoredbymychildren.Yourlittlegodsonisalwayscryingforyou.'
'Dearchild!'saidChecco.
'Comeandseethemnow.Thereisnotimelikethepresent.'
MatteoandIlookedatoneanother.Wasallthisanattempttogethiminhishand,andthistimenottolethimgo?
'Imustprayyoutoexcuseme,forIhavesomegentlemencomingtodinewithmeto-day,andIfearIshallbelatealready.'
Girolamogaveusarapidlook,andevidentlysawinoureyessomethingofourthoughts,forhesaidgood-humouredly,—
'Youneverwilldoanythingforme,Checco.ButIwon'tkeepyouIrespectthedutiesofhospitality.However,anotherdayyoumustcome.'
HewarmlypressedChecco'shand,and,noddingtoMatteoandme,leftus.
Thecrowdhadnotbeenabletohearwhatwassaid,buttheyhadseenthecordiality,andassoonasGirolamodisappearedbehindthePalacedoors,brokeoutint