It was a surprise to all of them, save to Agostino Balderini, who passed his inspecting glance from face to face, marking the effect of the announcement.

Corte gazed at her heavily, but not altogether disapprovingly.

Giulio Bandinelli and Marco Sana, though evidently astonished, and to some extent incredulous, listened like the perfectly trusty lieutenants in an enterprise which they were.

But Carlo Ammiani stood horror-stricken.

The blood had left his handsome young olive-hued face, and his eyes were on the signorina, large with amazement, from which they deepened to piteousness of entreaty.
"Signorina!--you! Can it be true?
Do you know ?--do you mean it ?" "What, signor Carlo ?" "This; will you venture to do such a thing ?" "Oh, will I venture?
What can you think of me?
It is my own request." "But, signorina, in mercy, listen and consider." Carlo turned impetuously to the Chief.