"My dear friend!" cried D'Arbino, "you are the very man to lead
us straight to the best bottle of wine in the palace. Count
Fabio, let me present to you my intimate and good friend, the
Cavaliere Finello, with whose family I know you are well
acquainted. Finello, the count is a little out of spirits, and I
have prescribed a good dose of wine. I see a whole row of bottles
at your side, and I leave it to you to apply the remedy. Glasses
there! three glasses, my lovely shepherdess with the black
eyes--the three largest you have got."
The glasses were brought; the Cavaliere Finello chose a
particular bottle, and filled them. All three gentlemen turned
round to the sideboard to use it as a table, and thus necessarily
faced the looking-glass.
"Now let us drink the toast of toasts," said D'Arbino. "Finello,
Count Fabio--the ladies of Pisa!"
Fabio raised the wine to his lips, and was on the point of
drinking it, when he saw reflected in the glass the figure of the
Yellow Mask. The glittering eyes were again fixed on him, and the
yellow-hooded head bowed slowly, as if in acknowledgment of the
toast he was about to drink. For the third time the strange chill
seized him, and he set down his glass of wine untasted.
"What is the matter?" asked D'Arbino.
"Have you any dislike, count, to that particular wine?" inquired
the cavaliere.
"The Yellow Mask!" whispered Fabio.
Pages:
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491