"He went for tidings of your son, and he has not had time to return," was the answer.
"If he play me false," commenced the brigand,—grinding his white fangs instead of completing his sentence.
"He has not played you false, or these birds would not be in your net," cried Enrico, as he pointed to Horace and his mother.
Horace at once comprehended that "the Rossignol" (the Italian word for "nightingale") must be a cant name for Raphael; and that the musician, whatever might have been his motive in uttering his words of warning, must have incurred some risk by doing so.
Matteo now turned again towards his captives, and spoke as follows to the trembling lady, using violent gesticulation, and giving emphasis to his speech with the action of hand and foot:—
"You know, or you do not know, that the dogs of soldiers have seized my son; that they have dragged him off to a dungeon; that the sentence of a tyrannical judge may condemn him, as it has condemned other bold spirits before him. You are rich; a golden key opens all doors—ay, even the barred and bolted gate of a prison! You shall write to the government. You shall say that you are in Matteo's hands, at Matteo's mercy. You shall tell what conditions I offer. If Otto be set free, you shall be set free; if they hurt a hair of his head—" Matteo half unsheathed his stiletto, and the gleam of the cold blue steel spoke more forcibly than words.
"There is little use in writing," suggested Enrico; "these people are strangers—foreigners—a mere letter is thrown aside—blood is spilt while officials take their drive or their siesta. * Let one of the prisoners go, knowing that the life of the other hangs on the issue, and the dullest employé will be made to hear, the slowest to act: gold will be lavished freely, and Otto be a free man again."
* The noonday sleep which Italians habitually take
Mrs. Cleveland glanced anxiously from one speaker to the other, unable to catch the whole of their meaning, but understanding in a general way the nature of a discussion in which she was so deeply concerned.
"Right! Right!" exclaimed the robber. "We'll keep the lady and send off the boy."