A Siren | Page 4

supper-room. But it is
probable that the existence of it was unknown to the great majority of
the company. At all events, so it happened, that when Ludovico and
Bianca reached it, it was wholly untenanted, save by Dante, in his long
red gown, solitarily occupied in cramming himself with pastry.
"What, Dante in exile!" cried Ludovico. "Pray, Sir Poet, which bolgia
was set apart for those who are lost by the `peccato della gola?' or is a
bilious fit in the more immediate future bolgia fearful enough?"
"It is not so bad a bolgia as that appointed some other sins," said the
Conte Leandro, with mouth stuffed with cake, as he moved out of
room.
"What an animal it is!" said Ludovico, laughing, as he gave Bianca a
glass of champagne, and filled another for himself.
"Take some of this woodcock pie, Signora Bianca? You must be
starved by this time; and I can recommend it."
"How so? You have not tasted it yourself yet."
"No; but I am going to do so. And my recommendation is based on my
knowledge of the qualities of our woodcocks. They are the finest in the
world. The marshes in the neighbourhood of the Pineta breed them in
immense quantities."
"Oh, I have heard so much of the Pineta. They say it is so lovely."
"The most beautiful forest in the world. And this is just the time when
it is in its greatest beauty,--the early spring, when the wild flowers are
all beginning to blossom, and the birds are all singing. There is nothing

like our Pineta!"
"I should so like to see it. It does seem really a shame to leave Ravenna
without ever having seen the Pineta."
"Oh, you must not dream of doing so. You must make a little excursion
one of these fine spring days. It is just the time for it. Some morning,
the earlier the better. But I dare say your habits are not very matutinal,
Signora?"
"Well, not very, for the most part. But I would willingly make them
matutinal for such a purpose at any time. How far is it?"
"Oh, a mere nothing--at the city gates almost a couple of miles, perhaps.
You may go out by the Porta Nuova, at the end of the Corso, and so to
that part of the forest which lies to the southward of the city; or by the
northern road, which very soon enters the wood on that side. Perhaps
the finest part of the Pineta is that to the southwards. Of all places in
the world it is the spot for a colazione al fresco."
"I should so like it. I have heard of the Pineta di Ravenna all my life."
"What do you say to going this very morning?" said Ludovico, after
thinking for a minute. "There is no time like the present. It will be a
charming finish to our Carnival--new and original, too! Do you feel as
if you had go enough left for it?"
"Oh, as for that," said Bianca, laughing with lips and eyes, "I am up to
anything. I should like it of all things. But--"
"Ah! what a terrible word that 'but' is. But what?" said Ludovico, who
had no sooner conceived the idea than he became eager to put it into
execution. "But what?"
"But--a great many things. Unhappily, there is no word comes oftener
into one's life than that odious 'but.' But who is to go with me? I cannot
go all alone by myself?"

"Oh, that's no but at all. Of course, Signora, I did not propose such an
expedition to you without proposing to myself the honour of
accompanying you," said Ludovico with a profound bow.
"What a scappata! I should like it of all things. But--there it comes
again! `But' the second; will not the good people say all sorts of
ill-natured and absurd things?"
"Not a bit of it--in my case, Signora. Everybody knows that we have
been very good friends; and that I have not been coxcomb enough to
have ever hoped to be aught more to you, having been protected, as
they all know, from such danger in the only way in which a man could
possibly be protected from it," said Ludovico, bowing again.
"Dear me! What way is that? It might be so useful to know. Would it be
equally applicable to a lady, I wonder?" said Bianca, looking at him
half laughingly, half-poutingly, with her head on one side. "Oh yes!
perfectly applicable in all cases, Signora. It is only to have no heart to
lose, having lost it already," returned he.
"Oh, come! This is a confidence dans les regles! And in return for it,
Signor Ludovico, do you know--speaking in all seriousness--that- -if
we really do