the dwarf answered in a new panic. And
kissing Gilda he went out again.

No sooner had he gone than Gilda turned tearfully to her nurse.

"Giovanna, my heart feels guilty."

"What hast thou done?" the nurse asked, indifferently, remembering the
purse of the Duke which she carried in her bosom.

"Ne'er told my father of the youth whom I have learned to love and who
has followed me."

"Why should he know it? Would he not prevent it? If you wish that----"

"Nay, nay," Gilda replied, fearfully; and in her loneliness and
distress she confided to Giovanna how much she loved the Duke. Mantua,
behind the tree, heard all, and, motioning Giovanna to go away, he
came toward Gilda. Giovanna went at once into the house, but Gilda
cried to her to come back, as the sudden appearance of the Duke
frightened her, after the scene she had just had with her father.

Then while the Duke was giving her a false name, and trying to
reassure her, they heard voices outside the garden wall. The Duke
recognized the voice of Borsa and Ceprano. They seemed to be searching
for some house, and again, quite terror-stricken, Gilda started to
rush within.

Giovanna met her. "I am afraid it is your father returned. The young
gentleman must hasten away," she whispered under her breath, and
immediately the Duke went out by another way, through the house. Then
Gilda watched off, down the road, and while she was watching, Borsa,
Ceprano, and other dare-devils of the Duke's court stole into the
garden. Ceprano, who had heard that Gilda was some one beloved by
Rigoletto, although it was not known that she was his daughter, meant
to carry Gilda off, since he owed Rigoletto a grudge. Having seen the
Duke disappear, Gilda had gone within again, and as the kidnappers
were about to enter, they heard Rigoletto coming.

It was then their opportunity to plan a great and tragic joke upon the
wretched dwarf.

"Listen to this!" Borsa whispered. "Let us tell him we are here to
carry off the Countess Ceprano, who has fled here for safety from us.
Then when we have blind-folded him, we will make him help to carry off
his own sweetheart." Just as that infamous plan was formed, in came
Rigoletto. He ran against one of the men in the dark.

"What's this?" he cried.

"H'st! Be silent!"

"Who spoke?" he unconsciously lowered his voice.

"Marullo, you idiot."

"The darkness blinds me, and I cannot see you."

"H'st, Rigoletto! We're for an adventure. We are goi