It will be worse than death to him.' Carlo said: 'Do you know what our Agostino says of Count Medole ?' 'Oh, for ever Agostino with you young men!' the countess exclaimed.

'I believe he laughs at you.' 'To be sure he does: he laughs at all.

But, what he says of Count Medole holds the truth of the thing, and may make you easier concerning the count's estates.

He says that Medole is vaccine matter which the Austrians apply to this generation of Italians to spare us the terrible disease.

They will or they won't deal gently with Medole, by-and-by; but for the present he will be handled tenderly.