"Peace be with them! They're a lovely pair!" said the Princess,
laughing. "But we might as well go home. They are like Undine, and will
return no more."
X
Meantime, with the light breeze in her ears, and the beat of her horse's
hoofs echoing among the aqueducts and tombs, Roma galloped over the
broad Campagna. After a moment she heard some one coming after her, and
for joy of being pursued she whipped up and galloped faster. Without
looking back she knew who was behind, and as her horse flew over the
hillocks her heart leaped and sang. When the strong-limbed sorrel came
up with the quiet bay mare, they were nearly two miles from their
starting-place, and far out of the track of their fellow-hunters. Both
were aglow from head to foot, and as they drew rein they looked at each
other and laughed.
"Might as well go on now, and come out by the English cemetery," said
Roma.
"Good!" said David Rossi.
"But it's half-past two," said Roma, looking at her little watch, "and
I'm as hungry as a hunter."
"Naturally," said David Rossi, and they laughed again. There was an
osteria somewhere in that neighbourhood. He had known it when he was a
boy. They would dine on yellow beans and macaroni.
Presently they saw a house smoking under a scraggy clump of eucalyptus.
It was the osteria, half farmstead and half inn. A timid lad took their
horses, an evil-looking old man bowed them into the porch, and an
elderly woman, with a frightened expression and a face wrinkled like the
bark of a cedar, brought them a bill of fare.
They laughed at everything--at the unfamiliar menu, because it was
soiled enough to have served for a year; at the food, because it was so
simple; and at the prices, because they were so cheap.
Roma looked over David Rossi's shoulder as he read out the bill of fare,
and they ordered the dinner together.
"Macaroni--threepence! Right! Trout--fourpence! Shall we have
fourpennyworth of trout? Good! Lamb--sixpence! We'll take two lambs--I
mean two sixpenny-worths," and then more laughter.
While the dinner was cooking they went out to walk among the eucalyptus,
and came upon a beautiful dell surrounded by trees and carpeted with
wild flowers.
"Carnival!" cried Roma. "Now if there was anybody here to throw a flower
at one!"
He picked up a handful of violets and tossed them over her head.
"When I was a boy this was where men fought duels," said David Rossi.