Giuseppina dropped her voice, and looked as if the desire to impart information were struggling with a fear of danger from so doing as she made answer:
"He is certainly no stranger to Matteo."
The last word was pronounced in a whisper so low, that both Mrs. Cleveland and her son had to bend forward to catch the name.
"Who is Matteo?" asked Horace.
Giuseppina raised her hands and eyebrows with a gesture of surprise.
"Not know Matteo! All the world knows Matteo!" she said with low but rapid utterance, glancing around her as she did so, as if to make sure that no third listener was present. "We don't speak of him—no one speaks of him—but—"
"But?" said Horace with some curiosity, as the speaker came to a pause.
"Oh!" continued Giuseppina, with the same stealthy look and quick utterance. "Did not the signori hear how the government courier was stopped and robbed of three hundred dollars on the high road, and the Cavaliero Donato waylaid and shot dead? It is said that they owed him a grudge. And the Contessa Albani was attacked in her detturino and all her jewels taken, and her servants knocked on the head!"
"By whom—by this Matteo?" asked Horace, while his mother, who only understood half of the girl's information, clasped her hands with a gesture of alarm.
"Zitto! (Hush!)" whispered the talkative Calabrese, who appeared, however, greatly to relish the diversion of frightening an English lady. Horace looked as if he could not be frightened.