, and
understood it, for he laughed longer yet, and louder.

"Why do you laugh like that? I see nothing to laugh at. It is very
bitter and bad to hear all this that you say. I would rather hear your
music. You are badly off, whether you believe in heaven or not. For if
you do, you are not likely to get there; and if you do not believe in
it, you are a heretic, and will be burned for ever and ever."

"Not so badly answered, for an artist; and in a few words, too," said
Benoni, approvingly. "But, my dear boy, the trouble is that I shall
not get to heaven either way, for it is my great misfortune to be
already condemned to everlasting flames."

"No one is that," said Nino, gravely.

"There are some exceptions, you know," said Benoni.

"Well," answered the young man thoughtfully, "of course there is the
Wandering Jew, and such tales, but nobody believes in him."

"Good-night," said Benoni. "I am tired and most go to bed."

Nino found his way out alone, but carefully noted the position of the
palazzo before he went home through the deserted streets. It was four
in the morning.

CHAPTER XI

Early in the morning after Nino's visit to Signor Benoni, De Pretis
came to my house, wringing his hands and making a great trouble and
noise. I had not yet seen Nino, who was sound asleep, though I could
not imagine why he did not wake. But De Pretis was in such a temper
that he shook the room and everything in it, as he stamped about the
brick floor. It was not long before he had told me the cause of his
trouble. He had just received a formal note from the Graf von Lira,
inclosing the amount due to him for lessons, and dispensing with his
services for the future.

Of course this was the result of the visit Nino had so rashly made; it
all came out afterwards, and I will not now go through the details
that De Pretis poured out, when we only half knew the truth. The
count's servant who admitted Nino had pocketed the five francs as
quietly as you please; and the moment the count returned he told him
how Nino had come and had stayed three-quarters of an hour just as if
it were an everyday affair. The count, being a proud old man, did not
encourage him to make further confidences, but sent him about his
business. He determined to make a prisoner of his daughter until he
could remove her from Rome. He accordingly confined her in the little
suite of apartments that were her own, and set an old soldier, whom he
had brought fr