Then Enrica waves her hand toward the palace opposite, a side-door
opens piano, Nobili appears, and watches all round to see that no one
is near--ha! ha! his young eyes didn't spy out my old ones though, for
all that--Nobili appears, I say, then he puts his hand to his heart,
and gives such a look across the street!--Ahi! it makes my old blood
boil to see it. I was pretty once, and liked such looks.--You may
think my eyes are dim, but I can see as far as another."

And the old hag chuckles spitefully, and winks at Brigitta, enjoying
her surprise.

"Madre di Dio!" exclaims this one. "There will be fine work."

"Yes, truly, very fine work. The marchesa shall know it; all Lucca
shall know it too--mark my words, all Lucca! Curses on the Guinigi
root and branch! I will humble them! Curses on them!" mumbles
Carlotta.

"And what did Nobili do?" asks Brigitta.

"Do?--Why, seeing no one, he came across and kissed Enrica's hand; I
saw it. He made as if he would have knelt upon the stones, only she
would not let him. Then they whispered for, as near as I can guess,
half an hour--Teresa standing apart. There was the sound of a cart
then coming along the street, and presto!--Enrica was within the
garden in an instant, the gate was closed, and Nobili disappeared."

Any further talk is now cut short by the approach of Cassandra,
a friend of Brigitta's. Cassandra is a servant in a neighboring
eating-house, a tall, large-boned woman, a colored handkerchief tied