ng aside
the mask altogether, he exposed the features of the Bravo.

"Thou knowest the need of caution," he added, "and wilt not judge me
harshly."

"I said not that, Carlo--but thy voice is so familiar, that I thought it
wonderful thou could'st speak as a stranger."

"Hast thou aught for me?"

The gentle girl--for she was both young and gentle--hesitated.

"Hast thou aught new, Gelsomina?" repeated the Bravo, reading her
innocent face with his searching gaze.

"Thou art fortunate in not being sooner in the prison. I have just had a
visitor. Thou would'st not have liked to be seen, Carlo!"

"Thou knowest I have good reasons for coming masked. I might, or I might
not have disliked thy acquaintance, as he should have proved."

"Nay, now thou judgest wrong," returned the female, hastily--"I had no
other here but my cousin Annina."

"Dost thou think me jealous?" said the Bravo, smiling in kindness, as
he took her hand. "Had it been thy cousin Pietro, or Michele, or
Roberto, or any other youth of Venice, I should have no other dread than
that of being known."

"But it was only Annina--my cousin Annina, whom thou hast never
seen--and I have no cousins Pietro, and Michele, and Roberto. We are not
many, Carlo. Annina has a brother, but he never comes hither. Indeed it
is long since she has found it convenient to quit her trade to come to
this dreary place. Few children of sisters see each other so seldom as
Annina and I!"

"Thou art a good girl, Gessina, and art always to be found near thy
mother. Hast thou naught in particular for my ear?"

Again the soft eyes of Gelsomina, or Gessina, as she was familiarly
called, dropped to the floor; but raising them ere he could note the
circumstance, she hurriedly continued the discourse.

"I fear Annina will return, or I would go with thee at once."

"Is this cousin of thine still here, then?" asked the Bravo, with
uneasiness. "Thou knowest I would not be seen."

"Fear not. She cannot enter without touching that bell; for she is above
with my poor bed-ridden mother. Thou can'st go into the inner room as
usual, when she comes, and listen to her idle discourse, if thou wilt;
or--but we have not time--for Annina comes seldom, and I know not why,
but she seems to love a sick room little, as she never stays many
minutes with her aunt."

"Thou would'st have said, or I might go on my errand, Gessina?"

"I would, Carlo, but I am certain we should be recalled by my impatient