Page:Legends of Rubezahl, and Other Tales (1845).djvu/283

 on one or two occasions, to detect the Signorina Ughella glancing at him with her great, sparkling black eyes, with an expression, as he readily conceived, of tenderness; and he, who fancied himself a regular lady-killer, could not resist this apparent opportunity of making a conquest. His Countship was indeed far from handsome, but he was the only male personage in the house, and Donna Ughella, who had a very tender heart, was dying of ennui. Rupert forgot for a moment the haughty Lucretia, and Ughella became the lady of his thoughts.

Mama was not slow in perceiving this incipient affair, and determined to punish as he merited the would-be violator of the laws of hospitality. One evening she proposed to the worthy Paladin to dance with him. Rupert, who had begun altogether to despair of obtaining this favour, was delighted, imagining that the time was at length arrived when he should be delivered from his hunch. He went through his best paces, and danced away until he was well nigh exhausted, the lady, meanwhile, exhibiting not the least fatigue.

The saraband at last concluded, the lady, beckoning her partner, walked into the cabinet, whither she had conducted Count Ulric, and Rupert joyfully followed. The door being closed, the Signora turned back the patient’s collar; then going to the chest of drawers, she opened one, and took out of