Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad
From the arbored veranda of this charming retreat is obtained one of the
finest views in Europe, and while the girls sat enjoying it Uncle John
arranged with a pleasant faced woman (who had once lived in America) for
their luncheon.
An hour later, and just as they were sitting down to the meal, Count
Ferralti rejoined them. His hand was bandaged and supported by a sling,
and in answer to Louise's gentle inquiries he said, simply:
"It was as I had feared: a small bone snapped. But my surgeon is
skillful, and says time will mend the wrist as good as new."
In spite of his courage he could eat no luncheon, but merely sipped a
glass of wine; so Uncle John, alarmed at his pallor, insisted that he
take a seat in the carriage on the return journey. Beth wanted to ride
the Count's horse home, but there was no side saddle to be had, so they
led the animal by a halter fastened behind the ricketty carriage, and
Beth mounted the box and rode beside her friend the driver.
The pleasant weather lasted until they neared Sorrento, when another
shower of rain came up. They reached their hotel damp and bedraggled,
but enthusiastic over their wonderful trip and the interesting adventure
it had incidentally developed.
CHAPTER XI
THE EAGLE SCREAMS
Despite the glories of the Amalfi road our tourists decided it was more
pleasant to loiter around Sorrento for a time than to undertake further
excursions. The mornings and evenings were chill, but during the middle
of the day the air was warm and delicious; so the girls carried their
books and fancy-work into the beautiful gardens or wandered lazily
through the high-walled lanes that shut in the villas and orange groves.
Sometimes they found a gate open, and were welcomed to the orchards and
permitted to pluck freely the fragrant and rich flavored fruit, which is
excelled in no other section of the south country. Also Uncle John, with
Beth and Patsy, frequented the shops of the wood-workers and watched
their delicate and busy fingers inlaying the various colored woods; but
Louise mostly kept to the garden, where Count Ferralti, being a
semi-invalid, was content to sit by her side and amuse her.
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In a village there lived two men who had the self-same name. Both were named Claus. But one of them owned four horses, and the other owned only one horse; so to distinguish between them people called the man who had four horses Big Claus, and the man who had only one horse Little Claus. Now I'll tell you what happened to these two, for this is a true story.
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