It was both cunning and clever of Major Rebb to suggest such a reason for her seclusion to the girl herself, as it prevented her feeling that she was being detained against her will. But she was apparently unaware that he ascribed a more terrible reason to the world beyond the gates, and that she was looked upon as a homicidal maniac. Of course this was wholly and entirely absurd. No one with such steady eyes, and who spoke so artlessly, could be tainted in that way. She was limited from sheer ignorance, and innocent beyond belief of evil: a child of nature, as unsophisticated as Undine herself. Gerald doubted if she would know the meaning of the word "murder!"
"What is Bellaria's other name?" he asked, after a pause.
"Dondi--Bellaria Dondi, who came from Florence, in Italy," said Miss Durham easily. "She is ugly, and old, and very cross; but I love her all the same, for she loves me and means well. And, oh! she tells such lovely, lovely stories, and can repeat poetry by Dante and Ariosto and Leopardi, for ever so long. I can repeat poetry also," she added hastily, with the complacency of a child. "I know lots of Homer, and of Shakespeare, and of Keats, and----"
"Stop! stop!" interrupted Gerald hastily. "How can you when--according to your message--you are unable to read?"
"Oh! Schaibar taught me."
"Schaibar?"
Mavis nodded with bright eyes. "You know--the Peri Banou's brother in 'The Arabian Nights.' His real name is Arnold--Mr. Arnold: but I call him Schaibar because he is a dwarf, with a long beard and a short temper. He used to recite poetry, and I learned to recite also. But Schaibar has gone away," she said, with a falling cadence. "Months ago he went to Australia, and promised to write, but he did not."
"You could not read what he wrote, Mavis?"
"I could hear it! Schaibar should send me a record, in the same way as I sent you my message. But he has not done so, and yet he was so fond of me. I cannot understand it!" And Mavis sighed.
"From your mention of Australia, it seems that you know geography also."