Gaspare and Ruffo were near it. Almost directly he saw their forms,
relieved against the dimness but not deep darkness of the night, and
heard their voices talking. As he went towards them Gaspare was
speaking vehemently. He threw up one arm in a strong, even, and
excited gesture, and was silent. Then Artois heard Ruffo say, in a
voice that, though respectful and almost deprecatory, was yet firm
like a man's:
"I cannot take it away, Gaspare. When I go home my mamma will ask me
if I have put it in the house."
"Dio mio!" cried Gaspare. "But you have put it in the house! Is it not
there--is it not there now to bring death upon the Signora, upon the
Signorina, upon us all?"
"It was made for Peppina. My mamma made it only against Peppina,
because she has brought evil into our house. It will hurt only
Peppina! It will kill only Peppina!"
He spoke now with a vehemence and passion almost equal to Gaspare's.
Artois stood still. They did not see him. They were absorbed in their
conversation.
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