the name of Santa Lucia.

It was long before the man appeared, and then he seemed to be in a great
hurry, and did not see Cucurullo till the latter overtook him and spoke
to him, for the hunchback had long legs and could walk quite as fast as
any able-bodied young man.

'I have been waiting a long time in the hope of seeing you this
morning,' he said.

'And now I am in such haste that I have no time to talk with you,'
replied the other, going on.

'We can talk while we are walking,' suggested Cucurullo, keeping pace
with him easily. 'How are the masters, Tommaso? Quite well, I hope?'

'Oh, perfectly well, thank you,' answered Tommaso, increasing his speed.
'I am sorry that I am in such a hurry, my friend, but it cannot be
helped.'

'Do not mention it,' said Cucurullo, breathing quietly. 'I generally
walk briskly myself.' Thereupon he quickened his stride a little.

'You certainly walk surprisingly fast,' said the ex-highwayman, who now
had to make an effort himself in order to keep up with his companion.

The people in the street stared at the two in surprise, for they seemed
to be walking for a match, and it looked as if the hunchback were
getting the better of it.

'I trust,' he said in a quiet undertone, 'that Count Trombin is in no
apprehension owing to his having wounded the Pope's nephew under our
windows the other night?'

'Not at all,' answered the other. 'So you saw it, did you?'

'I saw it with satisfaction, for I was at the window, and I recognised
the Count's voice at once. What do you think, my friend? Will that young
gentleman come serenading again?'

'How can I tell?' Tommaso was by this time a little short of breath.

'You might have heard your two gentlemen say something about it,'
Cucurullo said. 'Am I walking too fast for you? You said you were in a
hurry, you know.'

'Yes,' Tommaso said, rather breathlessly. 'I was--that is--I am in--in a
moderate hurry!'

'My reason for going with you is that I want your valuable advice,'
Cucurullo went on, still keeping up the tremendous pace without the
least apparent difficulty.

'About what?' gasped the highwayman, ashamed to be beaten by a
hunchback.

'Your gentlemen have already helped my master and mistress so much, that
even without the Maestro's knowledge I should like to ask their
protection for his wife. That is, if you approve, my friend. I want your
advice, you see.'

'You will have to--to walk slower--if you--want to get it!'