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"I do not presume to say, for I have no means of knowing." "Ah, there you are with your moderation again. Now, I do presume to assert that she must be either one or the other or she would not have forbidden Nanina to say anything about her in answer to all my first natural inquiries. Where is Maddalena? I thought she was here a minute ago." "She is in Fabio's room," answered Father Rocco, softly.
As soon as he was alone again, he walked toward the Campo Santo, and, passing the house in which Nanina lived, sauntered up and down the street thoughtfully for some minutes. When he at length ascended the steep staircase that led to the room occupied by the sisters, he found the door ajar.
"I would die," repeated Nanina, in a voice that began to falter now. "I would die rather than doubt him." "I will not ask you to doubt him," said Father Rocco, gently; "and I will believe in him myself as firmly as you do. Let us suppose, my child, that you have learned patiently all the many things of which you are now ignorant, and which it is necessary for a lady to know.
He had not removed it more than a moment before he heard a faint cry in the direction of a long refreshment-table, behind which the five waiting-girls were standing. He started up directly, and could hardly believe his senses, when he found himself standing face to face with Nanina. Her cheeks had turned perfectly colorless.
"And suppose I only ask you in return to put on a fine dress and serve refreshments in a beautiful room to the company at the Marquis Melani's grand ball? What should you say to that?" Nanina said nothing. She drew back a step or two, and looked more bewildered than before. "You must have heard of the ball," said the steward, pompously; "the poorest people in Pisa have heard of it.
She stopped at that last word, and pointed suddenly over Fabio's shoulder. "The Yellow Mask!" she exclaimed. "Oh, sir, draw her away into the ballroom, and give Nanina a chance of getting out!" Fabio turned directly, and approached the Mask, who, as they looked at each other, slowly retreated before him.
And now, my child," he continued, addressing Nanina, "you can go home, and one of the men-servants shall see you safe to your own door, in case that woman should still be lurking about the palace. Stop! you are leaving the bag of scudi behind you." "I can't take it, sir." "And why not?" "She would have taken money!" Saying those words, Nanina reddened, and looked toward the door.
It was only used at night as a sort of rustic Ranelagh, to which the citizens of Pisa resorted for pure air and amusement after the fatigues of the day. Observing that there were no visitors in the grounds, Nanina ventured in, intending to take a quarter of an hour's rest in the coolest place she could find before returning to Pisa.
"Don't come in and speak to Nanina again," she said, mistaking the purpose which had brought him to the door. "What with frightening her first, and making her cry afterward, you have rendered her quite unfit for her work. The steward is in there at this moment, very good-natured, but not very sober.
Will you prove that love by making a great sacrifice for his good?" "I would die for his good!" "Will you nobly cure him of a passion which will be his ruin, if not yours, by leaving Pisa to-morrow?" "Leave Pisa!" exclaimed Nanina. Her face grew deadly pale; she rose and moved back a step or two from the priest.
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