thought the soldiers might come up here. And Monna Lisa was a little afraid too, for she said they might carry our kids off; she said it was their business to do mischief. But the Holy Madonna took care of us, for we never saw one of them up here. But something has happened, only I hardly dare tell you, and that is what I was saying more Aves for."
"What do you mean, Tessa?" said Tito, rather anxiously. "Make haste and tell me."
"Yes, but will you let me sit on your knee? because then I think I shall not be so frightened."
He took her on his knee, and put his arm round her, but looked grave: it seemed that something unpleasant must pursue him even here.
"At first, I didn't mean to tell you," said Tessa, speaking almost in a whisper, as if that would mitigate the offence; "because we thought the old man would be gone away before you came again, and it would be as if it had not been. But now he is there, and you are come, and I never did anything you told me not to do before. And I want to tell you, and then you will perhaps forgive me, for it is a long while before I go to confession."
"Yes, tell me everything, my Tessa." He began to hope it was after all a trivial matter.
"Oh, you will be sorry for him: I'm afraid he cries about something when I don't see him. But that was not the reason I went to him first; it was because I wanted to talk to him and show him my
