.

'No,' said he, blushing, half angry, half ashamed.

'Then I 'll teach it to you.'

'Thou shouldst have been an acolyte at San Giovanni di Laterano when the
Pope says the high mass, boy,' cried Babbo enthusiastically. 'Thy figure
and face would well become the beauteous spectacle.'

'Does not that suit him?' cried the girl, as she replaced the hat by a
round cap, such as pages wear, with a single eagle's feather. 'Does not
that become him?'

'Who cares for looks?' muttered the hag. 'Chico was ugly enough to bring
bad luck; and when shall we see his like again?'

'Who knows! who knows?' said Babbo slowly. 'This lad may, if he join us,
have many a good gift we suspect not. Canst sing?'

'Yes; at least the litanies.'

'Ah, bravo, Giovane!' cried the old man. 'Thou It bring a blessing upon
us.'

'Canst play the fife, the tambourine, the flute?' asked Gaetana.

'None of them.'

'Thou canst recite, I'm sure,' said Marietta. 'Thou knowest Tasso and
Petrarch, surely, and Guarini?'

'Yes; and Dante by heart, if that be of any service to me,' said Gerald.

'Ah! I know nothing of him,' said she sorrowfully; 'but I could repeat
the Orlando from beginning to end.'

'How art thou on the stilts or the slack-rope?' asked the old woman;
'for these other things never gave bread to any one.'

'If I must depend upon the slack-rope, then,' said Gerald,
good-humouredly, 'I run a good chance of going supperless to bed.'

'How they neglect them when they're young, and their bones soft and
pliant!' said Gaetana sternly. 'What parents are about nowadays I can't
imagine. I used to crouch into a flower-pot when I was five years old;
ay, and spring out of it too when the Fairy Queen touched the flower!'

Gerald could with great difficulty restrain the burst of laughter this
anecdote of her early life provoked.

'Oh, come with us; stay with us,' whispered Marietta in his ear.

'If thou hast been taught the offices, boy,' said Babbo, 'thou deservest
an honester life than ours. Leave us, then; go thy ways, and walk in
better company.'

'_Corpo del diavolo!_' screamed out the hag. 'It's always so with him.
He has nothing but hard words for the trade he lives by.'

'Stay with us; stay with us,' whispered the girl, more faintly.

'Thou mightst have a worse offer, lad; for who can tell what's in thee?
I warrant me, thou 'It never be great at jumping tricks,' said Babbo.

'Wilt stay?' said Marietta, as her eyes swam in tears.