Italian, as though to prove his courage.

"Oh, I am sure of that! But how can it be managed? Of course he cannot
force me to marry Carnesecchi, as Uncle Paolo explained to him. But he
will try, and he is so bad!"

"Let him try, let him try," repeated Gianbattista. "I made a bargain
with him last night after you had gone to bed. Do you know what I told
him? I told him that I would stay with him, but that if you married any
one but me, I would cut his throat--Sor Marzio's throat, do you
understand?"

"Oh, Tista!" cried Lucia. "How did you ever have the courage to tell him
such a thing? Besides, you know, you would not do it, would you?"

"Do not trouble yourself, he saw I was in earnest, and he will think
twice about it. Besides, he said yesterday that I might have you if I
would take you away."

"A nice thing for a father to say of his daughter!" exclaimed the girl
angrily. "And what did you answer him then, my love?"

"Oh! I said that I had not the slightest objection to the proceeding.
And then he tried to prove to me that we should starve without him, and
then he swore at me like a Turk. What did it matter? He said I was
changed. By Diana! Any man would change, just for the sake of not being
like him!"

"How do you mean that you are changed, dear?" asked Lucia anxiously.