daily, as before, he did not recur to the interesting subject, and it
was not for me to take the initiative in doing so. Curiosity, I confess,
led me to direct my gondolier more than once to the narrow canal
over which the Palazzo Martinelli towered; and on each occasion I was
rewarded by descrying, from the depths of the miniature mourning-coach
which concealed me, the faithful count, seated in his boat and waiting
in patient faith, like another Ritter Toggenburg, with his eyes fixed
upon the corner window; but of the lady I could see no sign. I was
rather disappointed at first, as day after day went by and my young
friend showed no disposition to break the silence in which he had chosen
to wrap himself; for I had nothing to do in Venice, and I thought it
would have been rather amusing to watch the progress of this incipient
romance. By degrees, however, I ceased to trouble myself about it; and
at the end of a fortnight I had other things to think of, in the shape
of plans for the summer, my sister Anne having by that time satisfied
herself that, all things considered, Titian's "Assumption" was a little
too much for her.

It was Captain Janovicz who informed me casually one evening that
Von Rosenau was going away in a few days on leave, and that he would
probably be absent for a considerable time.

"For my own part," remarked my informant, "I shall be surprised if we
see him back in the regiment at all. He was only sent to us as a sort of
punishment for having been a naughty boy, and I suppose now he will be
forgiven, and restored to the hussars."

"So much for undying love," thinks I, with a cynical chuckle. "If
there is any gratitude in man, that young fellow ought to be showering
blessings on me for having refused to hold the noose for him to thrust