d
a good friend at your service, as ever. Will you give me your hand,
lady?'

'What for, sir? I was sorry I did, the other day. I should have boxed
your ears instead!'

'Do it now!'

With a careless laugh he dropped on his knees, just at her feet, folding
his hands like a penitent; and laughing too, in spite of herself, she
lightly tapped his left ear. He instantly turned the other towards her.

'Remember the gospel,' he said. '"If thine enemy smite thee on one
cheek----"'

Again she laughed, but she would not touch him a second time, and she
turned away. He sprang to his feet, and there was a flash of light in
his eyes, and his hands trembled; for he was behind her, and the
temptation to catch her in his arms was almost too strong for him. At
that moment the door opened without any warning knock.

'The master is coming up the stairs,' said Pina quietly, and instantly
she disappeared again.

Don Alberto started, but Ortensia was calm.

'Stay here and say you have come to see him,' she said, and before he
could answer she was in her own room and the door was shut.

Don Alberto was himself again in a moment, for no experienced woman of
the world could have done the right thing with more instant decision
than Ortensia had shown. He understood, too, that he had so thoroughly
frightened the wretched Pina that she was henceforth his slave, on whom
he could count as safely as Stradella had depended on her in Venice.
With the instinct of an old hand he glanced quickly round the room to
see that no object had been displaced in a way to excite suspicion, and
he then sat down in a straight chair, folded one knee over the other,
and waited for Stradella's coming.

The musician entered a few moments later and stared in surprise as Don
Alberto rose to meet him with outstretched hand and a friendly smile.

'Your servant told me that you would not be back for some time,' said
Altieri, 'but I insisted on coming in. Pray forgive the intrusion, for
the matter is very urgent.'

Stradella had taken his hand rather coolly, but he did not mean his
visitor to see that he was displeased, and he now politely pushed a
chair forward, and took another himself.

'I am glad to find you here,' he said, 'for I also wished to see you in
order to thank you once more for the use of this apartment.'

'But you are not going away?' cried Don Alberto in astonishment.

'Not from Rome. But I have at last found a dwelling which will just suit