active, first conjugation. 'Mi pare che la donna protesta
troppo,' as the poet sings. They're Christians, but they
protest against the Pope and the Pretender."

"The Signorino means Freemasons," said Marietta.

"No, he does n't," said Peter. "He means Protestants."

"But pardon, Signorino," she insisted; "if they are not
Catholics, they must be Freemasons or Jews. They cannot be
Christians. Christian--Catholic: it is the same. All
Christians are Catholics."

"Tu quoque!" he cried. "You regard the terms as
interchangeable? I 've heard the identical sentiment similarly
enunciated by another. Do I look like a Freemason?"

She bent her sharp old eyes upon him studiously for a moment.
Then she shook her head.

"No," she answered slowly. "I do not think that the Signorino
looks like a Freemason."

"A Jew, then?"

"Mache! A Jew? The Signorino!" She shrugged derision.

"And yet I'm what they call a Protestant," he said.

"No," said she.