th him. 'He will take no answer from you, he forces
himself upon you when you are alone, he thinks that because he is the
Pope's nephew no one dares to face him and say him nay!'

He was very angry, and at each phrase his hand unconsciously tightened
its hold on Ortensia's waist, as if to emphasise what he was saying; and
though he said little enough, she felt that his blood was up, and that
it would be ill for Don Alberto to meet him in his present mood. A
Tuscan would have dissolved his temper in a torrent of useless
blasphemy, as Tuscans generally do, a Roman would have roared out
fearful threats, a Neapolitan would have talked of the knife with many
gestures; the Sicilian did not raise his voice, though it shook a
little, and he only said he had borne enough, but if his enemy had
appeared at that moment he would have killed him with his hands, and
Ortensia understood him.

'You must think of me too,' she pleaded wisely. 'If you make him fight
you, one of two things will happen: either you will kill him, and then
no power can save you from the Pope's vengeance, or else he will kill
you--for you will not yield till you are dead!--and I shall have to take
my own wretched life to save myself from him!'

'God forbid!' cried Stradella in a troubled voice, and pressing her to
his side again. 'To think that I imagined we should be safer in Rome
than anywhere else! I suppose you are right, sweetheart. If any harm
befalls me there is no hope for you. But what am I to do? Can I take you
with me each time I am obliged to go out about my business? And if not,
where can I find any one whom I can trust to watch over you? As for Don
Alberto, it is easy to speak moderately when he is away, but if I meet
him and talk with him----' He stopped short, unwilling to let his anger
waste itself in words.

'Trust no one, love,' said Ortensia softly. 'Take me with you
everywhere. I shall be far happier if you never let me be out of your
sight an hour--far more happy, and altogether safe!'

'But I cannot take you up into the organ loft when I sing, or conduct
music in church! You cannot go with me behind the lattice of the Sistine
choir! On Saint John's Eve, for instance, at the Lateran, I shall have
to be at least two hours with the singers and musicians. Who will take
care of you?'

'Surely,' objected Ortensia, 'you can trust your own man. Let him stand
beside me while I sit on the pedestal of the pillar nearest to the
organ, where yo