"Yes, and as you see, it has not been concluded without some trouble. I have been obliged to represent all the advances as having been made by the Colona; for, you see, they have had five men killed, while the Orlandi have lost but four. The former consented to the arrangement yesterday, and the latter to-day. The upshot of it all is that the Colona have agreed to hand over a live hen to the Orlandi, a concession which will prove them in the wrong. This last consideration has settled the matter."
"And to-morrow this touching reconciliation will be effected?"
"Yes, to-morrow, at ten o'clock. You are still unfortunate; you hoped to see a Vendetta?"
The young man smiled bitterly as he continued--"But this is a finer thing than a Vendetta! isn't it? For four hundred years, in Corsica, they have been talking of nothing else. Now you will see a reconciliation. I assure you it is a much rarer sight than a Vendetta!"
"There, you see, you are laughing at us," he said. "And you are right, after all. We are really a very droll people."
"No," I replied, "I was laughing at another strange thing, and that is, to see that you are annoyed with yourself because you have succeeded so well in bringing about a reconciliation."
"Ah!" he replied. "If you had understood what we said you would have admired my eloquence. But come back in ten years' time, and you will find us all speaking French."
"No, no--I am a referee--an arbitrator. What the deuce do you expect? Must not an arbitrator reconcile opposing factions? They might nominate me the arbiter between Heaven and Hell, that I might teach them to be reconciled, although, in my own heart, I should feel that I was a fool for my pains."
I perceived that this conversation was only irritating to my new acquaintance, so I let it drop, and as he did not attempt to resume it, we proceeded in silence, and did not speak again until we had reached his house.
GRIFFO was in attendance when we arrived, and before his master said a word the servant had taken the pheasant from Lucien's pocket. The valet had heard and had understood the object of the shot.
Madame de Franchi had not yet retired to rest, although she had gone upstairs, and she had left a message with Griffo to request her son to go into her room before she went to bed.