"Signorina." Mae was passing down the long hall when she heard the
whisper. She turned and saw Lisetta, with shining eyes and pink cheeks,
standing at her side. Her pretty plump shoulders were only half covered,
and the array of colors about her transformed her into a sort of
personified rainbow. This was Lisetta's Carnival attire, and very proud
she was of it.

"Why, Lisetta, what do you want, and what makes you so happy?" called
Mae.

"O, Signorina, the cousins are here,--and others,--all in mask. They
fill Maria's rooms quite full. It is very gay out there, and they all
want to see you, Signorina. I have told them how well you speak Italian
and how you love Italy, and to-night, they say, you shall be one of us.
So come." All this while Lisetta had been leading Mae swiftly down the
corridor, until as she said these last words, she reached and pushed
open the door. A great shout of laughter greeted Mae's ear, and a pretty
picture met her eyes--gaily decked youths and maidens clapping their
hands and chattering brightly, while the padrona was just entering the
opposite doorway, bearing two flasks of native wine, and some glasses.

"'Tis genuine Orvieto," she called out, and this raised another shout.
Then she caught sight of Mae and bowed low towards her. "Here is the
little foreign lady," she cried, and a dozen pairs of big black eyes
were turned eagerly and warmly on Mae. She bowed and smiled at them,
and said in pleading tones, "O, pray do not call me the 'little foreign
lady' now. Play I am as good an Italian as my heart could wish I were."

This speech was received with new applause, and the padrona handed
around the glasses saying: "We must drink first to the health of our new