place, as he had seen Gigi do the day before.

"How ingenious--and, like all great things, how simple,"
laughed the Duchessa.

Peter waved his hand, as who should modestly deprecate
applause. But, I 'm ashamed to own, he didn't disclaim the
credit of the invention.

"It will require some nerve," she reflected, looking at the
narrow planks, the foaming green water. "However--"

And gathering in her skirts, she set bravely forward, and made
the transit without mishap. The priest and Emilia, gathering
in their skirts, made it after her.

She paused on the other side, and looked back, smiling.

"Since you have discovered so efficacious a means of cutting
short the distance between our places of abode," she said, "I
hope you will not fail to profit by it whenever you may have
occasion--on Thursday, for example."

"Thank you very much," said Peter.

"Of course," she went on, "we may all die of our wetting yet.
It would perhaps show a neighbourly interest if you were to
come up to-morrow, and take our news. Come at four o'clock;
and if we're alive . . . you shall have another pinch of
snuff," she promised, laughing.