heolivesallgathered.'
'Ileftinyourchargesomethingmorepreciousthancornfieldsandvineyards.'
'Mylord!'
'Imadeyouguardianofmyhonour.Whatofthat?'
Hehesitated,andhisvoiceasheansweredtrembled.
'Yourhonouris—intact.'
Itookhimbytheshoulders.
'Fabio,whatisit?Ibeseechyoubyyourmaster,myfather,totellme.'
Iknewhelovedmyfather'smemorywithmorethanhumanlove.Helookeduptoheavenandclaspedhishandshecouldhardlyspeak.
'Bymydearmaster,yourfather,nothing—nothing!'
'Fabio,youarelying.'IpressedhiswristswhichIwasholdingclenchedinmyhands.
Hesankdownonhisknees.
'Oh,master,havemercyonme!'Heburiedhisfaceinhishands.'Icannottellyou.'
'Speak,man,speak!'
Atlast,withlamentsandgroans,heutteredthewords,—
'Shehas—ohGod,shehasbetrayedyou!'
'Oh!'Istaggeredback.
'Forgiveme!'
'Whydidyounottellmebefore?'
'Ah,howcouldI?YoulovedherasIhaveneverseenmanlovewoman.'
'Didyounotthinkofmyhonour?'
'Ithoughtofyourhappiness.Itisbettertohavehappinesswithouthonour,thanhonourwithouthappiness.'
'Foryou,'Igroaned,'butnotforme.'
'Youareofthesamefleshandblood,andyousufferaswedo.Icouldnotdestroyyourhappiness.'
'Oh,Giulia!Giulia!'Then,afterawhile,Iaskedagain,'Butareyousure?'
'Alas,thereisnodoubt!'
'Icannotbelieveit!OhGod,helpme!Youdon'tknowhowIlovedher!Shecouldnot!Letmeseeitwithmyowneyes,Fabio.'
Webothstoodsilentthenahorriblethoughtstruckme.
'Doyouknow—whentheymeet?'Iwhispered.
Hegroaned.Iaskedagain.
'Godhelpme!'
'Youknow?Icommandyoutotellme.'
'Theydidnotknowyouwerecomingbacktillafterto-morrow.'
'Heiscoming?'
'To-day.'
'Oh!'Iseizedhimbythehand.'Takeme,andletmeseethem.'
'Whatwillyoudo?'heasked,horror-stricken.
'Nevermind,takeme!'
Trembling,heledmethroughante-roomsandpassages,tillhebroughtmetoasta