"_Cielo_! You, Gasparo--you _here_?"
"Yes," I replied, catching her white bejewelled hand and kissing it.
"Yes. Why not?"
She snatched away her hand quickly, and passed it wearily across her
brow. Her beauty shone with marvellous radiance, for she was only
twenty-four--fair-haired, blue-eyed, and with a slim, graceful figure
that gave her an almost girlish appearance. I own myself entranced by
her loveliness.
"I thought," she said, after a moment's hesitation--"I thought my note
explained everything. The statue is practically finished, and--"
"No--no!" I cried. "It is still incomplete. You cannot--you shall not
leave me, Santina!"
"Pray, why?" she asked indignantly, raising her eyebrows.
"Because--because I love you," I stammered.
"Love!" she exclaimed, with a light laugh. "Bah! How foolish! Love!
It is only plebeians and fools who love. There is no such word in our
vocabulary."
"Yes, yes," I said quickly. "I know the insurmountable barrier that
lies between us, Santina. But do you intend to leave Italy--to leave me
alone--now?"
"Of course. It is not my intention to return for several years; perhaps
never. We have spent many pleasant hours together; but you have become
infatuated, therefore we must part."
"No!" I cried; "I cannot--I will not let you go! Only a week ago you
confessed that you loved me. What have I done that you should treat me
so?"
She made no immediate answer; and as she stood with bowed head and
somewhat pale, thoughtful face, I wondered what mystery veiled and
troubled her clear, resolute nature.
Placing my arm around her waist, I bent and kissed her lips; but she
struggled to free herself.
"_Dio_!" she cried hoarsely. "Why have you come here, Gasparo? Think
of my reputation--my honour! If any one found you here alone with me,
and I in _deshabille_."
"Tell me, Santina, do you still love me?" I asked earnestly, looking
into her eyes.
"I--I hardly know," she replied, with a strange, preoccupied air.
"Why are you leaving so suddenly?"
"Because it is imperative," she replied. "But hush! listen! a voice!
_Dio! it is my husband_!"
"Your husband!" I gasped. "What do you mean? I thought the Count died
in Buenos Ayres two years ago, and that you were free?"
"So did I. But that was his voice. _Cielo_! I know it, alas! too
well," she said, turning deathly pale.
Rushing suddenly across the room, she snatched something from a small
niche in the wall and brought it over to me. It was a curious little
ivory idol, about six inches long, representing Amida, the eternal
Buddha. Kissing it, she handed it to me, saying--
"Quick! take this as a souvenir. It has been my talisman; may it be
yours. When I am absent, look upon it sometimes, Gasparo, and think of
me."
"You do love me, then, Santina?" I cried joyously; for answer she
placed her lips to mine.
"Hide! hide at once!" she implored. "Kneel behind that screen, or we
are lost. Remain there until we have left the house, and tell no one
that you have seen the Count. _A rivederci_!"
I slipped into the place she indicated, and not a moment too soon, for
as I did so, a short, stout man of about sixty years of age entered.
His face wore a strange, fixed expression, and as he strode in, he
betrayed no astonishment at meeting his wife, although she, terrified
and trembling, shrank from him.
"I thought you were ready," he exclaimed roughly. "Be quick and put on
your travelling dress. The carriage is on its way round, and we haven't
a moment to spare if we mean to leave to-night."
"I shall not keep you long," she sighed, and a few moments later they
both turned and left the room.
The reappearance of the Count di Pallanzeno, whom every one believed had
died, was puzzling, and the manner in which husband and wife conversed
showed there was but little affection between them.
Suddenly I remembered that I had forgotten to return the bank-note, but
I saw it was useless to attempt to do so now, therefore I decided to
keep it until we met again. Obeying the Contessa's instructions, I
remained in my hiding-place for half an hour, until I heard the carriage
drive away down the road, then I stole out upon the verandah and let
myself down noiselessly into the garden.
The moon was shining brilliantly on the white blossoms and the pale
marbles, and in order to escape the observation of any of the servants
who might be about, I crept along under the dark shadow of the
ilex-trees in the direction of the road. I had not gone very far when
suddenly I caught my foot in an obstruction, and, stumbling, fell over
some object that lay in my path. Regaining my feet, I bent to ascertain
the cause of my fall, when, to my amazement, I discovered it was a man.