d return it by licking her face. She
could easily prevent him from doing this, and could so gain a few
minutes more to listen behind the summer-house without danger of
discovery.

She had lost Brigida's answer to Father Rocco's question; but she was in
time to hear her next words.

"We are alone here," said Brigida. "I am a woman, and I don't know that
you may not have come armed. It is only the commonest precaution on my
part not to give you a chance of getting at the wax mask till I have
made my conditions."

"You never said a word about conditions before."

"True. I remember telling you that I wanted nothing but the novelty
of going to the masquerade in the character of my dead enemy, and the
luxury of being able to terrify the man who had brutally ridiculed me in
old days in the studio. That was the truth. But it is not the less the
truth that our experiment on Count Fabio has detained me in this city
much longer than I ever intended, that I am all but penniless, and that
I deserve to be paid. In plain words, will you buy the mask of me for
two hundred scudi?"

"I have not twenty scudi in the world, at my own free disposal."

"You must find two hundred if you want the wax mask. I don't wish to
threaten--but money I must have. I mention the sum of two hundred scudi,
because that is the exact amount offered in the public handbills by
Count Fabio's friends for the discovery of the woman who wore the yellow
mask at the Marquis Melani's ball. What have I to do but to earn that
money if I please, by going to the palace, taking the wax mask with me,
and telling them that I am the woman. Suppose I confess in that way;
they can do nothing to hurt me, and I should be two hundred scudi the
richer. You might be injured, to be sure, if they insisted on knowing
who made the wax model, and who suggested the ghastly disguise--"

"Wretch! do you believe that my character could be injured on the
unsupported evidence of any words from your lips?"

"Father Rocco, for the first time since I have enjoyed the pleasure of
your acquaintance, I find you committing a breach of good manners. I
shall leave you until you become more like yourself. If you wish to
apologize for calling me a wretch, and if you want to secure the wax
mask, honor me with a visit before four o'clock this afternoon, and
bring two hundred scudi with you. Delay till after four, and it will be
too late."

An instant of silence followed; and then Nanina judged t