on his straw hat at exactly the most impudent angle.

"I shall leave you to write your book while I meet papa at the villa.
Do you know why papa is so careful to be always at the villa at four
o'clock just now?"

"No!"

"Nor does mamma! If she did! Povera mamma! But she can always go to
Mass. A rivederci, Emilio."

He moved his hat a little more to one side and went out, swinging his
walking-stick gently to and fro in a manner that was pensive and
almost sentimental.



CHAPTER VI

The Marchesino Panacci was generally very sincere with his friends,
and the boyish expression in his eyes was not altogether deceptive,
for despite his wide knowledge of certain aspects of life, not wholly
admirable, there was really something of the simplicity of a child--of
a child that could be very naughty--in his disposition. But if he
could be naïve he could also be mischievous and even subtle, and he
was very swift in grasping a situation, very sharp in reading
character, very cunning in the pursuit of his pleasure, very adroit in
deception, if he thought that publicity of pursuit would be likely to
lead to the frustration of his purpose.