After Dark

  CHAPTER VI.

  The next morning, when Nanina rose, a bad attack of headache, anda sense of languor and depression, reminded her of the necessity offollowing the doctor's advice, and preserving her health by gettinga little fresh air and exercise. She had more than two hours to sparebefore the usual time when her daily attendance began at the AscoliPalace; and she determined to employ the interval of leisure in taking amorning walk outside the town. La Biondella would have been glad enoughto go too, but she had a large order for dinner-mats on hand, and wasobliged, for that day, to stop in the house and work. Thus it happenedthat when Nanina set forth from home, the learned poodle, Scarammuccia,was her only companion.

  She took the nearest way out of the town; the dog trotting along in hisusual steady, observant way close at her side, pushing his great roughmuzzle, from time to time, affectionately into her hand, and trying hardto attract her attention at intervals by barking and capering in frontof her. He got but little notice, however, for his pains. Nanina wasthinking again of all that the physician had said the day before byFabio's bedside, and these thoughts brought with them others, equallyabsorbing, that were connected with the mysterious story of the youngnobleman's adventure with the Yellow Mask. Thus preoccupied, she hadlittle attention left for the gambols of the dog. Even the beauty of themorning appealed to her in vain. She felt the refreshment of the cool,fragrant air, but she hardly noticed the lovely blue of the sky, orthe bright sunshine that gave a gayety and an interest to the commonestobjects around her.

  After walking nearly an hour, she began to feel tired, and looked aboutfor a shady place to rest in.

  Beyond and behind her there was only the high-road and the flatcountry; but by her side stood a little wooden building, half inn, halfcoffee-house, backed by a large, shady pleasure-garden, the gates ofwhich stood invitingly open. Some workmen in the garden were puttingup a stage for fireworks, but the place was otherwise quiet and lonelyenough. It was only used at night as a sort of rustic Ranelagh, towhich the citizens of Pisa resorted for pure air and amusement afterthe fatigues of the day. Observing that there were no visitors in thegrounds, Nanina ventured in, intending to take a quarter of an hour'srest in the coolest place she could find before returning to Pisa.

  She had passed the back of a wooden summer-house in a secluded partof the gardens, when she suddenly missed the dog from her side;and, looking round after him, saw that he was standing behind thesummer-house with his ears erect and his nose to the ground, havingevidently that instant scented something that excited his suspicion.

  Thinking it possible that he might be meditating an attack on someunfortunate cat, she turned to see what he was watching. The carpentersengaged on the firework stage were just then hammering at it violently.The noise prevented her from hearing that Scarammuccia was growling, butshe could feel that he was the moment she laid her hand on his back. Hercuriosity was excited, and she stooped down close to him to look througha crack in the boards before which he stood into the summer-house.

  She was startled at seeing a lady and gentleman sitting inside. Theplace she was looking through was not high enough up to enable her tosee their faces, but she recognized, or thought she recognized, thepattern of the lady's dress as one which she had noticed in former daysin the Demoiselle Grifoni's show-room. Rising quickly, her eye detecteda hole in the boards about the level of her own height, caused by a knothaving been forced out of the wood. She looked through it to ascertain,without being discovered, if the wearer of the familiar dress was theperson she had taken her to be; and saw, not Brigida only, as she hadexpected, but Father Rocco as well. At the same moment the carpentersleft off hammering and began to saw. The new sound from the fireworkstage was regular and not loud. The voices of the occupants of thesummer-house reached her through it, and she heard Brigida pronounce thename of Count Fabio.

  Instantly stooping down once more by the dog's side, she caughthis muzzle firmly in both her hands. It was the only way to keepScarammuccia from growling again, at a time when there was no din ofhammering to prevent him from being heard. Those two words, "CountFabio," in the mouth of another woman, excited a jealous anxiety in her.What could Brigida have to say in connection with that name? She nevercame near the Ascoli Palace--what right or reason could she have to talkof Fabio?

  "Did you hear what I said?" she heard Brigida ask, in her coolest,hardest tone.

  "No," the priest answered. "At least, not all of it."

  "I will repeat it, then. I asked what had so suddenly determined you togive up all idea of making any future experiments on the superstitiousfears of Count Fabio?"

  "In the first place, the result of the experiment already tried has beenso much more serious than I had anticipated, that I believe the end Ihad in view in making it has been answered already."

  "Well; that is not your only reason?"

  "Another shock to his mind might be fatal to him. I can use what Ibelieve to be a justifiable fraud to prevent his marrying again; but Icannot burden myself with a crime."

  "That is your second reason; but I believe you have another yet. Thesuddenness with which you sent to me last night to appoint a meetingin this lonely place; the emphatic manner in which you requested--I mayalmost say ordered--me to bring the wax mask here, suggest to my mindthat something must have happened. What is it? I am a woman, and mycuriosity must be satisfied. After the secrets you have trusted to mealready, you need not hesitate, I think, to trust me with one more."

  "Perhaps not. The secret this time is, moreover, of no great importance.You know that the wax mask you wore at the ball was made in a plastermold taken off the face of my brother's statue?"

  "Yes, I know that."

  "My brother has just returned to his studio; has found a morsel of theplaster I used for the mold sticking in the hair of the statue; andhas asked me, as the person left in charge of his work-rooms, for anexplanation. Such an explanation as I could offer has not satisfied him,and he talks of making further inquiries. Considering that it will beused no more, I think it safest to destroy the wax mask, and I asked youto bring it here, that I might see it burned or broken up with my owneyes. Now you know all you wanted to know; and now, therefore, it is myturn to remind you that I have not yet had a direct answer to the firstquestion I addressed to you when we met here. Have you brought the waxmask with you, or have you not?"

  "I have not."

  "And why?"

  Just as that question was put, Nanina felt the dog dragging himself freeof her grasp on his mouth. She had been listening hitherto with suchpainful intensity, with such all-absorbing emotions of suspense, terror,and astonishment, that she had not noticed his efforts to get away,and had continued mechanically to hold his mouth shut. But now she wasaroused by the violence of his struggles to the knowledge that, unlessshe hit upon some new means of quieting him, he would have his mouthfree, and would betray her by a growl.

  In an agony of apprehension lest she should lose a word of the momentousconversation, she made a desperate attempt to appeal to the dog'sfondness for her, by suddenly flinging both her arms round his neck, andkissing his rough, hairy cheek. The stratagem succeeded. Scarammucciahad, for many years past, never received any greater marks of hismistress's kindness for him than such as a pat on the head or a presentof a lump of sugar might convey. His dog's nature was utterly confoundedby the unexpected warmth of Nanina's caress, and he struggled upvigorously in her arms to try and return it by licking her face. Shecould easily prevent him from doing this, and could so gain a fewminutes more to listen behind the summer-house without danger ofdiscovery.

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

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

  "You never said a word about conditions before."

  "True. I rememb
er telling you that I wanted nothing but the noveltyof going to the masquerade in the character of my dead enemy, and theluxury of being able to terrify the man who had brutally ridiculed me inold days in the studio. That was the truth. But it is not the less thetruth that our experiment on Count Fabio has detained me in this citymuch longer than I ever intended, that I am all but penniless, and thatI deserve to be paid. In plain words, will you buy the mask of me fortwo 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 tothreaten--but money I must have. I mention the sum of two hundred scudi,because that is the exact amount offered in the public handbills byCount Fabio's friends for the discovery of the woman who wore the yellowmask at the Marquis Melani's ball. What have I to do but to earn thatmoney 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 thericher. You might be injured, to be sure, if they insisted on knowingwho made the wax model, and who suggested the ghastly disguise--"

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

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

  An instant of silence followed; and then Nanina judged that Brigida mustbe departing, for she heard the rustling of a dress on the lawn infront of the summer-house. Unfortunately, Scarammuccia heard it too. Hetwisted himself round in her arms and growled.

  The noise disturbed Father Rocco. She heard him rise and leave thesummer-house. There would have been time enough, perhaps, for herto conceal herself among some trees if she could have recovered herself-possession at once; but she was incapable of making an effort toregain it. She could neither think nor move--her breath seemed to dieaway on her lips--as she saw the shadow of the priest stealing over thegrass slowly from the front to the back of the summer-house. In anothermoment they were face to face.

  He stopped a few paces from her, and eyed her steadily in dead silence.She still crouched against the summer-house, and still with one handmechanically kept her hold of the dog. It was well for the priest thatshe did so. Scarammuccia's formidable teeth were in full view, hisshaggy coat was bristling, his eyes were starting, his growl had changedfrom the surly to the savage note; he was ready to tear down, not FatherRocco only, but all the clergy in Pisa, at a moment's notice.

  "You have been listening," said the priest, calmly. "I see it in yourface. You have heard all."

  She could not answer a word; she could not take her eyes from him.There was an unnatural stillness in his face, a steady, unrepentant,unfathomable despair in his eyes that struck her with horror. Shewould have given worlds to be able to rise to her feet and fly from hispresence.

  "I once distrusted you and watched you in secret," he said, speakingafter a short silence, thoughtfully, and with a strange, tranquilsadness in his voice. "And now, what I did by you, you do by me. Youput the hope of your life once in my hands. Is it because they were notworthy of the trust that discovery and ruin overtake me, and thatyou are the instrument of the retribution? Can this be the decree ofHeaven--or is it nothing but the blind justice of chance?"

  He looked upward, doubtingly, to the lustrous sky above him, and sighed.Nanina's eyes still followed his mechanically. He seemed to feel theirinfluence, for he suddenly looked down at her again.

  "What keeps you silent? Why are you afraid?" he said. "I can do you noharm, with your dog at your side, and the workmen yonder within call.I can do you no harm, and I wish to do you none. Go back to Pisa; tellwhat you have heard, restore the man you love to himself, and ruin me.That is your work; do it! I was never your enemy, even when I distrustedyou. I am not your enemy now. It is no fault of yours that a fatalityhas been accomplished through you--no fault of yours that I am rejectedas the instrument of securing a righteous restitution to the Church.Rise, child, and go your way, while I go mine, and prepare for what isto come. If we never meet again, remember that I parted from you withoutone hard saying or one harsh look--parted from you so, knowing thatthe first words you speak in Pisa will be death to my character, anddestruction to the great purpose of my life."

  Speaking these words, always with the same calmness which had markedhis manner from the first, he looked fixedly at her for a little while,sighed again, and turned away. Just before he disappeared among thetrees, he said "Farewell," but so softly that she could barely hear it.Some strange confusion clouded her mind as she lost sight of him.Had she injured him, or had he injured her? His words bewilderedand oppressed her simple heart. Vague doubts and fears, and a suddenantipathy to remaining any longer near the summer-house, overcame her.She started to her feet, and, keeping the dog still at her side, hurriedfrom the garden to the highroad. There, the wide glow of sunshine, thesight of the city lying before her, changed the current of her thoughts,and directed them all to Fabio and to the future.

  A burning impatience to be back in Pisa now possessed her. She hastenedtoward the city at her utmost speed. The doctor was reported to be inthe palace when she passed the servants lounging in the courtyard. Hesaw the moment, she came into his presence, that something had happened,and led her away from the sick-room into Fabio's empty study. There shetold him all.

  "You have saved him," said the doctor, joyfully. "I will answer for hisrecovery. Only let that woman come here for the reward; and leave me todeal with her as she deserves. In the meantime, my dear, don't go awayfrom the palace on any account until I give you permission. I am goingto send a message immediately to Signor Andrea D'Arbino to come and hearthe extraordinary disclosure that you have made to me. Go back to readto the count, as usual, until I want you again; but, remember, youmust not drop a word to him yet of what you have said to me. He must becarefully prepared for all that we have to tell him; and must be keptquite in the dark until those preparations are made."

  D'Arbino answered the doctor's summons in person; and Nanina repeatedher story to him. He and the doctor remained closeted together for sometime after she had concluded her narrative and had retired. A littlebefore four o'clock they sent for her again into the study. The doctorwas sitting by the table with a bag of money before him, and D'Arbinowas telling one of the servants that if a lady called at the palaceon the subject of the handbill which he had circulated, she was to beadmitted into the study immediately.

  As the clock struck four Nanina was requested to take possession ofa window-seat, and to wait there until she was summoned. When she hadobeyed, the doctor loosened one of the window-curtains, to hide her fromthe view of any one entering the room.

  About a quarter of an hour elapsed, and then the door was thrown open,and Brigida herself was shown into the study. The doctor bowed, andD'Arbino placed a chair for her. She was perfectly collected, andthanked them for their politeness with her best grace.

  "I believe I am addressing confidential friends of Count Fabiod'Ascoli?" Brigida began. "May I ask if you are authorized to act forthe count, in relation to the reward which this handbill offers?"

  The doctor, having examined the handbill, said that the lady was quiteright, and pointed significantly to the bag of money.

  "You are prepared, then," pursued Brigida, smiling, "to give a reward oftwo hundred scudi to any one able to tell you who the woman is who worethe yellow mask at the Marquis Melani's ball, and how she contrived topersonate the face and figure of the late Countess d'Ascoli?"

  "Of course we are prepared," answered D'Arbino, a little irritably. "Asmen of honor, we are not in the habit of promising anything that we arenot perfectly
willing, under proper conditions, to perform."

  "Pardon me, my dear friend," said the doctor; "I think you speaka little too warmly to the lady. She is quite right to take everyprecaution. We have the two hundred scudi here, madam," he continued,patting the money-bag; "and we are prepared to pay that sum for theinformation we want. But" (here the doctor suspiciously moved the bagof scudi from the table to his lap) "we must have proofs that the personclaiming the reward is really entitled to it."

  Brigida's eyes followed the money-bag greedily.

  "Proofs!" she exclaimed, taking a small flat box from under her cloak,and pushing it across to the doctor. "Proofs! there you will find oneproof that establishes my claim beyond the possibility of doubt."

  The doctor opened the box, and looked at the wax mask inside it; thenhanded it to D'Arbino, and replaced the bag of scudi on the table.

  "The contents of that box seem certainly to explain a great deal," hesaid, pushing the bag gently toward Brigida, but always keeping hishand over it. "The woman who wore the yellow domino was, I presume, ofthe same height as the late countess?"

  "Exactly," said Brigida. "Her eyes were also of the same color as thelate countess's; she wore yellow of the same shade as the hangings inthe late countess's room, and she had on, under her yellow mask, thecolorless wax model of the late countess's face, now in your friend'shand. So much for that part of the secret. Nothing remains now to becleared up but the mystery of who the lady was. Have the goodness, sir,to push that bag an inch or two nearer my way, and I shall be delightedto tell you."

  "Thank you, madam," said the doctor, with a very perceptible change inhis manner. "We know who the lady was already."

  He moved the bag of scudi while he spoke back to his own side of thetable. Brigida's cheeks reddened, and she rose from her seat.

  "Am I to understand, sir," she said, haughtily, "that you take advantageof my position here, as a defenseless woman, to cheat me out of thereward?"

  "By no means, madam," rejoined the doctor. "We have covenanted to paythe reward to the person who could give us the information we required."

  "Well, sir! have I not given you part of it? And am I not prepared togive you the whole?"

  "Certainly; but the misfortune is, that another person has beenbeforehand with you. We ascertained who the lady in the yellow dominowas, and how she contrived to personate the face of the late Countessd'Ascoli, several hours ago from another informant. That person hasconsequently the prior claim; and, on every principle of justice, thatperson must also have the reward. Nanina, this bag belongs to you--comeand take it."

  Nanina appeared from the window-seat. Brigida, thunderstruck, lookedat her in silence for a moment; gasped out, "That girl!"--then stoppedagain, breathless.

  "That girl was at the back of the summer-house this morning, while youand your accomplice were talking together," said the doctor.

  D'Arbino had been watching Brigida's face intently from the moment ofNanina's appearance, and had quietly stolen close to her side. This wasa fortunate movement; for the doctor's last words were hardly out ofhis mouth before Brigida seized a heavy ruler lying, with some writingmaterials, on the table. In another instant, if D'Arbino had not caughther arm, she would have hurled it at Nanina's head.

  "You may let go your hold, sir," she said, dropping the ruler, andturning toward D'Arbino with a smile on her white lips and a wickedcalmness in her steady eyes. "I can wait for a better opportunity."

  With those words she walked to the door; and, turning round there,regarded Nanina fixedly.

  "I wish I had been a moment quicker with the ruler," she said, and wentout.

  "There!" exclaimed the doctor; "I told you I knew how to deal with heras she deserved. One thing I am certainly obliged to her for--she hassaved us the trouble of going to her house and forcing her to give upthe mask. And now, my child," he continued, addressing Nanina, "youcan go home, and one of the men-servants shall see you safe to your owndoor, in case that woman should still be lurking about the palace. Stop!you are leaving the bag of scudi behind you."

  "I can't take it, sir."

  "And why not?"

  "_She_ would have taken money!" Saying those words, Nanina reddened, andlooked toward the door.

  The doctor glanced approvingly at D'Arbino. "Well, well, we won't argueabout that now," he said. "I will lock up the money with the mask forto-day. Come here to-morrow morning as usual, my dear. By that timeI shall have made up my mind on the right means for breaking yourdiscovery to Count Fabio. Only let us proceed slowly and cautiously, andI answer for success."