Gigi, the carpenter, was at once sent
for to put up plain shelves for these, and he took stock of the lodger
while the latter was explaining what he wanted.
"He is a gentleman," said Gigi to Toto, that very evening, as they
stood filling their pipes at the corner of the Vicolo del Soldati.
"His name is Malipieri. He is as black as the horses at a funeral of
the first-class, and he is not a Roman."
"Who knows what race of animal this may be?" Toto was not in a good
humour.
"He is of the race of gentlemen," asserted Gigi confidently.
"Then he will end badly," observed Toto. "Let us go and drink. It is
better."
"Let us go and drink," repeated Gigi. "You have a sensible thought
sometimes. I think this man is an engineer, or an architect. He wants
a draughtsman's table."
"Evil befall his little dead ones, whatever he is," returned the
other, by way of welcome to the young man who had moved into the
palace.
"He advanced me ten francs to buy wood for the shelves," said Gigi,
who was by far the more cheerful of the two.
"Come and drink," returned Toto, relevantly or irrelevantly. "That is
much better."
So they turned into the wine shop.
CHAPTER V
Baron Volterra introduced Marino Malipieri to the two ladies. The
guest had come punctually, for the Baron had looked at his watch a
moment before he was announced, and it was precisely eight o'clock.
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