The Governor looked at her; touched a bell; the full-toned note vibrated far and near.
"What are you going to do?" Something in his face held her.
Again the tones startled the stillness. "Remember, it is I who am responsible for—"
"Your Excellency?" Across the court appeared Beppo, moving quickly toward them. "Your Excellency?"
"One moment!" The servant stepped back; the Governor looked first at the girl; then toward the entrance of the cloister.
"You want me to go?" Her voice was low: strained; in it, too, was a hard, rebellious accent. "But I can't—can't—until—"
"What?"
"You promise to set him free! This man who brought me back! Don't you see you must, mon père? Must!" she repeated.
His thin lips drew back disagreeably; he seemed about to speak; then reached among the papers and, turned them over absently. "Very well!" he said at length without glancing up.
"You promise," her voice expressed relief and a little surprise, "to set him free?"