“And then?” she said, with a little dramatic gesture, and an elevation of her beautifully formed black eyebrows.  “Leo, you never saw my lodgings with the family Debernardi—­you have only mount the stairs—­”

“My goodness, Nina, I could guess what the inside of the rooms was like, if they were anything like those interminable and horrid stairs!” he exclaimed, with a laugh.  “And you who were always so fond of pretty things, and flowers, and always so particular when we went to a restaurant—­to live with the Debernardis!”

“Ah, Leo, you imagine not why?” she said, also laughing, and when she laughed her milk-white teeth shone merrily.  “Old Pietro Debernardi he lives in England some years; he speaks English, perhaps not very well, but he speaks; then he teach me as he knows; and when it is possible I go on the Risposta and sail over to Capri, and all the way, and all the return, I listen, and listen, and listen to the English people; and I remember, and I practise alone in my own room, and I say, ’Leo, he must not ridicule me, when I go to England.’”

“Ridicule you!” said he, indignantly.  “I wish I could speak Italian as freely as you speak English, Nina!”

“Oh, you speak Italian very well,” said she.  “But why you speak still the Neapolitan dialetto—­dialect, is it right?—­that you hear in the shops and the streets?  Ah, I remember you are so proud of it, and when I try to teach you proper Italian, you laugh—­you wish to speak like Sabetta Debernardi, and Giacomo, and the others.  That is the fault to learn by ear, instead of the books correctly.  And you have not forgotten yet!”

“Well, Nina,” he resumed, “I don’t seem to have frightened you with the possibility of your having to dress in the same room with two or three chorus-girls whom you don’t know; and in fact, if I happened to be acquainted with the theatre, I dare say I could get the manager to make sure you were to dress along with some nice girl, who would show you how to make-up, and all that.  But you would get a very small salary to begin with, Nina; perhaps only thirty shillings a week—­and an extra pound a week when you had to take up your under-study duties—­however, that need not trouble you, because we are old comrades, Nina, and while you are in England my purse is yours—­”

She looked at him doubtfully.

“Ah, you don’t understand,” he said, gently.  “It’s only this, Nina:  I have plenty of money; if you are a good comrade and a good friend, you will take from me what you want—­always—­at any moment—­”

The pretty, pale-olive face flushed quickly, and for a brief second she glanced at him with grateful eyes; but it was perhaps to cover her embarrassment that she now rose from the piano, and pretended to be tired of the music and of these professional schemes.

“It is enough of booziness,” she said, lightly; “come, Leo, will you go for a small walk?—­have you time?”