And tell my maid--tell the servants they
needn't sit up. I may stay out quite late. If I do, I'll lock the door on
to the piazza when I go in."
"Si, signora."
When she reached the piazza she saw a shining red spark just above the
balustrade. Paolo was there smoking a black cigar and leaning over
sideways.
"What are you looking for?" she asked.
"That boat, signora. It has not gone."
"How do you know? It may have gone when we were in the boat-house."
He shook his head.
"You could not have heard the oars through the noise of the waterfall."
"Si, signora. It has not gone. Shall I take the boat and--"
"No, no," she interrupted quickly. "What does it matter? Go and have
supper."
"I have had it, signora."
"Then, when you have finished smoking, you'd better go to bed."
She forced herself to smile lightly.
"Boys like you need plenty of sleep."
"Four hours is enough, signora."
"No, no. You should go to bed early."
She saw an odd expression come into his face. He looked over at the
water, then at her, with a curious dawning significance, that would
almost have been impudent if it had not been immensely young and full of
a kind of gnomish sympathy.
"I'll go to bed, signora!" he said.
Then he looked at her again and there were doubt and wonder in his eyes.
She turned away, with a sickness at her heart. She knew exactly what he
had thought, was thinking. The suspicion had crossed his mind that she
knew why the hidden boat was there, that she wished no one else to
suspect why it was there.
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