She saw she had displeased him by repeating this accusation, and exclaimed in distress;
“Oh! forgive me!”
Presently she added:
“May I ask you a question?”
“Speak.”
“Shall you never return to Jenne?”
“Never.”
The woman was silent. They could hear steps approaching in the distance; it was the muleteer and his mule. She said in a lower tone:
“For pity’s sake, one word more! How do you picture to yourself the future life? Do you believe we shall meet those we have known in this life?”
If the moonlight had not been so pale, Benedetto would have seen two great tears rolling down the young girl’s face.