"
"What did he answer?" inquired Ercole, with an air of utter
indifference.
"He said an evil thing. He said that your young gentleman had gone off
to foreign countries with a pretty peasant from Frascati, whose name was
Regina; that it was she who had nursed him when he was ill, in some inn,
and that out of gratitude, and because she was very pretty, he had
given her much money, and silk dresses and earrings. That is what he
said."
Ercole gazed down at Nino's bloodshot eye, which was turned to him just
then.
"A girl called Regina," Ercole grumbled, in a tone even harsher than
usual.
"That is what he said. Why should he tell me one thing for another? He
said that your young gentleman would perhaps come back when he was tired
of Regina. And he laughed. That is all."
A low growl from Nino interrupted the conversation. It was very low and
long and then rose quickly and ended in a short bark, as the dog
gathered his powerful hindquarters suddenly and raised himself,
bristling all over and thrusting his sinewy forepaws out before him.
Then the growl began again, but Ercole touched him lightly with the toe
of his hob-nailed boot, and the dog was instantly silent. Both men
looked about, but no one was to be seen.
"There is a boat on the beach," said Padre Francesco, who had caught the
faint soft sound of the keel running upon the sand.
They both rose, Ercole picking up his gun as he did so; Nino, seeing
that his master was on the alert, slunk to his heels without growling
any more.
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