But she always fills before she wanes.''
''She looks so sad to me sometimes across the Canal that I cannot stand it.''
''She's been around a long time,'' the Colonel said.
''Do you think we should have one more Montgomery?'' the girl asked and the Colonel noticed that the British were gone.
He had been noticing nothing but her lovely face.
I'll get killed sometime that way, he thought. On the other hand it is a form of concentration, I suppose.
But it is damned careless. ''Yes,'' he said. ''Why not?''
''They make me feel very good,'' the girl said. ''They have a certain effect on me, too, the way Cipriani makes them.''
''Cipriani is very intelligent.''
''He's more than that. He's able.''
''Some day he'll own all Venice.''
''Not quite all,'' the Colonel disagreed. ''He'll never own you.''
''No,'' she said. ''Nor will anyone else unless you want me.''
''I want you Daughter.
But I don't want to own you.''
''I know it,'' the girl said. ''And that's one more reason why I love you.''
''Let's get Ettore and have him call up your house.
You can tell them about the portrait.''
''You are quite correct.
If you want the portrait tonight, I must speak to the butler to have it wrapped and sent.
I will also ask to speak to Mummy and tell her where we are dining and, if you like, I will ask her permission.''
''No,'' the Colonel said. ''Ettore, two Montgomerys, super Montgomerys, with garlic olives, not the big ones, and please call the home of this lady and let her know when you have completed the communication.
And all of this as rapidly as possible.''
''Yes, my Colonel.''
''Now, Daughter, let us resume the having of the fun.''
''It was resumed when you spoke,'' she said.
CHAPTER 10
THEY were walking, now, along the right side of the street that led to the Gritti.
The wind was at their backs and it blew the girl's hair forward.
The wind parted her hair in the back and blew it forward about her face.
They were looking in the shop windows and the girl stopped in front of the lighted window of a jewelry shop.
There were many good pieces of old jewelry in the window and they stood and looked at them and pointed out the best ones to each other, unclasping their hands to do so.
''Is there anything you really want?
I could get it in the morning.
Cipriani would loan me the money.''
''No,'' she said. ''I do not want anything but I notice that you never give me presents.''
''You are much richer than I am.
I bring you small things from the PX and I buy you drinks and meals.''
''And take me in gondolas and to lovely places in the country.''
''I never thought you wanted presents of hard stones.''
''I don't.
It is just the thought of giving and then one looks at them and thinks about them when they are worn.''
''I'm learning,'' the Colonel said. ''But what could I buy you on Army pay that would be like your square emeralds?''
''But don't you see.
I inherited them.
They came from my grandmother, and she had them from her mother who had them from her mother.
Do you think it is the same to wear stones that come from dead people?''
''I never thought about it.''
''You can have them if you like, if you like stones.
To me they are only something to wear like a dress from Paris.