"God in heaven! I do not want to see or be the cause of any cruel treatment of the man; but if the Piccinino comes here, I am terribly afraid there will be bloodshed. You smile, monsignor," said Mila, turning pale. "Oh! now I am afraid! Pray send me away as soon as the abbé has set foot in the house."
"Mila, I swear to you that the abbé shall suffer no cruelty at my hands. As soon as I have made sure of his person, the Piccinino will come and take him away, a prisoner."
"And is all this done by the Princess Agatha's orders?"
"You ought to know."
"In that case, my mind is at ease. She would not desire the death of the lowest of men."
"You are very compassionate, Mila; I thought that you were stronger and prouder. So you would not have the courage to kill that man if he should come here and insult you?"
"Excuse me, monsignor," rejoined Mila, taking from her bosom a dagger which the princess had given to Magnani the day before, and of which she had succeeded in gaining possession without his knowledge: "I could not see a man killed in cold blood without fainting, I think; but if I were insulted, I think that my anger would carry me a long way."
"So you prepared for war, did you, Mila? You had no confidence in me, I see."
"As in God, monsignor; but God is everywhere, and some unforeseen accident might have prevented you from being here."
"Do you know that it was very brave in you to come, Mila? and that if people knew it——"