rushed towards the cupboard. Dramatically, he flung his arms towards it
as if he would shake off his two hands and leave them there. "Explain
that, woman," he screamed. "Explain it if you dare---"

She was now equally angry, with patches of fire in her cheeks. "I shall
explain nothing more. You will not believe me when I do. My mother will
understand me."

"Then she shall--if she can," says the doctor, "and as soon as you
please." Aurelia peered at him. "What do you mean, sir?"

"Why, madam, that you shall go where you are best understood."

"What!" she cried, "you mean--? You cannot mean--Oh, preposterous!"

The doctor was looking at the cupboard. "Ay, and it is preposterous, and
I do mean it."

She stared at him for a moment, perplexed, then flew into a towering and
ungovernable rage. "Ah," she cried, and she shook in every member. "Ah,
now you may mean what you please, for I have done. Do you dare to
suspect me? Do you dare to treat me as an infamous woman? Oh, oh, do you
dare? You shall have no need to repeat it. I will go to my mother's
house--I will go now--now--now. Nonna, my cloak and shoes--at once. I
have been good--I have always tried to be good--and do you faithful
duty. I have known what I ought to do--I have been proud to be Dr.
Lanfranchi's wife. I thought I would show to my people that a girl of
Siena could be proud, even of a Venetian pig, if he were her husband.
Ah, but no more, no more. No, I will work elsewhere, for better wages--
you have seen the last of Aurelia." She was superbly beautiful as she