ll upon him. I wish it."

"Ph-h-h," puffed the Commendatore, fanning himself with his cap.
"Well--?" he questioned.

Susanna, in her diaphanous light-coloured frock, leaned back, smiling.
The Commendatore fanned himself rapidly with his cap, and waited for
her instructions.

"You call upon him, you introduce yourself as an old friend of the
family. 'As a boy, I knew your grandfather, your grandmother, and I
was a playfellow of your father's.'"

She threw back her head, pouted out her lips, and achieved a very
admirable counterfeit of the Commendatore's manner.

"You ask the usual questions, pay the usual compliments. 'Can I have
the pleasure of serving you in anyway? I beg leave to place myself at
your disposal. You must not fail to command me'--and patati and
patata."

"You are an outrageous little ape," said the Commendatore, grinning in
spite of himself. "You would mimic the Devil to his face."

"No," said Susanna. "I only mimic people when I am fond of them."

And again she lifted her eyes to his, where they melted in her tender,
teasing smile.

"Ph-h-h," puffed the Commendatore, agitating his cap.

"And then," pursued Susanna, "having paid the usual compliments, you
rise to go."

"Ah--_bene_," said the Commendatore, and his lean old yellow face
looked a good deal relieved.

"Yes," said she. "But then, having risen to go, then, like the wily
and supple diplomat you are, you come to the real business of your
visit."

"Oh?" said the Commendatore.

He sat forward, on the edge of his chair, and frowned. He had thought
his troubles were over, and now it appeared that they had not yet begun.

"Yes," said Susanna. "Having risen to go, you pause, you hesitate, and
then suddenly you take your courage in both hands. 'Count,' you say,
'I wish to speak to you about your cousin.' And thereupon, frankly,
confidentially, you proceed to lay before him the difficulties of your
position. 'I was your cousin's guardian; I am still her nearest
friend; I occupy the place of a parent towards her, and feel myself
responsible for her. And one of my chief concerns, one of my first
duties, is, of course, to see that she makes a good marriage. She is a
great heiress--she would be the natural prey of fortune-hunters. I
must protect her, I must direct her. With one hand I must keep away
undesirable suitors, with the other hand I must catch a desirable one.
But now observe my perplexities. Your cousin is pecu