Zorzi was safe, somewhere,
and he was not in the Governor's prison, on the straw. She told herself
so again and again as Nella went on.
"There is one thing I did not tell you," said the latter, with a sudden
increase of vigour at the thought.
"I think you have told me enough, Nella," said Marietta wearily. "I am
very tired."
"You cannot go to bed till I have plaited your hair," answered Nella
mercilessly, but at the same time laying down the comb. "Just before you
came in, I was looking out of the window. It was just an accident, for I
was very busy with your things, of course. Well, as I was saying, in
passing I happened to glance out of the window, and I saw--guess what I
saw, my pretty lady!"
Marietta trembled, thinking that Nella had seen her, and perhaps
recognised her, and was about to bring her garrulous tale to a dramatic
climax by telling her so.
"Perhaps you saw a woman," she suggested desperately.
"A woman indeed!" cried Nella. "That must be a nice woman who would be
seen in the street at such a time of night, and the Governor's archers
there, too! Woman? I would not look at such a woman, I tell you! No.
What I saw was this, since you cannot guess. There came two big men,
running fast, and they were carrying a dead body between them! Eh! They
were at no good, I tell you.
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