With the assistance of his
letters and telegrams he was beginning to bear up wonderfully, and, as
it was just in, I hadn't the heart to interfere. "You can apologise for
us, daughter," said poppa, "and say something polite about our seeing
him later. Don't let him suppose we've gone back on him in any way. It's
a thing no young fellow in America would think of, but with these
foreigners you never can tell."
I saw at once that the Count was annoyed. He was standing in the middle
of the salon, fingering his sword-hilt in a manner which expressed the
most absurd irritation. So I said immediately that I was awfully sorry,
but it seemed so difficult to get anything to eat in Rome at that time
of year, that the head-waiter was really responsible, and wouldn't he
sit down?
"I don't know what you will think of us," I went on as we shook hands.
"How long have you been kind enough to wait, anyway?"
"Since a quarter of an hour--only," replied the Count, with a difficult
smile, "but now that I see you it is forgotten all."
"That's very nice of you," I said. "I assure you momma was quite worked
up about keeping you waiting.
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