"Thanks," she said. "By the bye, are you going to spend the summer here, or are you only passing?"
"I am only passing--literally passing, for I have come from the north, and am going southward. I believe I am doing rather an original thing."
"You are generally supposed to be always doing original things," said Leonora.
"At all events I am never bored," he answered, "which cannot be said of most people. At present I am going round Italy in an open boat. It is great fun. I started from Nice six weeks ago."
"How delightful! I should like it immensely!"
"I enjoy it of all things," she answered. In spite of her remark to the same effect made to Marcantonio on the day of their arrival, she had not yet been on the water. He had been so anxious about the cook.
"There is a man-of-war to be launched at Castellamare the day after to-morrow," said Batiscombe. "May I have the pleasure of taking you over in my boat?"
At this moment Marcantonio appeared at the extremity of the terrace and came towards them.
"Should you like to go?" asked Batiscombe quickly, in a lower voice. "If so I will propose it at once." Leonora nodded, and her husband approached.
"Marcantonio," she said, "you know Monsieur Batiscombe?"
"Mais certainement," cried Marcantonio cordially, and the two men shook hands. Batiscombe was at least as much at home in French as his host, and immediately attacked the subject.
"I came to propose to Madame la Marquise," he said, "that you should come over to Castellamare in my boat the day after to-morrow to see the launch. I trust the plan meets your approval?"
Marcantonio turned to his wife to inquire. She nodded to him; he nodded to her.
And so the matter was arranged; they agreed about the hour, and Leonora said she would bring the luncheon.
"Yes," said Marcantonio, "I am glad to say the cook"--
At this point Mr. Batiscombe rose to go, and the remark about the cook's health was lost in the stir. Batiscombe bowed, smiled, bowed again, and moved smoothly away across the terrace, disappearing with a final inclination, and a sweep of his straw hat.
"He walks like a cat, that gentleman," said Marcantonio as he sat himself down beside his wife.
"He is charming," said Leonora. "He has been so amusing." She looked at her husband furtively to see how he took the remark.