"I was never so happy in my life," laughed Beatrice. "And to think that
you have really captured mamma in spite of herself! Oh, mamma, you will
enjoy it so much! I promise you shall. There is iced champagne, and the
foot warmer and the marrons glaces and the lamp and everything you
like--and quails stuffed with truffles, besides. Now do be happy and let
us enjoy ourselves!"
"But where are all these things?" asked the Marchesa. "I shall believe
when I see."
"Everything is at Tragara already," answered Beatrice tripping down the
stairs beside her mother's chair. "And we really will enjoy ourselves,"
she added, turning her head with a bewitching smile, and looking back at
San Miniato. "What a general you are!"
"If you could convince the Minister of War of that undoubted fact, you
would be conferring the greatest possible favour upon me," said the
Count. "He would have no trouble in persuading me to return to the army
as commander-in-chief, though I left the service as a captain."
So they went down the long winding way cut through the soft tufo rock
and found the boat waiting for them by the little landing.
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