“Say, friends,” said the man with one ear, “you have heard of the old feud between the Batistellis and the Della Coscias. There will be blood shed in Alfieri before many days have passed. Let’s find out by this little chick which way the wind blows.”
“No, no, no,” cried the others, “you must not question her. She will tell her uncle.”
“Do you take me for a fool? No, there need be no questions, but, if the matter is talked about before her, do you see, I shall ask her to improvise for our amusement. No doubt she chants like a thrush and may hit the keynote for us. Come here, little girl. Now, I think you can chant a ballata for us, can you not?”
“I have but a poor gift, but if only Chennelly Baptiste were here she would charm you. She is called the very best voceratrice in the village. That is why she is sent for to attend all the funerals; she has the gift, you know.”
“But surely you can give us a few lines about something that has happened or that is going to happen. No doubt your mother has told you about the old corporals who lived hundreds of years ago and——”
Suddenly, the girl cried: “Oh, I have thought of something! Hark, now:
“The big oak has fallen by the frost and the snow, but its roots shot forth a branch and the branch has become an oak. He now rules his father’s house, the noble house of Della Coscia. There shall no evil come to him, for Heaven will protect him. The wicked Batistellis shall die if they bring any harm to Vandemar!”
“You have sung very prettily, my little girl,” said the shepherd who had asked her to improvise. “We are much obliged to you, but you had better go right along, for Uncle Cromillian is waiting for his dinner.”
The speaker looked after Lulie until she had disappeared from sight; then, turning to the others, he said:
“Ah! I thought so, but we shall see. If I mistake not, we are all partisans of the Batistellis, for surely it is to our interest to be on the side of the most powerful family in this part of Corsica. Now that Count Mont d’Oro is dead there is no one to dispute Pascal Batistelli’s authority in Alfieri.”