russed chicken waiting to be carved, when lo! at the
signal it jumped up and came walking to her like a Christian, its legs
moving most humanly, and yet all present were appalled at the sight, and
the Signore gasped--

"'I believe the devil's in it!'

"The lady composedly placed the draught on the table and smiled
benevolently. There was something in that angelic smile which made the
Signore feel as if he had been made game of. In a rage he rushed at the
table, which reared up on its hind legs and showed fight with its
forepaws, on which there were massy round iron balls, as on the other
extremities. Truly it was a desperate battle, and both combatants
covered themselves with dust and glory. Now the table would put a ball
well in, and the Signore would counter, or, as I may say, cannon or
cannon-ball it off; and then they would grapple and roll over and over
till the Signora called them to time. At last the lord wrenched all the
cannon-balls off from the table, which first, making a jump to the
ceiling, came down in its usual position, while the balls began dancing
on it like mad.

"At such a sight all present roared with laughter, and it was observed
that the lady, no longer pale, flushed with merriment like a rose. As
for Signore Pietro he was red as a beet, and heaved out that he had been
_canzonato_ or quizzed.

"'Truly yes,' replied the lady; 'but henceforth you shall have a name,
for to do you justice you are as hard as iron, and Iron you shall be
called--Big Iron Ferrone--and cannon-balls shall be your coat-of-arms,
_in saecula saeculorum_. By edict of the Queen of the Fairies!'

"Now at this all the love in the Signore Pietro concentrated itself in
his heart, passed into his tongue, and caused him to burst forth in song
in the following _ottava_, while the music accompanied:

"'Quando vedo le femmine rammone,
Mi sento andare il cuore in convulsione,
Hanno certe facette vispe e sane,
Da fare entrare in sen la tentazione,
Oh donnina! Non siate disumana!
Di Pietro abbiate compassione!
Scusante la modestia se l'e troppo
Di questi personali non sene poppo.'

"'When I behold thy all too lovely features,
I feel my heart in soft convulsions heaving,
Thou art the most entrancing of all creatures,
I tell you so in sooth, without deceiving,
In fact there is no beauty which can beat yours;
And Pietro loves you, lady, past believing;
In breasts