he was occasionally equally senseless in the nose, which had been tweaked without disturbing the repose of his features.  He waited half-an-hour on the ground after the appointed time, and then hurried to Milan.  Weisspriess waited an hour.  Satisfied that Count Ammiani was not coming, he exacted from Volpo and from Jenna their word of honour as Austrian officers that they would forbear-to cast any slur on the courage of his adversary, and would be so discreet on the subject as to imply that the duel was a drawn affair.  They pledged themselves accordingly.  “There’s Nagen, it’s true,” said Weisspriess, as a man will say and feel that he has done his best to prevent a thing inevitable.

Milan, and some of the journals of Milan, soon had Carlo Ammiani’s name up for challenging Weisspriess and failing to keep his appointment.  It grew to be discussed as a tremendous event.  The captain received fifteen challenges within two days; among these a second one from Luciano Romara, whom he was beginning to have a strong desire to encounter.  He repressed it, as quondam drunkards fight off the whisper of their lips for liquor.  “No more blood,” was his constant inward cry.  He wanted peace; but as he also wanted Countess Anna of Lenkenstein and her estates, it may possibly be remarked of him that what he wanted he did not want to pay for.

At this period Wilfrid had resumed the Austrian uniform as a common soldier in the ranks of the Kinsky regiment.  General Schoneck had obtained the privilege for him from the Marshal, General Pierson refusing to lift a finger on his behalf.  Nevertheless the uncle was not sorry to hear the tale of his nephew’s exploits during the campaign, or of the eccentric intrepidity of the white umbrella; and both to please him, and to intercede for Wilfrid, the tatter’s old comrades recited his deeds as a part of the treasured familiar history of the army in its late arduous struggle.

General Pierson was chiefly anxious to know whether Countess Lena would be willing to give her hand to Wilfrid in the event of his restoration to his antecedent position in the army.  He found her extremely excited about Carlo Ammiani, her old playmate, and once her dear friend.  She would not speak of Wilfrid at all.  To appease the chivalrous little woman, General Pierson hinted that his nephew, being under the protection of General Schoneck, might get some intelligence from that officer.  Lena pretended to reject the notion of her coming into communication with Wilfrid for any earthly purpose.  She said to herself, however, that her object was pre-eminently unselfish; and as the General pointedly refused to serve her in a matter that concerned an Italian nobleman, she sent directions to Wilfrid to go before General Schoeneck the moment he was off duty, and ask his assistance, in her name, to elucidate the mystery of Count Ammiani’s behaviour.  The answer was a transmission of Captain Weisspriess’s letter to Carlo.  Lena caused the fact of this letter having missed its way to be circulated in the journals, and then she carried it triumphantly to her sister, saying: