you about myself and the Signorina Martinelli, and how we had agreed to
seize the first opportunity that offered to be privately married, and to
escape over the mountains to my father's house, and throw ourselves upon
his mercy?"

"I don't remember your having mentioned any such plan."

"No matter--so it was. Well, everything seemed to have fallen out most
fortunately for us. I found out some time ago that the marchese would
be going over to Padua this evening on business, and would be absent
at least one whole day, and I immediately applied for my leave to begin
to-morrow. This I obtained at once through my father, who now expects
me to be with him in a few days, and little knows that I shall not come
alone. Johann and the marchese's housekeeper arranged the rest between
them. I was to meet my dear Bianca early in the morning on the Lido;
thence we were to go by boat to Mestre, where a carriage was to be in
waiting for us; and the same evening we were to be married by a priest,
to whom I have given due notice, at a place called Longarone. And so
we should have gone on, across the Ampezzo Pass homeward. Now would you
believe that all this has been defeated by a mere freak on the part of
my colonel? Only this morning, after it was much too late to make any
alteration in our plans, he told me that he should require me to be on
duty all to-day and to-morrow, and that my leave could not begin until
the next day. Is it not maddening? And the worst of it is that I have no
means of letting Bianca know of this, for I dare not send a message
to the palazzo, and there is no chance of my seeing her myself; and of
course she will go to the Lido to-morrow morning, and will find no one
there. Now, my dear Mr. Jenkinson--my good, kind friend--do you begin to
see what I want you to do for me?"