He said he had believed he was in prison, because a _delegato_ and a policeman had been there to look for him at about nine o'clock.

Indeed the _Signora_, the Professor's daughter-in-law, had at once ordered the servants not to admit him if he returned, but the order had been angrily countermanded by the Professor himself, to the great joy of the gardener, who was as fond of Benedetto and of the master as he was averse to the _Signora_.

Upon hearing this Benedetto would have departed at once had his strength allowed him.

But he was not in a condition to go a hundred paces.
"It will be for this one night only," he said.
He occupied a small room in the gardener's little house.

He had hoped, on entering it, to find the peace of the heart, but it was not to be.
They were driving him away even from here: that was what he said in his heart to his poor little bed, to the poor furniture, to the few books, to the smoky tallow-candle.