Francisco,
but also by the imperious manner, determined looks, and strange disguise
of her visitress. But Margaretha's terror speedily gave way to
indescribable astonishment when Nisida suddenly addressed her in a
language which not for many, many years, had the old woman heard flow
from that delicious mouth!

"Margaretha," said Nisida, "you must prepare to accompany me forthwith!
Be not surprised to hear me thus capable of rendering myself
intelligible by means of an organ on which a seal was so long placed. A
marvelous cure has been accomplished in respect to me, during my absence
from Florence. But you must prepare to accompany me, I say; your son
Antonio----"

"My son!" ejaculated the woman, now again trembling from head to foot,
and surveying Nisida's countenance in a manner denoting the acutest
suspense.

"Your son is wounded--mortally wounded in a street skirmish----"

"Wounded!" shrieked Margaretha. "Oh, dear lady--tell me all--tell me the
worst! What has happened to my unfortunate son? He is dead--he is dead!
Your manner convinces me that hope is past!"

And she wrung her hands bitterly, while tears streamed down her wrinkled
cheeks.

"No, he is not dead, Margaretha!" exclaimed Nisida; "but he is
dying--and he implored me, by everything I deemed sacred, to hasten
thither and fetch you to him, that he may receive your blessing and
close his eyes in peace."

"In peace!" repeated the old woman bitterly: then, to herself she said,
"Donna Nisida suspects not his perfidy--knows not all his wickedness."

"Delay not," urged the lady, perceiving what was passing in her mind.
"You are well aware that my brother, who, alas! has disappeared most
mysteriously, dismissed Antonio abruptly from his service many months
ago; but, whatever were the cause, it is forgotten, at least by me. So
tarry not, but prepare to accompany me."

Margaretha hastened to her bedroom, and reappeared in a few minutes,
completely dressed and ready to issue forth.

"Keep close by me," said Nisida, as she opened the house-door; "and
breathe not a word as we pass through the streets. I have reasons of my
own for assuming a disguise, and I wish not to be recognized."

Margaretha was too much absorbed in the contemplation of the afflicting
intelligence which she had received, to observe anything at all
suspicious in these injunctions; and thus it was that the two females
proceeded in silence through the streets leading toward the Riverola