"May the devil carry you off!" said Temistocle, suddenly changing his voice, and whispering hoarsely. "Let me see—let me pass." He put down the can of hot water he was taking to his master, and pushed past the maid, into Leonora's bedroom.
"Bada," said the woman, going after him cautiously, "take care! The signore might come in and find you."
"What harm is there?" asked the servant. And then he made a careful survey of the premises, locking all the doors except the one by which they had entered.
"It is true, what you said," he remarked, pushing the maid out of the room. "An apoplexy on these foreigners who go away without telling one. Fuori! Go along with you, my child. Ci penso io—I will look after all this." And he locked the door behind him, put the key in his pocket, and took up his water-can.
"What are you doing?" asked the maid. Temistocle had seen a chance, and took it.
"Look here," said he, rubbing the thumb and forefinger of his hand together before the girl's eyes,—which means "money" in gesture language—"look here. The signore accompanied the signora to the early train from Castellamare this morning at half past four. They had a hired carriage. She went away and forgot her jewels on the table. She is gone to Rome on business,—they were talking about it last night. Do you understand?"
"No," answered the woman looking puzzled, "you said she had gone out"—
"I said so to you," he answered with a sly grin, "but I will not say so to any one else, nor you either. Remember that she went to Rome this morning. It will be worth your while to remember that."
The woman smiled a cunning smile. She had hated her mistress, and would have liked to make a scandal before all the other servants, but Temistocle's advice would be more profitable. So they arranged the matter between them and parted.
Marcantonio was seated at his writing-table when Temistocle entered. He always got up very early, and did a great many things before he dressed.