"I hope he will kill the hound!" cried Nino, with rising anger. "And I am glad your father has still the decency to protect you from insult."
"My father is very unkind, Nino mio, but he is an officer and a gentleman."
"Oh, I know what that means,—a gentleman! Fie on your gentleman! Do you love me less, Hedwig, because I am of the people?"
For all answer Hedwig threw her arms round his neck, passionately.
"Tell me, love, would you think better of me if I were noble?"
"Ah, Nino, how most unkind! Oh, no: I love you, and for your sake I love the people,—the strong, brave people, whose man you are."
"God bless you, dear, for that," he answered tenderly. "But say, will your father take you back to Rome, now that he has sent away Benoni?"
"No, he will not. He swears that I shall stay here until I can forget you." The fair head rested again on his shoulder.
"It appears to me that your most high and noble father has amazingly done perjury in his oath," remarked Nino, resting his hand on her hair, from which the thick black veil that had muffled it had slipped back. "What do you think, love?"
"I do not know," replied Hedwig, in a low voice.