The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-12-20

!tE~frst tine We got into conversation was ill the National Museum in Naples in the rooms the ground floor con- sS@1V tatriEg the famous collection ot I3leNNG>Gl bronzes from Esrculaneuns and Pom . He addressed me first. It the celebrated Resting Hermes whom had been admirfng side by side He said the right thing about that wholly : admirable piece. Nothing profound His taste < was natural rather than cultivated. . We had known each other by sight for some few days past. Staying in thes hotel-good but not sxeravagantly up to dateI had noticed him in the vestibule going in and out I judged he an old and valued client. The bow the hotelkeeper treated him cordial in it's deference and he acknowl edged with familiar courtesy For the servants he was II COnte
 Having conversed at the Museo (and by the by. he had expressed his dislike of the busts of Ronan Emperors in the gallery Of marbles: those faces inglorious too pronounced for him.) ~Hdaving conversed already in the morning. did not think intrudius when fn the evening" finding dining very full proposed to share his lit tie table To judge by the quiet urbanty of his manner he did not think so either, His smile was very sympathetic.
 . He had tried various climates, of Abbaza. of the Riviera of other places too he told me. but the only one which suited him was the climate of the Gulf of Naples The ancient Romans he pointed ing knew very we'll what they doing when theX built their villas on these shores in Bac, in vicoS in Capri They down to this seaside n flute players to amuse their leisure He thought it extremely probable that the Romans of the higher classes extremely subject to painful rheu- matic affection
 taken up his quarters the shores of the gulf either in one of the hotels in Sorrento hiring
 of day week. week. -or month in the strsam of travellers from all Europe
 1t must not be imagined that he wearisome E> o11x,n re11 1HroH to be e nuisance. He had eye for the small weaknesses of humanity But it was a good-na Cured eye He made reshful. easy. pleasant conn @panion for the hours between dinner and bedtime ftWe spent three evenings together. and then had to leave Naples in hurry to see friend who had Rallen gravely i'll in Taormina Having nothing to do the Count came to of at the station was somewhat upset, and his idleness was always :. ready to take kindly form He was by no means an indoent
 ndy friends illness having taken decidedly fav. orable turn returned to Naples on the tenth day cannot say had given much thought to the Count during my absence. but upon entering tho dining room looked for him in his hao:tnal place had an idea he might have gone back to Snrren. to- to his piano and his books ard his fishing He Was great friends with all the boamen. and fshed . rood deal with lines from boat But he was stili there made out his white head in the crowd s~eR heads. and from distance noticed thing unusual in his attitude Instead of sitting erect. gazing all round with urbanity he seemed to droop over his plate stood opposite him for some time before he looked ttls wildly. if surk strong word be used tn snecsion with his correct appearance = ~lh my dear siri Is 1t you?" he greeted me ~. hope all is we'll"
 e He was very nice about my friend. Indeed he vas always nice. with the niceness of people whose hearts genuinely humane. But this time q cost him effort His attempts at general con versation hroke down into dullness. It occurred to me that he might have been indisposed. But before could frame the inquiry he unuttered:
 ~You find here very sad"
 s sT am sorry for that" said. You haven't had bad news. hope?"
 n was very kind of to take interest. No lt was not that No bad news. thank God And he became very sti as If holding bis breath Then leaning forward little. and in odd tone of awed embarrassment, he took me into his confidence rt ~The truth Is that have had very-a very < how shall say?-aboninable adventure happen to me"
 The energy of the epithet sufficiently start ling in that of moderate feelings and toned down vocabulary The word unpleasant should ( have thought would have fitted amply the worst
 experience likely to befall a man of his stamp And e zs adventure. too. Incredible But it Is human nature to believe the worst; and confess [ eyed him steadily wondering what he had been up to In a moment. however, my unworthy suspicious - vanished There was fundamental refinement of .N nature about the man. which made me dismiss all ideas of less disreputable scrane
 "It Is very serious very serious" he went
 nervously 'T will tell you after dinner. If you
 will allow ne?"
 V. Iu the snokingroom he did not hang back at s leaned sideways over the arm o: his chair and
 looked strasght into my earnestly
 "You remember" he began "that day you went aMAxf q told then would the Villa