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"Spicca is a terrible man with the foils." Astrardente turned quickly and looked at the speaker. But both men were suddenly silent, and seemed absorbed in gazing at the crowd. It was enough, however. Astrardente had gathered that Casalverde was to fight Spicca the next day, and that the affair begun that morning had not yet reached its termination.
He knew all the time that he was making a great effort, that he felt unaccountably ill, and that he wished he had taken his wife's advice and stayed quietly at home. But at the end of the evening he chanced to overhear a remark that Valdarno was making to Casalverde, who looked exceedingly pale and ill at ease. "You had better make your will, my dear fellow," said Valdarno.
Poor Casalverde lost his head and did a foolish thing, and that cold-blooded villain Spicca killed him in consequence. It seems to me that there has been enough blood spilled in our quarrel. I am prepared to leave him alone so far as I am concerned. But for you it would be different. I could do something worse than kill him if I chose." "For me?" said Donna Tullia. "What would you do for me?"
I should think that Rome had had enough of duelling for a while." "Yes; but after all, Casalverde did not count for much. I am not sure I ever saw the fellow before in my life. And I suppose Del Ferice will recover. There was a story this morning that he was dead; but I went and inquired myself, and found that he was better. People are much shocked at this second duel.
Do you mean to say that there was not a sbirro or a gendarme in the neighbourhood to-day nor yesterday?" "That is not so surprising," answered Valdarno, with a knowing look. "There would have been few tears in high quarters if Del Ferice had been killed yesterday; there will be few to-day over the death of poor Casalverde." "Bah!" ejaculated Astrardente.
"Halt!" cried Saracinesca and Casalverde, in the same breath. "In guard!" shouted the Prince again, and the duel commenced. In a moment the difference between the two men was apparent.
Valdarno nodded, and looked grave. He was a thoughtless young fellow enough, but the news of the tragedy had sobered him. Astrardente had anticipated the death of Casalverde, and was not surprised. But he was not without human feeling, and showed a becoming regret at the sad end of a man he had been accustomed to see so frequently. "How was it?" he asked.
"I suppose so. But Casalverde certainly meant no harm; and if Del Ferice had not been so unlucky as to forget himself in the excitement of the moment, no one would have thought anything of it." "Ah yes, I suppose not," murmured Astrardente, still looking after the girl. When he could see her face no longer, he turned sharply back to Valdarno. "This is exceedingly interesting," he said.
"Your principal, Prince," answered Casalverde, coldly, "is unable to proceed, seeing that his right arm is injured." "My son, sir, fences as readily with his left hand as with his right," returned old Saracinesca. Del Ferice's face fell, and his smile vanished instantly. "In that case we are ready," returned Casalverde, unable, however, to conceal his annoyance.
He looks frightened," he added in a low voice, as he glanced at Del Ferice's livid face. "He has cause," returned the Prince, "if he ever had in his life!" Casalverde and his witness advanced from the other side with a fresh pair of foils; for the one that had gone through the window could not be recovered at once, and was probably badly bent by the twist it had received.
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