To this apple-tree field there was a high hedge of luxuriant elder
and ash, myrtle and field-roses. Behind this hedge old Gianna was
waiting for him; the tears were running down her face. She took the
skirt of his coat between her hands. "Wait, your reverence, wait! The
child is in the cattle stable."
Don Silverio looked down on her a few moments without comprehension.
Then he remembered.
"Is she there indeed? Poor little soul! She must not go to the
house."
"She does not dream of it, sir. Only she cannot understand why
Madonna Clelia's anger is so terrible. What can I do -- oh, Lord!"
"Keep her where she is for the present. I am going home. I will speak
with some of the women in Ruscino, and find her some temporary
shelter."
"She will go to none, sir. She says she must be where she can serve
Adone. If she be shut up, she will escape and run into the woods.
Three years ago she was a wild thing; she will turn wild again."
"Like enough! But we must do what we can. I am going home. I will
come or send to you in a few hours."
Gianna reluctantly let him go. As he crossed the river he looked down
on the bright water, here green as emeralds, there brown as peat,
eddying round the old stone piers of the bridge, and an infinite
sorrow was on him.
As a forest fire sweeps away under its rolling smoke and waves of
flame millions of obscure and harmless creatures, so the baneful
fires of men's greed and speculations came from afar and laid low
these harmless lives with neither thought of them or pity.
Later in the day he sent word to Gianna to bring Nernia to the
presbytery. They both came, obedient. The child looked tired and had
lost her bright colour; but she had a resolute look on her face.
"My poor little girl," he said gently to her, "Madonna Clelia is
angered against you. We will hope her anger will pass ere long.
Meanwhile you must not go to the house. You would not make ill-blood
between a mother and her son?"
"No," said Nernia.
"I have found a home for awhile for you, with old Alaida Manzi; you
know her; she is a good creature. I am very sorry for you, my child;
but you did wrong to be absent at night; above all not to go back to
your chamber when Clelia Alba bade you to do so."