served them for
all the disguise that circumstances required.

"Il Signor Vice-governatore!" almost gasped Benedetta, dusting a chair,
and then the table, and disposing the former near the latter by a sort
of mechanical process, as if only one errand could ever bring a guest
within her doors; "your eccellenza is most welcome; and it is an honor I
could oftener ask. We are humble people down here at the water side, but
I hope we are just as good Christians as if we lived upon the hill."

"Doubt it not, worthy Bettina--"

"My name is Benedetta, at your eccellenza's command-Benedittina if it
please the vice-governatore; but not Bettina. We think much of our
names, down here at the water side, eccellenza."

"Let it be so, then, good Benedetta, and I make no doubt you are
excellent Christians.--A flask of your wine, if it be convenient."

The woman dropped a curtsey that was full of gratitude; and the glance
of triumph that she cast at her other guests may be said to have
terminated the discussion that was about to commence, as the dignitaries
appeared. It disposed of the question of the wine at once, and for ever
silenced cavilling. If the vice-governatore could drink her liquor, what
mariner would henceforth dare calumniate it!

"Eccellenza, with a thousand welcomes," Benedetta continued, as she
placed the flask on the table, after having carefully removed the cotton
and the oil with her own plump hand; this being one of half a dozen
flasks of really sound, well-flavored, Tuscan liquor, that she kept for
especial occasions; as she well might, the cost being only a paul, or
ten cents for near half a gallon; "Eccellenza, a million times welcome.
This is an honor that don't befall the Santa Maria degli Venti more than
once in a century; and you, too, Signor Podesta, once before only have
you ever had leisure to darken my poor door."

"We bachelors"--the podesta, as well as the vice-governor, belonged to
the fraternity--"we bachelors are afraid to trust ourselves too often in
the company of a sprightly widow like yourself, whose beauty has rather
improved than lessened by a few years."

This brought a coquettish answer, during which time Andrea Barrofaldi,
having first satisfied himself that the wine might be swallowed with
impunity, was occupied in surveying the party of silent and humble
mariners, who were seated at the other table. His object was to
ascertain how far he might have committed himself, by appearing in