r Controller! In this state! I hope you
will excuse me! I hope you will excuse me!" But Pasotti would not hear
of "going up," he was bound to remain where he was. Don Giuseppe began
bawling for "Maria! Maria!" Presently Maria's big face appeared at a
window in the upper story.

Don Giuseppe called to her to bring down a chair. Then the Controller
revealed the presence of his wife, whereupon the big face disappeared
and Don Giuseppe had another fit.

"How is this? How is this? Signora Barborin? She here? Oh, Lord! Come
up-stairs!" and he started forward impelled by obsequiousness, but
Pasotti reduced him to obedience, at first catching him by the arm, and
then declaring that he wished to see him take one or two of those
monstrous carp; and notwithstanding Don Giuseppe's protests: "It is no
use! I sha'n't catch anything! They're far too cunning, these fish.
_They see!_" in the end he was obliged to throw his line.

At first Pasotti pretended to watch him, but finally he also threw his
line.

He began by asking Don Giovanni how long it was since he had been to
Castello. Upon being informed that he had been there the day before to
see his friend, the curate Intrioni, the good Tartuffe, who could not
abide Intrioni, burst into a perfect panegyric of him. What a jewel,
this curate of Castello! What a heart of gold! And had Don Giuseppe been
to Casa Rigey? No, Signora Teresa was too ill. More panegyrics
concerning Signora Teresa and Luisa. What a splendid creature! What
circumspection, what high principles, what sentiment! And the Maironi
affair? It was still going on, was it not? Had it gone far?

"I know nothing, nothing, nothing!" Don Giuseppe said sharply.

At that hasty denial Pasotti's eyes sparkled. He took a step forward.
Oh, come now. It was not possible that Don Giuseppe did not know
anything! It was not possible that he had not discussed the matter with
Intrioni! Was not Intrioni aware that Don Franco had spent the night at
Casa Rigey?

"I know nothing about it, nothing at all!" Don Giuseppe repeated.

Then Pasotti declared that by this concealment of certain well known
circumstances, many were led to suspect evil. What the deuce! Don Franco
had of course gone to Casa Rigey with the most honourable intentions,
therefore----

"A bite! A bite!" whispered Don Giuseppe hurriedly, and he leaned far
out over the parapet, grasped the end of the pole firmly, and fixed his
gaze on the water as if a fish were about