The servant saw that something had gone wrong, and, under pretence of
syringing the orange-trees, he lingered near his master, and peered
through the sunny leaves upon Riccabocca's melancholy brows.
The Doctor sighed heavily. Nor did he, as was his wont, after some such
sigh, mechanically take up that dear comforter, the pipe. But though
the tobacco-pouch lay by his side on the balustrade, and the pipe stood
against the wall between his knees, childlike lifting up its lips to
the customary caress--he heeded neither the one nor the other, but laid
the letter silently on his lap, and fixed his eyes upon the ground.
"It must be bad news indeed!" thought Jackeymo, and desisted from
his work. Approaching his master, he took up the pipe and the
tobacco-pouch, and filled the bowl slowly, glancing all the while to
that dark musing face on which, when abandoned by the expression of
intellectual vivacity or the exquisite smile of Italian courtesy, the
deep downward lines revealed the characters of sorrow. Jackeymo did not
venture to speak; but the continued silence of his master disturbed
him much. He laid that peculiar tinder which your smokers use upon
the steel, and struck the spark--still not a word, nor did Riccabocca
stretch forth his hand.
"I never knew him in this taking before," thought Jackeymo; and
delicately he insinuated the neck of the pipe into the nerveless
fingers of the hand that lay supine on those quiet knees--the pipe fell
to the ground.
Jackeymo crossed himself, and began praying to his sainted namesake
with great fervour.
The Doctor rose slowly, and, as if with effort, he walked once or twice
to and fro the terrace; and then he halted abruptly, and said--
"Friend!"
"Blessed Monsignore San Giacomo, I knew thou wouldst hear me!" cried
the servant; and he raised his master's hand to his lips, then abruptly
turned away and wiped his eyes. "Friend," repeated Riccabocca, and this
time with a tremulous emphasis, and in the softest tone of a voice
never wholly without the music of the sweet South, "I would talk to
thee of my child."--