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While this formality was being complied with to the steward's perfect satisfaction, La Biondella came in, unaccompanied on this occasion by the usual companion of all her walks, the learned poodle Scarammuccia. "This is Nanina's sister," said the good-natured sick-nurse, taking the first opportunity of introducing La Biondella to the great marquis's great man.
"You are very young and very innocent," said Father Rocco; "but surely you must have thought before now of the difference between Signor Fabio and you. Surely you must have often remembered that you are low down among the ranks of the poor, and that he is high up among the rich and the nobly born?" Nanina's hands dropped on the priest's knees.
She turned away her head, and tried hard to repress the tears that would force their way into her eyes "We should never have met," she said; "never, never have met again!" Before Fabio could reply, the waiting-woman by Nanina's side interposed. "For Heaven's sake, don't stop speaking to her here!" she exclaimed, impatiently.
Brigida, thunderstruck, looked at her in silence for a moment; gasped out, "That girl!" then stopped again, breathless. "That girl was at the back of the summer-house this morning, while you and your accomplice were talking together," said the doctor. D'Arbino had been watching Brigida's face intently from the moment of Nanina's appearance, and had quietly stolen close to her side.
Nanina's heart beat too fast for her to reply in words; she could only answer by bowing her head. "Take this for your little sister," pursued Father Rocco, putting a few silver coins in her hand; "I have got some customers for those mats she plaits so nicely.
"I know nothing about it," answered the man, noticing Nanina's manner as she put her question, with some surprise, "except that my master was brought home by two gentlemen, friends of his, about a couple of hours ago, in a very sad state; half out of his mind, as it seemed to me.
Scarammuccia had, for many years past, never received any greater marks of his mistress's kindness for him than such as a pat on the head or a present of a lump of sugar might convey. His dog's nature was utterly confounded by the unexpected warmth of Nanina's caress, and he struggled up vigorously in her arms to try and return it by licking her face.
This was a fortunate movement; for the doctor's last words were hardly out of his mouth before Brigida seized a heavy ruler lying, with some writing materials, on the table. In another instant, if D'Arbino had not caught her arm, she would have hurled it at Nanina's head.
Whenever Maddalena so much as touched the young nobleman no matter whether she did so by premeditation, or really by accident Nanina's features contracted, her pale cheeks grew paler, she fidgeted on her chair, and her fingers nervously twisted and untwisted the loose ends of the ribbon fastened round her waist. "Jealous," thought Father Rocco; "I suspected it weeks ago."
I had, as you will easily imagine, difficulty enough in making him take this view of Nanina's flight. His pride and his love for the girl were both concerned in refusing to admit the truth of my suggestion. At last I succeeded.
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