surprised to find that they were not accurately followed. The man,
however, was much too courteous to say in any language that he did not
understand every word that was said to him. Miss Greene was standing
apart, doing nothing. As she was only eighteen years of age, it was
of course her business to do nothing; and a very pretty little girl
she was, by no means ignorant of her own beauty, and possessed of
quite sufficient wit to enable her to make the most of it.

Mr. Greene was very leisurely in his proceedings, and the four waiters
were almost reduced to despair.

"I want two bed-rooms, a dressing-room, and some dinner," he said at
last, speaking very slowly, and in his own vernacular. I could not in
the least assist him by translating it into Italian, for I did not
speak a word of the language myself; but I suggested that the man
would understand French. The waiter, however, had understood English.
Waiters do understand all languages with a facility that is
marvellous; and this one now suggested that Mrs. Greene should follow
him up-stairs. Mrs. Greene, however, would not move till she had seen
that her boxes were all right; and as Mrs. Greene was also a pretty
woman, I found myself bound to apply myself to her assistance.

"Oh, thank you," said she. "The people are so stupid that one can
really do nothing with them. And as for Mr. Greene, he is of no use
at all. You see that box, the smaller one. I have four hundred
pounds' worth of jewellery in that, and therefore I am obliged to look
after it."

"Indeed," said I, rather startled at this amount of confidence on
rather a short acquaintance. "In that case I do not wonder at your