“You may think how we upbraided our gouvernante for her treachery, and threatened her with your anger.  She told us we should never be found, and that I might as well make up my mind to marry Ruggiero Mocenigo, for if I did not consent quietly, means would be found to compel me to do so.  I said I would die first, but she used to laugh a cruel laugh, and say he would soon be here with the priest, and that it mattered not whether I said yes or no.  The ceremony would be performed, and then Ruggiero would sail away with me to the East, and I should be glad enough then to make peace between him and you.  But he never came.  I think she became anxious, for she went away twice for three or four hours, and locked us in here when she went.

“That, father, is all we know about it.  Where are we?”

“You are at San Nicolo.”

“On the island!” Maria exclaimed in surprise.  “She told us we were on the mainland.  And now, how did you find us?”

“I will tell you as we go home, Maria.”

“Yes, that will be better, father.  Giulia and I long for a breath of fresh air, and the sight of the blue sky.”

“Giulia has not had so much to frighten her as you have,” her father said.

“Yes, I have, father; for she said I was to go across the seas with Maria, and that Ruggiero would soon find a husband for me among his friends.  I told her she was a wicked woman, over and over again, and we told her that we were sure you would forgive, and even reward her, if she would take us back again to you.  When she was away, we thought we would try to make our escape behind, and we made a little hole in the boards; but the sand came pouring in, and we found we were underground, though how we got there we didn’t know, for we had not come down any steps.  So we had to give up the idea of escape.”

“You are partly underground,” her father said, “for, as you will see when you get out, the sand has drifted up at the back of the hut to the roof, and has altogether hidden this part of the hut; so that we did not know that there was more than one room, and I should never have thought of breaking into that door, had it not been for Francisco.  And now come along, my dears.  Let us wait here no longer.”

The sailors and servitors broke into a cheer as the girls came out of the hut.

“Shall we put a torch to this place?” Francis asked Polani.

“No, Francisco.  It must be searched thoroughly first.

“Captain Lontano, do you order four of your men to remain here, until some of the officials of the state arrive.  If anyone comes before that, they must seize them and detain them as prisoners.  The state will investigate the matter to the bottom.”

Now that they were in the open air, the merchant could see that the close confinement and anxiety had told greatly upon his daughters.  Both were pale and hollow eyed, and looked as if they had suffered a long illness.  Seeing how shaken they were, he ordered one of the retainers to go to the gondola, and tell the men to row it round to the nearest point to the hut.  The party then walked along down to the shore.