CHAPTER　XC
  Buona　sera　…　Rather　apprehensive　…　The　steep　bank　…　Lovely　virgin　…
  Hospitality　…　Tory　minister　…　Custom　of　the　country　…　Sneering
  smile　…　Wandering　Zigan　…　Gypsies'　cloaks　…　Certain　faculty　…　Acute
  answer　…　Various　ways　…　Addio　…　Best　Hollands。
  THE　man　in　black　and　myself　stood　opposite　to　each　other　for　a
  minute　or　two　in　silence；　I　will　not　say　that　we　confronted　each
  other　that　time；　for　the　man　in　black；　after　a　furtive　glance；　did
  not　look　me　in　the　face；　but　kept　his　eyes　fixed　apparently　on　the
  leaves　of　a　bunch　of　ground…nuts　which　were　growing　at　my　feet。　　At
  length；　looking　around　the　dingle；　he　exclaimed；　'Buona　sera；　I
  hope　I　don't　intrude。'
  'You　have　as　much　right　here；'　said　I；　'as　I　or　my　companion；　but
  you　had　no　right　to　stand　listening　to　our　conversation。'
  'I　was　not　listening；'　said　the　man；　'I　was　hesitating　whether　to
  advance　or　retire；　and　if　I　heard　some　of　your　conversation；　the
  fault　was　not　mine。'
  'I　do　not　see　why　you　should　have　hesitated　if　your　intentions　were
  good；'　said　I。
  'I　think　the　kind　of　place　in　which　I　found　myself　might　excuse
  some　hesitation；'　said　the　man　in　black；　looking　around；　'moreover；
  from　what　I　had　seen　of　your　demeanour　at　the　public…house；　I　was
  rather　apprehensive　that　the　reception　I　might　experience　at　your
  hands　might　be　more　rough　than　agreeable。'
  'And　what　may　have　been　your　motive　for　coming　to　this　place？'　said
  I。
  'Per　far　visita　a　sua　signoria；　ecco　il　motivo。'
  'Why　do　you　speak　to　me　in　that　gibberish；'　said　I；　'do　you　think　I
  understand　it？'
  'It　is　not　Armenian；'　said　the　man　in　black；　'but　it　might　serve；
  in　a　place　like　this；　for　the　breathing　of　a　little　secret
  communication；　were　any　common　roadster　near　at　hand。　　It　would　not
  do　at　Court；　it　is　true；　being　the　language　of　singing　women；　and
  the　like；　but　we　are　not　at　Court　…　when　we　are；　I　can　perhaps
  summon　up　a　little　indifferent　Latin；　if　I　have　anything　private　to
  communicate　to　the　learned　Professor。'
  And　at　the　conclusion　of　this　speech　the　man　in　black　lifted　up　his
  head；　and；　for　some　moments；　looked　me　in　the　face。　　The　muscles　of
  his　own　seemed　to　be　slightly　convulsed；　and　his　mouth　opened　in　a
  singular　manner
  'I　see；'　said　I；　'that　for　some　time　you　were　standing　near　me　and
  my　companion；　in　the　mean　act　of　listening。'
  'Not　at　all；'　said　the　man　in　black；　'I　heard　from　the　steep　bank
  above；　that　to　which　I　have　now　alluded；　whilst　I　was　puzzling
  myself　to　find　the　path　which　leads　to　your　retreat。　　I　made；
  indeed；　nearly　the　compass　of　the　whole　thicket　before　I　found　it。'
  'And　how　did　you　know　that　I　was　here？'　I　demanded。
  'The　landlord　of　the　public…house；　with　whom　I　had　some
  conversation　concerning　you；　informed　me　that　he　had　no　doubt　I
  should　find　you　in　this　place；　to　which　he　gave　me　instructions　not
  very　clear。　　But；　now　I　am　here；　I　crave　permission　to　remain　a
  little　time；　in　order　that　I　may　hold　some　communion　with　you。'
  'Well；'　said　I；　'since　you　are　come；　you　are　welcome；　please　to
  step　this　way。'
  Thereupon　I　conducted　the　man　in　black　to　the　fireplace；　where
  Belle　was　standing；　who　had　risen　from　her　stool　on　my　springing　up
  to　go　in　quest　of　the　stranger。　　The　man　in　black　looked　at　her
  with　evident　curiosity；　then　making　her　rather　a　graceful　bow；
  'Lovely　virgin；'　said　he；　stretching　out　his　hand；　'allow　me　to
  salute　your　fingers。'
  'I　am　not　in　the　habit　of　shaking　hands　with　strangers；'　said
  Belle。
  'I　did　not　presume　to　request　to　shake　hands　with　you；'　said　the
  man　in　black；　'I　merely　wished　to　be　permitted　to　salute　with　my
  lips　the　extremity　of　your　two　forefingers。'
  'I　never　permit　anything　of　the　kind；'　said　Belle；　'　I　do　not
  approve　of　such　unmanly　ways；　they　are　only　befitting　those　who
  lurk　in　corners　or　behind　trees；　listening　to　the　conversation　of
  people　who　would　fain　be　private。'
  'Do　you　take　me　for　a　listener　then？'　said　the　man　in　black。
  'Ay；　indeed　I　do；'　said　Belle；　'the　young　man　may　receive　your
  excuses；　and　put　confidence　in　them；　if　he　please；　but　for　my　part
  I　neither　admit　them　nor　believe　them；'　and　thereupon　flinging　her
  long　hair　back；　which　was　hanging　over　her　cheeks；　she　seated
  herself　on　her　stool。
  'Come；　Belle；'　said　I；　'I　have　bidden　the　gentleman　welcome；　I
  beseech　you；　therefore；　to　make　him　welcome；　he　is　a　stranger；
  where　we　are　at　home；　therefore；　even　did　we　wish　him　away；　we　are
  bound　to　treat　him　kindly。'
  'That's　not　English　doctrine；'　said　the　man　in　black。
  'I　thought　the　English　prided　themselves　on　their　hospitality；'
  said　I。
  'They　do　so；'　said　the　man　in　black；　'they　are　proud　of　showing
  hospitality　to　people　above　them；　that　is；　to　those　who　do　not　want
  it；　but　of　the　hospitality　which　you　were　now　describing；　and　which
  is　Arabian；　they　know　nothing。　　No　Englishman　will　tolerate　another
  in　his　house；　from　whom　he　does　not　expect　advantage　of　some　kind；
  and　to　those　from　whom　he　does　he　can　be　civil　enough。　　An
  Englishman　thinks　that；　because　he　is　in　his　own　house；　he　has　a
  right　to　be　boorish　and　brutal　to　any　one　who　is　disagreeable　to
  him；　as　all　those　are　who　are　really　in　want　of　assistance。　　Should
  a　hunted　fugitive　rush　into　an　Englishman's　house；　beseeching
  protection；　and　appealing　to　the　master's　feelings　of　hospitality；
  the　Englishman　would　knock　him　down　in　the　passage。'
  'You　are　too　general；'　said　I；　'in　your　strictures。　　Lord　…；　the
  unpopular　Tory　minister；　was　once　chased　through　the　streets　of
  London　by　a　mob；　and；　being　in　danger　of　his　life；　took　shelter　in
  the　shop　of　a　Whig　linen…draper；　declaring　his　own　unpopular　name；
  and　appealing　to　the　linen…draper's　feelings　of　hospitality；
  whereupon　the　linen…draper；　utterly　forgetful　of　all　party　rancour；
  nobly　responded　to　the　appeal；　and　telling　his　wife　to　conduct　his
  lordship　upstairs；　jumped　over　the　counter；　with　his　ell　in　his
  hand；　and　placing　himself　with　half…a…dozen　of　his　assistants　at
  the　door　of　his　boutique；　manfully　confronted　the　mob；　telling　them
  that　he　would　allow　himself　to　be　torn　to　a　thousand　pieces　ere　he
  would　permit　them　to　injure　a　hair　of　his　lordship's　head：　　what　do
  you　think　of　that？'
  'He！　he！　he！'　tittered　the　man　in　black。
  'Well；'　said　I；　'I　am　afraid　your　own　practice　is　not　very
  different　from　that　which　you　have　been　just　now　describing；　you
  sided　with　the　Radical　in　the　public…house　against　me；　as　long　as
  you　thought　him　the　most　powerful；　and　then　turned　against　him　when
  you　saw　he　was　cowed。　　What　have　you　to　say　to　that？'
  'Oh；　when　one　is　in　Rome；　I　mean　England；　one　must　do　as　they　do　in
  England；　I　was　merely　conforming　to　the　custom　of　the　country；　he！
  he！　but　I　beg　your　pardon　here；　as　I　did　in　the　public…house。　　I
  made　a　mistake。'
  'Well；'　said　I；　'we　will　drop　the　matter；　but　pray　seat　yourself　on
  that　stone；　and　I　will　sit　down　on　the　grass　near　you。'
  The　man　in　black；　after　proffering　two　or　three　excuses　for
  occupying　what　he　supposed　to　be　my　seat；　sat　down　upon　the　stone；
  and　I　squatted　down；　gypsy…fashion；　just　opposite　to　him；　Belle
  sitting　on　her　stool　at　a　slight　distance　on　my　right。　　After　a
  time　I　addressed　him　thus：　　'Am　I　to　reckon　this　a　mere　visit　of
  ceremony？　should　it　prove　so；　it　will　be；　I　believe；　the　first
  visit　of　the　kind　ever　paid　me。'
  'Will　you　permit　me　to　ask；'　said　the　man　in　black　…　'the　weather
  is　very　warm；'　said　he；　interrupting　himself；　and　taking　off　his
  hat。
  I　now　observed　that　he　was　partly　bald；　his　red　hair　having　died
  away　from　the　fore　part　of　his　crown　…　his　forehead　was　high；　his
  eyebrows　scanty；　his　eyes　gray　and　sly；　with　a　downward　tendency；
  his　nose　was　slightly　aquiline；　his　mouth　rather　large　…　a　kind　of
  sneering　smile　played　continually　on　his　lips；　his　complexion　was
  somewhat　rubicund。
  'A　bad　countenance；'　said　Belle；　in　the　language　of　the　roads；
  observing　that　my　eyes　were　fixed　on　his　face。
  'Does　not　my　countenance　please　you；　fair　damsel？'　said　the　man　in
  black；　resuming　his　hat；　and　speaking　in　a　peculiarly　gentle　voice。
  'How；'　said　I；　'do　you　understand　the　language　of　the　roads？'
  'As　little　as　I　do　Armenian；'　said　the　man　in　black；　'but　I
  understand　look　and　tone。'
  'So　do　I；　perhaps；'　retorted　Belle；　'and；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I
  like　your　tone　as　little　as　your　face。'
  'For　shame；'　said　I；　'have　you　forgot　what　I　was　saying　just　now
  about　the　duties　of　hospitality？　　You　have　not　yet　answered　my
  question；'　said　I；　addressing　myself　to　the　man；　'with　respect　to
  your　visit。'
  'Will　you　permit　me　to　ask　who　you　are？'
  'Do　you　see　the　place　where　I　live？'　said　I。
  'I　do；'　said　the　man　in　black；　looking　around。
  'Do　you　know　the　name