"
"Why?" asked the Marchesa, not understanding in the least how he could
attach so much value to things which seemed to her unappreciative mind
to be perfectly indifferent.
"Besides," she added, "if you want to give a party, you can illuminate
the garden of the hotel with Chinese lanterns. That would be much
prettier than to picnic on uncomfortable rocks out in the sea with
nothing but cold things to eat and only the moon for an illumination. I
am sure Beatrice would like it much better."
San Miniato laughed.
"What a prosaic person you are!" he exclaimed. "Can you not imagine that
a young girl's disposition may be softened by moonlight, mandolins and
night breezes?"
"No. I never understood that. And after all if you want moonlight you
can have it here. If it shines at Capri it will shine at Sorrento. At
least it seems to me so."
"No, dearest Marchesa," answered San Miniato triumphantly. "There you
are mistaken."
"About the moon?"
"Yes, about the moon. When it rises we do not see it here, on account of
the mountains behind us."
"But I have often seen the moon here, from this very place," objected
the Marchesa.
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