It
was her sharp voice that had first aroused the American's attention.
Opposite her sat the Duke, his thin face wearing an expression of gloom
and dissatisfaction. The child Tato occupied a stool at her father's
feet, and in the background were three serving women, sewing or
embroidering. Near the Duke stood the tall brigand known as Pietro.
Answering the old woman's fierce tirade, Tato said:
"It is foolish to quarrel in Italian. The servants are listening."
"Let us then speak in English," returned the Duchessa. "These are
matters the servants should not gossip about."
The Duke nodded assent. Both Tato and her grandmother spoke easily the
foreign tongue; the Duke was more uncertain in his English, but
understood it perfectly.
"I am still the head of this family," resumed the Duchessa, in a more
moderate tone. "I insist that my will be obeyed."
"Your dignity I have the respect for," replied the Duke, laboredly; "but
you grow old and foolish."
"Foolish! I?"
"Yes; you are absurd. You live in past centuries. You think to-day we
must do all that your ancestors did."
"Can you do better?"
"Yes; the world has change. It has progress. With it I advance, but you
do not. You would murder, rob, torture to-day as the great Duke, your
grandfather, did. You think we still are of the world independent.
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