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She laid her finger on her lips； shaking her head gently； and he
was silent； while the intelligent maidat that moment entering
arranged a tea…table and departed。
〃American an' Russian； they are the worse；〃 said the Countess
thoughtfully； as she served him with a generous cup； laced with
rum； 〃but the American he is the bes' to play ~wiz~。〃 Mellin
found her irresistible when she said 〃wiz。〃
〃Why is that？〃
〃Oh； the Russian play high； yesbut the American〃she laughed
delightedly and stretched her arms wide〃he make' it all a joke！
He is beeg like his beeg country。 If he win or lose； he don' care！
Ah； I mus' tell you of my great American frien'； that Honor…able
Chanlair Pedlow； who is comin' to Rome。 You have heard of
Honor…able Chanlair Pedlow in America？〃
〃I remember hearing that name。〃
〃Ah； I shall make you know him。 He is a man of distinction； he
did sit in your Chamber of Deputieswhat you call it？yes； your
Con…gress。 He is funny； eccentricalways he roar like a lion
Boum！but so simple； so good； a man of such fine heartso
lovable！〃
〃1'll be glad to meet him；〃 said Mellin coldly。
〃An'； oh； yes； I almos' forget to tell you；〃 she went on； 〃your
frien'； that dear Cooley； he is on his way from Monte Carlo in
his automobile。 I have a note from him to…day。〃
〃Good sort of fellow； little Cooley； in his way；〃 remarked her
companion graciously。 〃Not especially intellectual or that； you
know。 His father was a manufacturer chap； I believe； or something
of the sort。 I suppose you saw a lot of him in Paris？〃
〃Eh； I thought he is dead！〃 cried Madame de Vaurigard。
〃The father is。 I mean； little Cooley。〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 she laughed softly。 〃We had some gay times； a little
party of us。 We shall be happy here； too； you will see。 I mus'
make a little dinner very soon； but not unless you will come。 You
will？〃
〃Do you want me very much？〃
He placed his empty cup on the table and leaned closer to her；
smiling。 She did not smile in response； instead； her eyes fell
and there was the faintest； pathetic quiver of her lower lip。
〃Already you know that；〃 she said in a low voice。
She rose quickly； turned away from him and walked across the room
to the curtains which opened upon the hall。 One of these she drew
back。
〃My frien'； you mus' go now；〃 she said in the same low voice。
〃To…morrow I will see you again。 Come at four an' you shall drive
with mebut notnot more~now~。 Please！〃
She stood waiting； not looking at him； but with head bent and eyes
veiled。 As he came near she put out a limp hand。 He held it for
a few seconds of distinctly emotional silence； then strode swiftly
into the hall。
She immediately let the curtain fall behind him； and as he got his
hat and coat he heard her catch her breath sharply with a sound
like a little sob。
Dazed with glory； he returned to the hotel。 In the lobby he
approached the glittering concierge and said firmly：
〃What is the Salone Margherita？ Cam you get me a box there
to…night？〃
IV。 Good Fellowship
He confessed his wickedness to Madame de Vaurigard the next
afternoon as they drove out the Appian Way。 〃A fellow must have
just a bit of a fling； you know；〃 he said； 〃and； really； Salone
Margherita isn't so tremendously wicked。〃
She shook her head at him in friendly raillery。 〃Ah； that may be；
but how many of those little dancing…girl' have you invite to
supper afterward？〃
This was a delicious accusation； and though he shook his head in
virtuous denial he was before long almost convinced that he ~had~
given a rather dashing supper after the vaudeville and had ~not~
gone quietly back to the hotel； only stopping by the way to purchase
an orange and a pocketful of horse…chestnuts to eat in his room。
It was a happy drive for Robert Russ Mellin； though not happier than
that of the next day。 Three afternoons they spent driving over the
Campagna； then back to Madame de Vaurigard's apartment for tea by
the firelight； till the enraptured American began to feel that the
dream in which he had come to live must of happy necessity last
forever。
On the fourth afternoon； as he stepped out of the hotel elevator
into the corridor； he encountered Mr。 Sneyd。
〃Just stottin'； eh？〃 said the Englishman； taking an envelope from
his pocket。 〃Lucky I caught you。 This is for you。 I just saw the
Cantess and she teold me to give it you。 Herry and read it and kem
on t' the Amairikin Baw。 Chap I want you to meet。 Eold Cooley's
thyah too。 Gawt in with his tourin'…caw at noon。〃
〃You will forgive； dear friend；〃 wrote Madame de Vaurigard； 〃if
I ask you that we renounce our drive to…day。 You see； I wish to
have that little dinner to…night and must make preparation。
Honorable Chandler Pedlow arrived this morning from Paris and that
droll Mr。 Cooley I have learn is coincidentally arrived also。 You
see I think it would be very pleasant to have the dinner to welcome
these friends on their arrival。 You will come surelyor I shall
be so truly miserable。 You know it perhaps too well！ We shall
have a happy evening if you come to console us for renouncing our
drive。 A thousand of my prettiest wishes for you。
〃Helene。〃
The signature alone consoled him。 To have that note from her； to
own it； was like having one of her gloves or her fan。 He would
keep it forever； he thought； indeed； he more than half expressed a
sentiment to that effect in the response which he wrote in the
aquarium； while Sneyd waited for him at a table near by。 The
Englishman drew certain conclusions in regard to this reply； since
it permitted a waiting friend to consume three long tumblers of
brandy…and…soda before it was finished。 However； Mr。 Sneyd kept
his reflections to himself； and； when the epistle had been
dispatched by a messenger； took the American's arm and led him to
the 〃American Bar〃 of the hotel； a region hitherto unexplored by
Mellin。
Leaning against the bar were Cooley and the man whom Mellin had
seen lolling beside Madame de Vaurigard in Cooley's automobile in
Paris； the same gross person for whom he had instantly conceived
a strong repugnance； a feeling not at once altered by a closer
view。
Cooley greeted Mellin uproariously and Mr。 Sneyd introduced the
fat man。 〃Mr。 Mellin； the Honorable Chandler Pedlow；〃 he said；
nor was the shock to the first…named gentleman lessened by young
Cooley's adding； 〃Best feller in the world！〃
Mr。 Pedlow's eyes were sheltered so deeply beneath florid rolls of
flesh that all one saw of them was an inscrutable gleam of blue；
but； small though they were； they were not shifty； for they met
Mellin's with a squareness that was almost brutal。 He offered a
fat paw； wet by a full glass which he set down too suddenly on the
bar。
〃Shake；〃 he said； in a loud and husky voice； 〃and be friends！
Tommy；〃 he added to the attendant； 〃another round of Martinis。〃
〃Not for me；〃 said Mellin hastily。 〃I don't often〃
〃~What！~〃 Mr。 Pedlow roared suddenly。 〃Why； the first words
Countess de Vaurigard says to me this afternoon was； 'I want you
to meet my young friend Mellin；' she says； 'the gamest little Indian
that ever come down the pike！ He's game；' she says'he'll see you
~all~ under the table！' That's what the smartest little woman in
the world； the Countess de Vaurigard； says about you。〃
This did not seem very closely to echo Madame de Vaurigard's habit
of phrasing； but Mellin perceived that it might be only the fat
man's way of putting things。
〃You ain't goin' back on ~her~； are you？〃 continued Mr。 Pedlow。
〃You ain't goin' to make her out a liar？ I tell you； when the
Countess de Vaurigard says a man 's game； he is game！〃 He laid his
big paw cordially on Mellin's shoulder and smiled； lowering his
voice to a friendly whisper。 〃And I'll bet ten thousand dollars
right out of my pants pocket you ~are~ game； too！〃
He pressed a glass into the other's hand。 Smiling feebly； the
embarrassed Mellin accepted it。
〃Make it four more； Tommy；〃 said Pedlow。 〃And here；〃 continued
this thoughtful man； 〃I don't go bandying no ladies' names around
a bar…roomthat ain't my stylebut I do want to propose a toast。
I won't name her； but you all know who I mean。〃
〃Sure we do；〃 interjected Cooley warmly。 〃Queen！ That's what she
is。〃
〃Here's ~to~ her；〃 continued Mr。 Pedlow。 〃Here's to herbrightest
and bestand no heel…taps！ And now let's set down over in the
corner and take it easy。 It ain't hardly five o'clock yet； and we
can set here comfortable； gittin' ready for dinner； until half…past
six； anyway。〃
Whereupon the four seated themselves about a tabouret in the corner；
and； a waiter immediately bringing them four fresh glasses from the
bar； Mellin began to understand what Mr。 Pedlow meant by 〃gittin'
ready for dinner。〃 The burden of the conversation was carried
almost entirely by the Honorable Chandler； though Cooley； whose
boyish face was deeply flushed； now and then managed to interrupt
by talking louder than the fat man。 Mr。 Sneyd sat silent。
〃Good ole Sneyd；〃 said Pedlow。 〃~He~ never talks； jest saws wood。
Only Britisher I ever liked。 Plays cards like a goat。〃
〃He played a mighty good