,
and Gilda threw her arms about her father in despair.

"Now, my child, since this traitor is here, you cannot well go in; so
return to Mantua, change thy dress for that of a youth; get a horse
and fly to Verona. There I will meet thee and see thee safe. You can
see that this man is no longer to be trusted."

"Alas, I know that is true;--yet, if I must go--come with me, father,"
she entreated, feeling very lonely and heartbroken, there in the dark
night.

"Not at once. I cannot go at once; but I will soon join thee"; and in
spite of her pleading he started her back to the city alone. Then he
and Sparafucile stood together in the middle of the road while the
dwarf counted out the half of the money to the cut-throat.

"Here is thy money, and I am going away. But at midnight I shall
return and help thee throw him into the river. It will make a great
noise,--this killing of a man of the Duke of Mantua's fame," he
muttered.

"Never mind about coming back. I can dump him into the river, without
help. It is going to be a bad night," the fellow said, uneasily
looking up at the storm clouds that were gathering. As the lightning
began to flash and the thunder to roll distantly, Rigoletto turned
toward Mantua, while Sparafucile went into the inn.

"A fine night! Black as thunder and going to storm like Satan," he
said as he entered.

"So much the better," the Duke answered, "I'll stay here all night,
and you clear out," to Sparafucile;--"go to the devil, will you? I
don't want you about."

"You're a nice, soft spoken gentlemen--if a man doesn't care what he
says," Sparafucile returned.

"You mustn't stay here," Maddalena said hastily to the Duke. She well
knew the tricks her brother was up to when a stranger with money
stopped at the house; and after the Duke had made himself so agreeable
she didn't care to see him killed under her nose.

"You mind your business," her brother said to her, shortly, seeing his
plans interfered with. Then speaking to her aside: "It's worth a
pot-full of gold to us. Mind your own business, I say." Then to the
Duke: "Sir, I am delighted to have you sleep at my inn. Pray take
shelter in my own chamber. Come, I will show you the way." Sparafucile
took the candle and went toward the ladder that led to the rooms
above.

The Duke then whispered to the gipsy girl, and went laughing up the
ladder. Maddalena looked thoughtfully after him. She liked money as
well as her brother did. Should she