The Lady Paramount

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Lady Paramount, by Henry HarlandThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.orgTitle: The Lady ParamountAuthor: Henry HarlandRelease Date: November 18, 2006 [EBook #19861]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LADY PARAMOUNT ***Produced by Al HainesTHE LADY PARAMOUNTBy HENRY HARLANDAuthor of"THE CARDINAL'S SNUFF-BOX"JOHN LANE: THE BODLEY HEADLONDON & NEW YORK — MCMIICopyright, 1902BY JOHN LANEAll rights reservedToEDMUND GOSSEThe Lady ParamountIOn the twenty-second anniversary of Susanna's birth, old Commendatore Fregi, her guardian, whose charge, by theprovisions of her father's will, on that day terminated, gave a festa in her honour at his villa in Vallanza. Cannon had beenfired in the morning: two-and-twenty salvoes, if you please, though Susanna had protested that this was false heraldry,and that it advertised her, into the bargain, for an old maid. In the afternoon there had been a regatta. Seven tiny sailing-boats, monotypes,—the entire fleet, indeed, of the Reale Yacht Club d'Ilaria—had described a triangle in the bay, withVallanza, Presa, and Veno as its points; and I need n't tell anyone who knows the island of Sampaolo that the MarcheseBaldo del Ponte's Mermaid, English name and ...