her fond eyes, he
saw himself alert and handsome; and, since for the time being they were
to each other all the world, we may be sure there was nothing in the
world then to vex or shame Tonelli. The promises of the future, too,
seemed not improbable of fulfilment, for they were not extravagant
promises. These people's castle in the air was a house furnished from
Carlotta's modest portion, and situated in a quarter of the city not too
far from the Piazza, and convenient to a decent caffe, from which they
could order a lemonade or a cup of coffee for visitors. Tonelli's
stipend was to pay the housekeeping, as well as the minute wage of a
servant-girl from the country; and it was believed that they could save
enough from that, and a little of Carlotta's money at interest, to go
sometimes to the Malibran theatre or the Marionette, or even make an
excursion to the mainland upon a holiday; but if they could not, it was
certainly better Italianism to stay at home; and at least they could
always walk to the Public Gardens. At one time, religious differences
threatened to cloud this blissful vision of the future; but it was
finally agreed that Carlotta should go to mass and confession as often
as she liked, and should not tease Tonelli about his soul; while he, on
his part, was not to speak ill of the pope except as a temporal prince,
or of any of the priesthood except of the Jesuits when in company, in
order to show that marriage had not made him a _codino_. For the like
reason, no change was to be made in his custom of praising Garibaldi and
reviling the accursed Germans upon all safe occasions.

As Tonelli had nothing in the world but his salary and his slender
wardrobe, Carlotta eagerly accepted the idea of a loss of family
property during the revolution. Of Tonelli's scar she was as proud as
Tonelli himself.

When she came to speak of the acquaintance of all those young men, it
seemed again like a breath from the north to her betrothed; and he
answered, with a sigh, that this was an affair that had already finished
itself. "I have long thought them too boyish for me," he said, "and I
shall keep none of them but Pennellini, who is even older than I,--who,
I believe, was never born, but created middle-aged out of the dust of
the earth, like Adam. He is not a good devil, but he has every good
quality."

While he thus praised his friend, Tonelli was meditating a service,
which when he asked it of Pennellini, had almost the e