"See now, we have been
bidding our adieux to the little Natalushka--the rogue, to pretend to me
she had no sweetheart! Shall we have a glass of wine, _mon capitaine_,
before we imbark?"
"Yes, yes," said Lind, though without any great cordiality. "Come into
my little room."
He led him into the small study, and presently there was wine upon the
table. Calabressa was exceedingly vivacious, and a little difficult to
follow, especially in his French. But Lind allowed him to rattle on,
until by accident he referred to some meeting that was shortly to take
place at Posilipo.
"Well, now, Calabressa," said Lind, with apparent carelessness, as he
broke off a bit of biscuit and poured out a glass of wine for himself,
"I suppose you know more about the opinions of the Council now than any
one not absolutely within itself."
"I am a humble servant only, friend Lind," he remarked, as he thrust his
fingers into the breast of his military-looking coat--"a humble servant
of my most noble masters. But sometimes one hears--one guesses--_mais a
quel propos cette question, monsieur mon camarade_?"
Lind regarded him; and said, slowly,
"You know, Calabressa, that some seventeen years ago I was on the point
of being elected a member of the Council.
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