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as sure as you live。 Remember what Dr。 Davis told you！〃
〃Give her some medicine before she goes；〃 said Randolph。
The company had risen to its feet； Daisy； still showing her pretty teeth；
bent over and kissed her hostess。 〃Mrs。 Walker； you are too perfect；〃
she said。 〃I'm not going alone； I am going to meet a friend。〃
〃Your friend won't keep you from getting the fever；〃
Mrs。 Miller observed。
〃Is it Mr。 Giovanelli？〃 asked the hostess。
Winterbourne was watching the young girl； at this question his
attention quickened。 She stood there； smiling and smoothing
her bonnet ribbons； she glanced at Winterbourne。 Then； while she
glanced and smiled； she answered； without a shade of hesitation；
〃Mr。 Giovanellithe beautiful Giovanelli。〃
〃My dear young friend；〃 said Mrs。 Walker； taking her hand pleadingly；
〃don't walk off to the Pincio at this hour to meet a beautiful Italian。〃
〃Well； he speaks English；〃 said Mrs。 Miller。
〃Gracious me！〃 Daisy exclaimed； 〃I don't to do anything improper。
There's an easy way to settle it。〃 She continued to glance at Winterbourne。
〃The Pincio is only a hundred yards distant； and if Mr。 Winterbourne
were as polite as he pretends； he would offer to walk with me！〃
Winterbourne's politeness hastened to affirm itself；
and the young girl gave him gracious leave to accompany her。
They passed downstairs before her mother； and at the door Winterbourne
perceived Mrs。 Miller's carriage drawn up； with the ornamental
courier whose acquaintance he had made at Vevey seated within。
〃Goodbye； Eugenio！〃 cried Daisy； 〃I'm going to take a walk。〃
The distance from the Via Gregoriana to the beautiful
garden at the other end of the Pincian Hill is； in fact；
rapidly traversed。 As the day was splendid； however； and the
concourse of vehicles； walkers； and loungers numerous；
the young Americans found their progress much delayed。
This fact was highly agreeable to Winterbourne； in spite of his
consciousness of his singular situation。 The slow…moving； idly
gazing Roman crowd bestowed much attention upon the extremely
pretty young foreign lady who was passing through it upon his arm；
and he wondered what on earth had been in Daisy's mind when she
proposed to expose herself； unattended； to its appreciation。
His own mission； to her sense； apparently； was to consign
her to the hands of Mr。 Giovanelli； but Winterbourne； at once
annoyed and gratified； resolved that he would do no such thing。
〃Why haven't you been to see me？〃 asked Daisy。 〃You can't
get out of that。〃
〃I have had the honor of telling you that I have only just stepped
out of the train。〃
〃You must have stayed in the train a good while after it stopped！〃
cried the young girl with her little laugh。 〃I suppose you were asleep。
You have had time to go to see Mrs。 Walker。〃
〃I knew Mrs。 Walker〃 Winterbourne began to explain。
〃I know where you knew her。 You knew her at Geneva。
She told me so。 Well； you knew me at Vevey。 That's just as good。
So you ought to have come。〃 She asked him no other question
than this； she began to prattle about her own affairs。
〃We've got splendid rooms at the hotel； Eugenio says they're
the best rooms in Rome。 We are going to stay all winter；
if we don't die of the fever； and I guess we'll stay then。
It's a great deal nicer than I thought； I thought it would
be fearfully quiet； I was sure it would be awfully poky。
I was sure we should be going round all the time with one of those
dreadful old men that explain about the pictures and things。
But we only had about a week of that； and now I'm enjoying myself。
I know ever so many people； and they are all so charming。
The society's extremely select。 There are all kindsEnglish；
and Germans； and Italians。 I think I like the English best。
I like their style of conversation。 But there are some
lovely Americans。 I never saw anything so hospitable。
There's something or other every day。 There's not much dancing；
but I must say I never thought dancing was everything。
I was always fond of conversation。 I guess I shall
have plenty at Mrs。 Walker's； her rooms are so small。〃
When they had passed the gate of the Pincian Gardens；
Miss Miller began to wonder where Mr。 Giovanelli might be。
〃We had better go straight to that place in front；〃 she said；
〃where you look at the view。〃
〃I certainly shall not help you to find him；〃 Winterbourne declared。
〃Then I shall find him without you；〃 cried Miss Daisy。
〃You certainly won't leave me！〃 cried Winterbourne。
She burst into her little laugh。 〃Are you afraid you'll get lost
or run over？ But there's Giovanelli； leaning against that tree。
He's staring at the women in the carriages： did you ever see
anything so cool？〃
Winterbourne perceived at some distance a little man standing with
folded arms nursing his cane。 He had a handsome face； an artfully
poised hat； a glass in one eye； and a nosegay in his buttonhole。
Winterbourne looked at him a moment and then said； 〃Do you mean
to speak to that man？〃
〃Do I mean to speak to him？ Why； you don't suppose I mean
to communicate by signs？〃
〃Pray understand； then；〃 said Winterbourne； 〃that I intend
to remain with you。〃
Daisy stopped and looked at him； without a sign of troubled
consciousness in her face； with nothing but the presence of her
charming eyes and her happy dimples。 〃Well； she's a cool one！〃
thought the young man。
〃I don't like the way you say that；〃 said Daisy。
〃It's too imperious。〃
〃I beg your pardon if I say it wrong。 The main point is to give
you an idea of my meaning。〃
The young girl looked at him more gravely； but with eyes that were
prettier than ever。 〃I have never allowed a gentleman to dictate to me；
or to interfere with anything I do。〃
〃I think you have made a mistake；〃 said Winterbourne。
〃You should sometimes listen to a gentlemanthe right one。〃
Daisy began to laugh again。 〃I do nothing but listen to gentlemen！〃
she exclaimed。 〃Tell me if Mr。 Giovanelli is the right one？〃
The gentleman with the nosegay in his bosom had now perceived our two friends；
and was approaching the young girl with obsequious rapidity。 He bowed to
Winterbourne as well as to the latter's companion； he had a brilliant smile；
an intelligent eye； Winterbourne thought him not a bad…looking fellow。
But he nevertheless said to Daisy； 〃No； he's not the right one。〃
Daisy evidently had a natural talent for performing introductions；
she mentioned the name of each of her companions to the other。
She strolled alone with one of them on each side of her； Mr。 Giovanelli；
who spoke English very cleverlyWinterbourne afterward learned
that he had practiced the idiom upon a great many American heiresses
addressed her a great deal of very polite nonsense； he was extremely
urbane； and the young American； who said nothing； reflected upon
that profundity of Italian cleverness which enables people to