protection; but Marcello was deeply grateful. He had
already made up his mind as to what he would do next.

It had stopped raining at last, and the wind had fallen to a soft breeze
that bore the morning mist gently away towards the sea, and hardly
stirred the wet leaves that strewed the road all the way up to San
Pietro in Montorio. Marcello found the gate of the villa already open,
for it was nearly eight o'clock by the time he got there.

He summoned the servants to the library, told them briefly what had
happened, and warned them that they might be summoned as witnesses at
the coming trial, as most of them had been in his mother's service. In
the days before Corbario had lost his head, and when he had controlled
the household, it had been a part of his policy to have really
respectable servants about him, and though some of them had never quite
trusted him, they had all been devoted to the Signora and to Marcello.
They listened in respectful silence now, and waited till he was out of
the house before meeting to discuss the tragedy and to decide that
Corbario had got his deserts at last.

In a few hours Regina was installed in her new lodging with such
belongings as she needed immediately. Kalmon, having finished writing
his letter to the Contessa, left nothing undone which could contribute
to the comfort of the "lady who had arrived to consult him." He had a
respectable old woman servant, who had been with him for years, and who
came from his native town. He took her into his confidence to some
extent, and placed her in charge of Regina. As she thought that
everything he did must be right, she accepted his statement that the
young gentleman who would often come to see the young lady was deeply
interested in the latter's welfare, and that, as the poor young lady had
no relations, he, the Professor, had taken her under his protection
while she remained in Rome.

The old servant's name was Teresa, and she belonged to a certain type of
elderly old maids who take a very kindly interest in the love affairs of
the young. She smiled, shook her head in a very mild disapprobation, and
did much more than Kalmon had asked of her; for she took the very first
opportunity of informing Regina that the Professor was the greatest,
wisest, best, and kindest of mankind; and Regina recognised in her a
loyal soul, and forthwith liked her very much.

It was late in the November afternoon when Marcello ascended the stairs
and stopped b