"I—I am afraid—I have not understood," she said. "I beg your pardon—I was not paying attention. I am nervous."
"It is growing late," said Griggs. "We had better be going—I will tell you again as we walk to the door."
"Yes—no—just a moment!" She made a strong effort over herself. "Tell me in three words," she said. "Who is it that threatens Lord Redin's life?"
"A peasant of Subiaco called Stefanone. Really, Princess, we must be going; it is quite dark—"
"Stefanone!" exclaimed Francesca, while he was speaking the last words, which she did not hear. "Stefanone of Subiaco—of course!"
"We must really be going," said Griggs, rising to his feet, and wondering indifferently why it was so hard to make her understand.
She rose to her feet slowly. Lord Redin's story was intricately confused in her mind with the few words which she had retained of what Griggs had said.
"Yes—yes—Stefanone," she said in a low voice, as though to herself, and she stood still, comprehending the whole situation in a flash, and imagining that Griggs knew the whole truth and had been telling it to her as though she had not known it. "But how did you know that Lord Redin took the girl's body and burnt it?" she asked, quite certain that he had mentioned the fact.
"What girl?" asked Griggs in wonder.
"Why, the body of Stefanone's daughter, which he managed to burn in the convent when he carried off my cousin! How did you know about it?"