"You may use Italian," I answered angrily. "I can understand it more easily than you will use it to explain why you have done this wickedness."
"He was very foolish," she said. "He tried to run away. And you were all very foolish to come as you did. We saw your ship while you were yet four leagues at sea. How have you come here?"
"I came here," answered I, "being led by your hogs, and after shooting an assassin in disguise of a hog."
"You have killed Giuseppe?"
"I did my best," said I, turning and addressing myself to three Corsicans who had stepped from the bushes around me. "But whatever your purpose may be, you have shot my friend here, and he is dying. If you have hearts, deal tenderly with him, and afterwards we can talk."
"He says well," said the girl, slowly, and nodded to the three men. "Lift him and bring him to the camp." She turned to me. "You will not resist?" she asked.
"I will go with my friend," said I.
"That is good. You may walk behind me," she said, turning on her heel. "I am glad to have met one who talks in Italian, for the rest of your friends can only chatter in English, a tongue which I do not understand. Step close behind me, please; for the way is narrow. For what are you waiting?"
"To see that my friend is tenderly handled," I answered.
"He is past helping," said she, carelessly. "He behaved foolishly.
You did not stop for Giuseppe, did you?"