"Very sick, signor."

"What is the matter with her?"

"We do not know, signor. She will not have a doctor, but sits and pines."

"Ah! no doubt," said the duke to himself.

"Will the signor condescend to honor our poor shed by coming under its
roof, where he may for himself see the signora?" said the vine-dresser,
with much courtesy.

"Thanks, no. Back to the hotel!" he added, to the driver, who immediately
turned his horse's head to the village.

With a parting nod to the courteous vine-dresser, the duke sank back on
his seat, closed his eyes, and gave his mind up to thought.

Volaski had gone back to Paris. Why had he left Valerie and gone there?
To resign his position in the embassy? To settle up business previous to
taking up his permanent abode in Italy? Or had he returned so quickly to
Paris only to conceal his crime and deceive the world into the opinion
that he had not been out of Paris.

The duke did not know what his motive for so sudden a return could be;
but judged the last-mentioned theory of causes to be the most probable.

"I do not know what _else_ the caitiff has gone back for; but I know
one thing--he has gone there to give me satisfaction," said the duke,
grimly, to himself.

The horse, with the prospect of stall and fodder before him, made much
better time in going home than in coming away, and so, in less than half
an hour, the rumbling vehicle drew up before the little hotel.

The landlord himself came out to meet the returning traveler.

"I hope the illustrious signor found the excellent signor and the
beautiful signora in good health," said the polite host, as he opened
the carriage-door for his guest.

"The beautiful signora is sick and the excellent signor is gone," said
the duke, grimly, as he got out.

"_Misericordia!_" cried the host, with a look of unutterable
woe.

"That will do. Now let me have some supper as soon as you can get it, and
when it is ready to be served, come yourself and tell me why I was not
informed of the young man's departure before taking that useless drive
to the vine-dresser's," said the duke, gravely.

"Pardon, illustrissimo, if I tell you now. We did not know the young
signor had gone. He did not come this way. He must have taken another
route and got his train at San Stephano," humbly replied the host.

"Ah! yes! the vine-dresser did tell me he had driven the man over to San
Stephano. Well, then, hurry up my supper," said the duke, passing on