you needn't offer me the Paris _Herald_ again. I
already know by heart the list of guests in every hotel in Switzerland.'

'Ah, it is diversion zat you wish? Have you seen zat ver' beautiful Luini
in ze chapel of San Bartolomeo? It is four hundred years old.'

'Yes, Gustavo, I have seen the Luini in the chapel of San Bartolomeo. I
derived all the pleasure to be got out of it the first afternoon I came.'

'Ze garden of Prince Sartonio-Crevelli? Has ze signore seen ze cedar of
Lebanon in ze garden of ze prince?'

'Yes, Gustavo, the signore has seen the cedar of Lebanon in the garden of
the prince, also the ilex tree two hundred years old and the india-rubber
plant from South America. They are extremely beautiful, but they don't
last a week.'

'Have you swimmed in ze lake?'

'It is lukewarm, Gustavo.'

The waiter's eyes roved anxiously. They lighted on the lunette of
shimmering water and purple mountains visible at the farther end of the
arbour.

'Zere is ze view,' he suggested humbly. 'Ze view from ze water front is
consider ver' beautiful, ver' nice. Many foreigners come entirely for
him. You can see Lago di Garda, Monte Brione, Monte Baldo wif ze ruin
castle of ze Scaliger, Monte Maggiore, ze Altissimo di Nago, ze snow
cover peak of Monte----'

Mr. Jerymn Hilliard, Jr., stopped him with a gesture.

'That will do; I read Baedeker myself, and I saw them all the first night
I came. You must know at your age, Gustavo, that a man can't enjoy a view
by himself; it takes two for that sort of thing.--Yes, the truth is that
I am lonely. You can see yourself to what straits I am pushed for
conversation. If I had your command of language, now, I would talk to the
German Alpine climbers.'

An idea flashed over Gustavo's features.

'Ah, zat is it! Why does not ze signore climb mountains? Ver' helful;
ver' diverting. I find guide.'

'You needn't bother. Your guide would be Italian, and it's too much of a
strain to talk to a man all day in dumb show.' He folded his arms with a
weary sigh. 'A week of Valedolmo! An eternity!'

Gustavo echoed the sigh. Though he did not entirely comprehend the
trouble, still he was of a generously sympathetic nature.

'It is a pity,' he observed casually, 'zat you are not acquaint wif ze
Signor Americano who lives in Villa Rosa. He also finds Valedolmo
undiverting. He comes--but often--to talk wif me. He has fear of
forgetting how to spik Angleesh, he says.'

The young man opened his