ughly unscrupulous.
He is a member of the Camorra, too. He pestered Peppina with his
attentions, coming day after day from Mergellina, where he lives with
his wife. One night he entered the house and made a scene. Peppina
refused finally to receive his advances, and told him she hated him
before all the neighbors. He took out a razor and--"

Hermione stopped.

"I understand," said Artois. "He disfigured her."

"Dreadfully."

"It is often done here. Sometimes a youth does it simply to show that a
girl is his property. But what is it you wish to do for Peppina? I see
you have a plan in your head."

"I want to have her on the island."

"In what capacity?"

"As a servant. She can work. She is not a bad girl. She has only--well,
Emile, the aunt only succeeded in forcing one lover on her. That is the
truth. He was rich and bribed the aunt. But of course the neighbors all
know, and--the population here has its virtues, but it is not exactly a
delicate population."

"Per Bacco!"

"And now that the poor girl is disfigured the aunt is going to turn her
out-of-doors. She says Peppina must go and earn money for herself. Of
course nobody will take her. I want to. I have seen her, talked to her.
She would be so thankful. She is in despair. Think of it! Nineteen, and
all her beauty gone! Isn't it devilish?"

"And the man?"

"Oh, they say he'll get scarcely anything, if anything. Two or three
months, perhaps. He is 'protected.' It makes my blood boil."

Artois was silent, waiting for her to say more, to ask questions.

"The only thing is--Vere, Emile," she said.

"Vere?"

"Yes. You know how friendly she is with the servants. I like her to be.
But of course till now they have been all right--so far as I know."

"You do well to add that proviso."

"Peppina would not wait on us. She would be in the kitchen. Am I
justified in taking her? Of course I could help her with money. If I had
not seen her, talked to her, that is what I should have done, no doubt.
But she wants--she wants everything, peace, a decent home, pure air. I
feel she wants the island."

"And the other servants?"

"They need only know she was attacked. They need not know her past
history. But all that does not matter. It is only the question of Vere
that troubles me."

"You mean that you are not decided whether you ought to bring into the
house with Vere a girl who is not as Vere is?"

"Yes."

"And you want me to advise you?"

"Yes."

"I c