something absolutely clear
to one who does not wish to understand.

"And you know it, and every one knows it--every one. When I was in the
sea, when I saw the Signorina for the first time, I did not know who she
was, where she lived; I did not know anything about her. I went to tell
my friend about her--my friend, you understand, whom I trusted, to
whom I told everything!--I went to him. I described the Signora,
the Signorina, the boat to him. He knew who the ladies were; he knew
directly. I saw it in his face, in his manner. But what did he say? That
he did not know, that he knew nothing. I was not to come to the island.
No one was to come to the island but he. So he meant. But I--I was
sharper than he, I who am so stupid! I took him to fish by night.
I brought him to the island. I made him introduce me to you, to the
Signorina. That night I made him. You remember? Well, then--ever since
that night all is changed between us. Ever since that night he is my
enemy. Ever since that night he suspects me, he watches me, he hides
from me, he hates me. Oh, he tries to conceal it. He is a hypocrite. But
I, stupid as I am, I see it all. I see what he is, what he wants, I
see all--all that is in his mind and heart. For this noble old man, so
respected, with the white hairs and the great brain, what is he, what
does he do? He goes at night to the Galleria. He consults with Maria
Fortunata, she who is known to all Naples, she who is the aunt of that
girl--that girl of the town and of the bad life, whom you have taken to
be your servant here. You have taken her because he--he has told you to
take her. He has put her here--"

"Marchese!"

"I say he has put her here that the Signorina--"

"Marchese, I forbid you to say that! It is not true."

"It is true! It is true! Perhaps you are blind, perhaps you see nothing.
I do not know. But I know that I am not blind. I love, and I see. I see,
I have always seen that he--Emilio--loves the Signorina, that he loves
her madly, that he wishes, that he means to keep her for himself. Did he
not hide with her in the cave, in the Grotto of Virgil, that night when
I came to serenade her on the sea? Yes, he took her, and he hid her,
because he loves her. He loves her, he an old man! And he thinks--and he
means--"

"Marchese--"

"He loves her; I say he loves her!"

"Marchese, I must ask you to go!"

"I say--"

"Marchese, I insist upon your going."

She opened the door. She was very pale,