Indeed, the wind was pouring in somewhere and making the candle flicker.
“Mistress,” said the servant softly, “Master Philip told me plainly to keep the child apart from you from fear it would disturb you—— ”
“Bring me my child,” said the young mother with an outbreak which nearly burst her heart.
Out of her eyes, which had remained dry despite her pangs, gushed tears on which must have smiled the guardian angels of little children.
“Mistress,” replied the servant, returning. “I tell you that the child is not there. Somebody must have come in—— ”
“Yes, I heard it; the nurse has come and—where is my brother?”
“Here he is, mistress; with the nurse.”
Captain Philip returned, followed by a peasant woman in a striped shawl who wore the smirk customary in the mercenary to her employer.
“My good brother,” said Andrea: “I have to thank you for having so earnestly pleaded with me to see the baby once more before you took it away. Well, let me have it. Rest easy, I shall love it.”
“What do you mean?” asked Philip.