be quiet. Listen!" But I could not now be stopped.

"Oh," I cried out, "I have been silent too long, and now I must speak.
For six months I have been silent; but now there is death in silence. I
shall die of love, and it will be you that will have killed me." I knelt
again, and again said, "I love you."

"Oh, no, no," she said, but her protest was fainter. I repeated it, and
now she made no protest. God help me, I thought her won. I flung myself
violently near, and in my agitation knocked over my chair. As that fell
backwards, so fell I forwards to her knees. I clasped them closely,
studded kisses on her hands, I raised my face to hers, and saw her the
lovelier for her pale terror. She was speechless.

"Listen to me, Aurelia, youngest of the angels," I began, and just then
old Nonna burst in upon me crying "Ruin!" I sprang to my feet, and
Aurelia away, her work table went down, the lamp with it; we were all
three in darkness.

"Ruin!" said Nonna, "I tell you, ruin! That wretched boy--the padron is
on the stair."

Aurelia shrieked that she was undone; Nonna, who had flown back into the
kitchen, returned with a lamp. I saw my beautiful mistress distraught
and ran forward to comfort her. She shrank from me with horror, as well
she might. "Farewell, lady," I said, "I will go to meet what I deserve."

I took my cloak, hat and sword, and went to the door, but Nonna caught
me by the skirt, and, "Is he mad then?" she cried; and, "What are you
about, Don Francis? Will you meet the padron on the stair and let him up