smelt of the cooking. He likes butter with his bread and hot
milk with his coffee. He cannot smoke the cigars which my husband bought
for him, and they cost three soldi apiece. And this morning--" her voice
rose shrilly as she approached the climax--"he called for a bath. It is
true, signorina, a _bath_. _Dio mio_, he wished me to carry the entire
village fountain to his room!"

"Not really?" Constance opened her eyes in shocked surprise. "But surely,
signora, you did not do it?"

The woman blinked.

"It would be impossible, signorina," she contented herself with saying.

Constance, with grave concern, translated the sum of Tony's enormities to
her father; and turned back to the jailoress apologetically.

"My father is very much grieved that the man should have caused you so
much trouble. But he says, that if we could see him, we could persuade
him to be more reasonable. We talk his language, and can make him
understand."

The woman winked meaningly.

"Eh--he pretends he cannot talk Italian, but he understands enough to
ask for what he wishes. I think--and the Signor-Lieutenant who ordered
his arrest thinks--that he is shamming."

"It was a lieutenant who ordered his arrest? Do you remember his
name--was it Carlo di Ferara?"

"It might have been." Her face was vague.

"Of the cavalry?"

"_Si_, signorina, of the cavalry--and very handsome."

Constance laughed. "Well, the plot thickens! Dad, you must come to Tony's
hearing this afternoon, and put it tactfully to our friend the lieutenant
that we don't like to have our donkey-man snatched away without our
permission." She turned back to the jailoress. "And now, where is the
man? We should like to speak with him."

"It is against the orders, but perhaps--I have already permitted the head
waiter from the Hotel du Lac to carry him newspapers and cigarettes. He
says that the man Antonio is in reality an American nobleman from New
York who merely plays at being a donkey-driver for diversion, and that
unless he is set at liberty immediately a ship will come with cannon,
but--we all know Gustavo, signorina."

Constance nodded and laughed.

"You have reason! We all know Gustavo--may we go right up?"

The jailoress called the jailor. They talked aside; the two-franc piece
was produced as evidence. The jailor with a great show of caution got out
a bunch of keys and motioned them to follow. Up two flights and down a
long corridor with peeling frescoes on the walls