“I am sure, Signor Sandro, that we are very much obliged to you, on poor Giulia’s account; and, since il Signor Curato thinks well of it, it can’t be other than right. I should not have liked the girl to go to service, because it’s well known that none of the Vannis ever did go to service,” repeated the farmer once again.
“And then, you know, my much esteemed Signor Vanni, I will not attempt to conceal from you, that to a certain degree I had an eye to other considerations,—to a certain degree, I say,—and hoped in this matter, as I may say, to kill two birds with one stone.”
“Which was th’ other bird, then?” asked the farmer, bluntly.
“Well, now, I would bet a wager that his reverence the Curato has already guessed my thought upon the subject! Is it not so, your reverence?” asked the little man, putting his head on one side, and looking at the priest in a way that seemed to claim the fellowship of a kindred high intelligence.
“You have been thinking, Signor Sandro, that it might be just as well to remove la Giulia for awhile from the companionship of our young friend Beppo, if we are to hope to bring those arrangements to bear which I had the honour of proposing to my friend Vanni. That was your worship’s thought, I take it; and I agree with you.”
“‘Rem acu tetigisti,’ which means, as your reverence knows better than I can tell you, that you have exactly hit the nail on the head! Don’t you see it, Signor Vanni?”
“I see that I don’t mean to allow our Beppo to have anything to say to Giulia,—not in the way of marrying;—it isn’t likely.”
“Well, then, my dear sir, since we have our eyes on a young lady who may perhaps with better reason pretend to the honour of an alliance with Signor Beppo, and since youth is sometimes apt to be blind and self-willed in these matters, does it not appear to you a judicious measure to remove the source of danger?”
“Surely, surely! And I do hope that, when she is gone, the lad will come round, and not break my heart any more!” said the old farmer.
“Ha! the best way to exorcise the charm, is to pack off the charmer, in these cases. Is it not so, your reverence?” laughed the attorney.
“I think, as I have said, that your proposal is a sound and judicious one, Signor Sandro,” replied the priest, “both with a view to our young friend Beppo’s advantage, and as likely to be exceedingly useful to la povera Giulia.”
“Then we may consider the matter as settled. I am sure I shall have killed three birds with one stone, and rendered a service to my old friend and client la Signora Clementina into the bargain. I have no doubt she and la Signorina Giulia will get on capitally together!”
“And we are all very much obliged to you, I am sure!” said the old farmer, a little more graciously than he had spoken hitherto. “When do you think that la Giulia had better go to her new home?”
“Well! of course I would not say a word to Signora Dossi till I had consulted you. I am quite sure she will be only too glad to get such a prize as the Signorina Giulia. I must see her, and settle about it. I should suppose it would be a case of the sooner the better!—perhaps next Sunday. You would then be at leisure to bring her into town yourself, Signor Vanni; and see my good friend Signora Dossi, which will be satisfactory to you. Would that suit you?”
“Yes, I could bring Giulia in on Sunday very well! Yes, that would suit very well!” replied the farmer.
“And then you should come and eat a bit of dinner with me, you know, before returning home,” added Signor Sandro, rubbing his hands cheerily.
“Well! thankye! You are very good! That would all suit very well! On condition, however, that you will come up and dine at Bella Luce on Lady-day!” put in the contadino pride. “Is it a bargain?”
“With pleasure, my dear sir! There is my hand upon it. I would ask my friend Beppo to come with you on Sunday, only; you understand! There would be no use in long leave-takings, and chattering, and nonsense; you comprehend me! And it would be better, perhaps, if he and Lisa were to meet not so immediately, but after a little while.”
These conditions were quite beyond the reach of Farmer Vanni’s mental powers. He said, however, that “certainly that would be best;” and the priest gave the little attorney an intelligent nod, which the latter returned with half a dozen, accompanied by winks to match.
“It is understood, then, my dear Signor Vanni, that, unless you hear anything from me to the contrary, you bring in la Signora Giulia on Sunday. Come direct to my house, and I will go with you to Signora Dossi. You will find her, and la Giulia will find her, an excellent, worthy creature—a heart of gold! At what hour can you be in the city?”
“Oh! early! so as to be back at Bella Luce before the Ave Maria!”
“Then I’ll tell you! You must be early enough to go to la Clementina, before high mass—say before eleven o’clock. We will dine at midday, which will give you plenty of time.”
“Thank you. That will do very well. Will you come and have a look at the vines?”
Signor Sandro knew the contadino nature too well, and was too desirous of standing well with the wealthy farmer, to refuse this invitation. So they strolled out together into the field where Vanni had been at work, and to which his two sons had already returned. The first, remarking that he had a few words to say to la Signora Sunta, remained behind; and he and Signor Sandro exchanged an adieu with somewhat more cordiality than they usually adopted towards each other.
And thus poor Giulia’s destiny was settled for her, as women’s destinies mostly are settled, without their knowledge or co-operation in any way;—and the old gentlemen made up their minds that when the dangerous charmer should have been removed, the charm would cease to operate on the refractory Beppo.
