feet were bare upon the flags, her great and mournful eyes loomed hollow
in her face. They were my instant reproof, for now, and now to the full,
I saw a fatal consequence of my enthusiastic action. Unhappy Francis,
what hadst thou done? Thou hadst intended to abase thyself in her
service--and betrayed her. Thou hadst intended to honour, and condemned
her to dishonour! Alas, thou hadst gone near to ruining the purest and
loveliest of women by revealing those very things which proved her so.

The doctor, at his pitch of most savage and relentless calm, pointed to
me and the cupboard--to the criminal and his lurking den together. "Look
at those, woman," he said ominously, deliberately, but she could not or
would not; and, before she could collect her wits, what must need old
Nonna do but make bad worse, and, running, thrust herself in between,
and wag her hand under the doctor's nose.

"Eh, eh, eh, what a bother about nothing!" says this amiable old fool.
"Let us pray all together to the Madonna that you be not sorry for this.
She has done nothing, padron--nothing at all. He alone is wicked--by
Diana the Mighty I swear it--and it was I who put him in the cupboard,
and therefore know what I am saying. She--a lamb of our Saviour's flock!
Madness! Are you jealous of a boy without a beard? Do you conceive that
your lady could listen to a voice that sang among milk-teeth? Ah, do you
listen, rather, padron, to me and the truth, for we are at one together,
the truth and I." She stayed for breath.

"Hag," said the doctor, "you are lying. This fine young man has
confessed to me the agreeable truth. Madam," he turned to Donna Aurelia,
"here is a confessed lover of yours. Pray have you anything to say?"

"He is very foolish, he is very wicked; I have often told him so, often