To the world Lillian seemed a gay , free-hearted girl ; and no one , not even her mother , knew how well she remembered and how much she missed the lost Paul . No tidings of him had ever come , and no trace of him was found after his flight . Nothing was missed , he went without his wages , and no reason could be divined for his departure except the foreign letter . Bedford remembered it , but forgot what postmark it bore , for he had only been able to decipher `` Italy . '' My lady made many inquiries and often spoke of him ; but when month after month passed and no news came , she gave him up , and on Lillian 's account feigned to forget him . Contrary to Hester 's fear , she did not seem the worse for the nocturnal fright , but evidently connected the strange visitor with Paul , or , after a day or two of nervous exhaustion , returned to her usual state of health . Hester had her own misgivings , but , being forbidden to allude to the subject , she held her peace , after emphatically declaring that Paul would yet appear to set her mind at rest . `` Lillian , Lillian , I 've such news for you ! Come and hear a charming little romance , and prepare to see the hero of it ! '' cried Maud Churchill , rushing into her friend 's pretty boudoir one day in the height of the season . Lillian lay on a couch , rather languid after a ball , and listlessly begged Maud to tell her story , for she was dying to be amused . `` Well my , dear , just listen and you 'll be as enthusiastic as I am , '' cried Maud . And throwing her bonnet on one chair , her parasol on another , and her gloves anywhere , she settled herself on the couch and began : `` You remember reading in the papers , some time ago , that fine account of the young man who took part in the Italian revolution and did that heroic thing with the bombshell ? '' `` Yes , what of him ? '' asked Lillian , sitting up . `` He is my hero , and we are to see him tonight . '' `` Go on , go on ! Tell all , and tell it quickly , '' she cried . `` You know the officers were sitting somewhere , holding a council , while the city -LRB- I forget the name -RRB- was being bombarded , and how a shell came into the midst of them , how they sat paralyzed , expecting it to burst , and how this young man caught it up and ran out with it , risking his own life to save theirs ? '' `` Yes , yes , I remember ! ''
And XXXXX 's listless face kindled at the recollection .
Bedford Churchill Hester Italian Italy Lillian Paul bombshell day month