"That does not concern you, monsignor; I will not answer that question."
"However, you came here at the risk of losing his love?"
"As you see, alas!" said Mila, with a sigh.
"O women! are you really so much nobler than we men?" exclaimed the Piccinino, rising. But he had no sooner glanced out of doors than he took Mila by the hand.
"Here's the abbé!" he said; "follow me. Why do you tremble so?"
"Not with fear," she replied, "but with disgust and displeasure; but I will follow you."
They went down to the garden.
"You will not leave me alone with him a single minute, will you?" said Mila, as they left the house: "if he should so much as kiss my hand, I should be forced to burn the place with a red-hot iron."
"And I should be forced to kill him," rejoined the Piccinino.
They walked under the arbor to an opening, where the Piccinino glided behind the trellis, and so followed Mila to the garden gate. Emboldened by his presence, she opened it and motioned to the abbé to enter.