"Of course I shall be very glad of your company."
Her mother pushed her out. "Go and get dressed directly; put on your
blue dress and your hat with the flowers, and make haste."
As soon as she had left the room the old woman explained herself: "I
have two others, but they are much younger. It costs a lot of money to
bring up four children. Luckily the eldest is off my hands at present."
Then she told all about herself, about her husband, who had been an
employé on the railway, but who was dead, and she expatiated on the good
qualities of Carlotta, her second girl, who soon returned, dressed, as
her sister had been, in a striking, peculiar manner.
Her mother examined her from head to foot, and, after finding everything
right, she said:
"Now, my children, you can go." Then turning to the girl, she said: "Be
sure you are back by ten o'clock to-night; you know the door is locked
then." The answer was:
"All right, mamma; don't alarm yourself."
She took my arm, and we went wandering about the streets, just as I had
done the previous year with her sister.
We returned to the hotel for lunch, and then I took my new friend to
Santa Margarita, just as I had done with her sister the year previously.
And she did not go home that night, although the door was to be closed
at ten o'clock!
During the whole fortnight which I had at my disposal I took Carlotta to
all the places of interest in and about Genoa. She gave me no cause to
regret the other.
She cried when I left her, and the morning of my departure I gave her
four bracelets for her mother, besides a substantial token of my
affection for herself.
One of these days I intend to return to Italy, and I cannot help
remembering, with a certain amount of uneasiness, mingled with hope,
that Mme. Rondoli has two more daughters.