“Why do you not answer me?  Where are you?  Is this the way you watch?”

Still there was no answer.  Ethel heard, and by this time knew what his suspicion was; but she could neither do nor say any thing.

“Come down here at once, you hag!”

But the “hag” did not come down, nor did she give any answer.  The “hag” was trembling violently, and saw that all was lost.  If the priest were only here!  If she could only have gone and returned with him!  What kept him?

Girasole now came to the top of the stairs, and spoke to Minnie.

“Charming mees, are you awake?”

“Yes,” said Minnie.

“Ees your sistaire wit you?”

“No.  How can she be with me, I should like to know, when you’ve gone and put her in some horrid old room?”

“Ah! not wit you?  Who are you whisperin’ to, den?”

Minnie hesitated.

“To my maid,” said she.

[Illustration:  “WHAT DIT YOU COME FOR?”—­“FOR HER.”]

“Does de maid spik Inglis?” asked Girasole.

“Yes,” said Minnie.

“Ah!  I did not know eet.  I mus have a look at de contadina who spiks Inglis.  Come here, Italiana.  You don’t spik Italiano, I tink.  Come here.”

Ethel rose to her feet.

Girasole ran down, and came back after a few minutes with a lamp.  Concealment was useless, and so Ethel did not cover her face with the hood.  It had fallen off when she was sitting by Minnie, and hung loosely down her shoulders from the strings which were around her neck.  Girasole recognized her at one glance.

“Ah!” said he; and then he stood thinking.  As for Ethel, now that the suspense was over and the worst realized, her agitation ceased.  She stood looking at him with perfect calm.

“What dit you come for?” he asked.

“For her,” said Ethel, making a gesture toward Minnie.

“What could you do wit her?”

“I could see her and comfort her.”

“Ah! an’ you hope to make her escape.  Ha, ha! ver well.  You mus not complain eef you haf to soffair de consequence.  Aha! an’ so de priest bring you here—­ha?”

Ethel was silent.

“Ah! you fear to say—­you fear you harma de priest—­ha?”

Minnie had thus far said nothing, but now she rose and looked at Girasole, and then at Ethel.  Then she twined one arm around Ethel’s waist, and turned her large, soft, childish eyes upon Girasole.

“What do you mean,” she said, “by always coming here and teasing, and worrying, and firing off pistols, and frightening people?  I’m sure it was horrid enough for you to make me come to this wretched place, when you know I don’t like it, without annoying me so.  Why did you go and take away poor darling Kitty?  And what do you mean now, pray, by coming here?  I never was treated so unkindly in my life.  I did not think that any one could be so very, very rude.”