say?" he repeated.

"Upon my soul, you seem bewitched!"

"What did you say?" repeated Mansana, with deepened colour, his brows
knit, and one hand laid, not too gently, upon the major's shoulder.

It was now Sardi's turn to be offended. Mansana's vehemence had so
taken him by surprise, he had no time to consider what he should say,
but in his own defence, and with a desire of still further irritating
the unjustly aroused temper of his friend, he told him what people were
already saying about him, and how the officers at the _cafe_ were
amusing themselves at his expense.

Mansana's anger knew no bounds. He swore that if Sardi would not at
once reveal who had first started these reports, he must himself be
answerable, and for a moment it seemed as though a challenge would be
inevitable between the two friends. But Sardi, almost immediately
recovering his composure, represented to Mansana what an ugly sensation
it would create, were he to fight a duel with him, or with any one
else, over such a subject as his relationship with Amanda Brandini, the
very day before leaving to celebrate his wedding with the Princess
Leaney.

Surely the best answer he could give to such a calumny would be to
start at once, and make the princess his bride without delay. Thereupon
followed a fresh ebullition from Mansana. He would look after his own
affairs, and protect his own reputation; Sardi must give the names of
his detractors! The major saw no reason for concealment, and gave the
names, one by one, merely adding quietly, that if Mansana felt an
inclination to kill off all this small fry, he was quite welcome to the
task!

Mansana was eager to make straight for the _cafe_, where all these
officers would now be assembled. Sardi, however, convinced him of the
folly of such a course.

Then, Mansana declared, he would at any rate seek Luigi. But Sardi
undertook himself to carry the challenge to the lieutenant. "Though,
after all," he added, "what is he to be challenged for?"

"For what he has said of me," shouted Mansana.

"But what has he said of you? That you are in love with Amanda
Brandini? Is this not true?"

Now, had Mansana started on his journey without meeting Major Sardi, it
is tolerably certain that he would, in two or three days' time, have
been married to the Princess Leaney; whereas the following conversation
now took place.

"Have you the boldness to assert that I love Amanda?"

"I refuse to answer that; but if y