"You are mistaken," she replied, carelessly, as if the matter were of no
consequence. "How can you expect those stalwart bullies to obey an old
woman like me? They would have beaten me to a jelly if I had tried to
shield you. Besides, my officer, I thought you had not a spark of life
left in you after that beating."

"He shall pay for it--with the sword if worthy--with the stick if a
plebeian."

"You need not believe he will ever meet you with the sword," said the
hag, glad to have the dialogue turn on another head than her own in
spite of her unconcern. "I am going to tell you all about one whom I
hated by instinct and whom I find to be a hereditary enemy."

"What do you mean? He is but a boy and cannot have wronged you or
yours."

"His father, major, murdered my loveliest daughter and interrupted her
career of splendor! Alas! one that had a palace where kings were
received and to whom princes often sued in vain!"

"Halloa! you, to have a daughter of that calibre!" and he laughed
coarsely.

"You, who know everything, my officer, must at least have heard of the
peerless Iza, the original of the most beautiful statue
which--reproduced in the precious and the mean metals, in clay, in
parian, in plaster--made the round of the civilized world? 'The Bather!'
That was my daughter! She had her faults--even the truly lovely have
mental flaws, though bodily they are perfect--but whilst she lived, her