Annette presently came, and, as usual, was full of alarm; to her lady's
eager enquiries of what she had heard among the servants, she replied:
'Ah, madam! nobody knows what it is all about, but old Carlo; he knows
well enough, I dare say, but he is as close as his master. Some say the
Signor is going out to frighten the enemy, as they call it: but where is
the enemy? Then others say, he is going to take away some body's castle:
but I am sure he has room enough in his own, without taking other
people's; and I am sure I should like it a great deal better, if there
were more people to fill it.'
'Ah! you will soon have your wish, I fear,' replied Madame Montoni.
'No, madam, but such ill-looking fellows are not worth having. I mean
such gallant, smart, merry fellows as Ludovico, who is always telling
droll stories, to make one laugh. It was but yesterday, he told me such
a HUMOURSOME tale! I can't help laughing at it now.--Says he--' '
Well, we can dispense with the story,' said her lady. 'Ah!' continued
Annette, 'he sees a great way further than other people! Now he sees
into all the Signor's meaning, without knowing a word about the matter!'
'How is that?' said Madame Montoni. 'Why he says--but he made me promise not to tell, and I would not
disoblige him for the world.' 'What is it he made you promise not to tell?' said her lady, sternly. 'I
insist upon knowing immediately--what is it he made you promise?' 'O madam,' cried Annette, 'I would not tell for the universe!' 'I insist
upon your telling this instant,' said Madame Montoni. 'O dear madam!
I would not tell for a hundred sequins! You would not have me forswear
myself madam!' exclaimed Annette.
'I will not wait another moment,' said Madame Montoni. Annette was
silent. 'The Signor shall be informed of this directly,' rejoined her mistress:
'he will make you discover all.' 'It is Ludovico, who has discovered,' said Annette: 'but for mercy's
sake, madam, don't tell the Signor, and you shall know all directly.'
Madame Montoni said, that she would not.
'Well then, madam, Ludovico says, that the Signor, my master,
is--is--that is, he only thinks so, and any body, you know, madam, is
free to think--that the Signor, my master, is--is--' 'Is what?' said her lady, impatiently. 'That the Signor, my master, is going to be--a great robber--that is--he
is going to rob on his own account;--to be, (but I am sure I don't
understand what he means) to be a--captain of--robbers.' 'Art thou in thy senses, Annette?' said Madame Montoni; 'or is this a
trick to deceive me? Tell me, this instant, what Ludovico DID say to
thee;--no equivocation;--this instant.'