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"Don Emilio has come?" she asked him, as she stepped into the boat. "Si, Signora. He has been on the island a long time." Gaspare sat down facing his Padrona and took the oars. As he rowed the boat out past the ruined "Palace of the Spirits" he looked at Hermione, and it seemed to her that his eyes pitied her. Could Gaspare see what she was feeling, her humiliation, her secret jealousy?
At the top he paused, broad shouldered, narrow hipped and supple, looking at the large bed, like a white couch of state, with a profusion of snowy linen, amongst which the Padrona sat unpropped and bowed, her handsome, black-browed face bent over her chest. A mass of raven hair with only a few white threads in it covered her shoulders; one thick strand fallen forward half veiled her cheek.
As we pass with the padrona of the hotel, who is a Bavarian, we stop to speak to our own padroni, the Di Paoli. They have a warm handshake and effusive polite conversation for us; for Maria Samuelli, a distant bow. We realize our mistake. The barber not the Siciliano, but flashy little Luigi with the big tie-ring and the curls knows all about the theatre.
Don Luis is said to have been degraded to the rank of ensign on account of some wild escapades, and who knows what has become of the poor, beautiful signorina. The padrona sometimes sent money to her in Italy, by way of Florence, through Signor Lamperi but I have heard nothing of her during the last few months."
The padrona went out; the Sambo unfolded the billet, and read aloud: "A young girl has prayed for the return of Martin Paz, for she has not forgotten that the young Indian protected her and risked his life for her. If the Sambo has any news of his poor son, or any hope of finding him, let him surround his arm with a red handkerchief; there are eyes which see him pass daily."
"The chevalier's room isn't fit for my mistress's sick niece," replied Belotti civilly, but resolutely. "Isn't it? And you know exactly?" asked his mistress scornfully. "Go down, Denise, and order the sedan-chair to be brought up. Have you anything more to say, Belotti?" "Yes, Padrona," replied the Italian, in a trembling voice. "I beg your excellenza to dismiss me."
Up came the padrona to see the fun; up came her fat husband, in his shirt-sleeves and slippers; and her long-legged sons, and her tousle-headed daughters, and the maid-servant, and the cook, and the ostler the whole establishment, in fact, collected at the open folding-doors, and watched with delight the progress of this battle of words.
Vere came slowly from the house, and at once Hermione's newly made and not yet carried out resolution crumbled into dust. She forgot the sun, the sea, the peaceful situation and all material things. She was confronted by the painful drama of the island life! Vere with her secrets, Emile with his, Gaspare fighting to keep her, his Padrona, still in mystery.
I only want to go to the mountain over there under Castel Vecchio. I want to go to the Madonna." Hermione took one of the girl's hands. "To the Madonna della Rocca?" "Si, signora." "I understand." "I have a candle to burn to the Madonna. If I go now I can be back before nine." She stood gazing pathetically, like a big child, at her padrona.
Poor Lisetta was very much frightened, but told her story to this angry stranger with true Southern palaver. She said the little lady loved Italy so, and wanted to be a peasant, and insisted she would run away quite by herself if Lisetta would not take her, and so she consented, knowing she could, through the padrona, send word to the friends. "And the man?" asked Norman, impatiently. "What man?
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