Part 30 (1/2)

”Beaten? Where have you been? I thought you were down at the landing with Andrea,” said Miss Senter.

”The antiquity-dealer suffocates,” muttered Ercole. ”And Giorgio--dead!”

This ”dead” (_morto!_) even Peter understood. ”Dead! What is he saying, Barly?”

”The man is saying, Mr. Senter, that an antiquity-dealer is suffocating, and that somebody he calls Giorgio is dead,” translated the pink-cheeked, portly Lady Kay, in her sweet voice. ”It's your gondolier, isn't it--the one who played the clown so nicely? What a pity! He has been drinking, I fear.”

While she was saying this, Sir William was leading Ercole farther away from the ladies.

”Yes, he is drunk,” said Peter, looking at him. ”Too bad! We must have help. Let's see; Andrea is down at the landing. I'll get him. And you call Giorgio, Barly.”

Here Ercole, held by Sir William, gave a maddened cry, and threw his head about violently.

”Oh, don't leave my husband alone with him, Mr. Senter,” said Lady Kay, alarmed. ”He is a very powerful young man, and his eyes are dreadful.

To me he looks as if he were mad. Those somersaults have affected his head.”

And the gondolier's eyes were indeed strangely bloodshot and wild. Miss Senter had hurried to the kitchen. But Giorgio was not there. She came back, and found Ercole struggling with the Englishman and her brother.

”Let me try,” she said. ”I am not afraid of him. Ercole,” she continued, speaking gently in Italian, ”go to your room now, and go to bed quietly; everything will be all right to-morrow.”

Ercole writhed in Sir William's grasp. ”The antiquity-dealer! And Giorgio--dead!”

”Where is Giorgio, Barly?” said Peter, angrily, as he helped Sir William in securing the gondolier. ”And where are the other servants? Where's Carmela? Find them, and send one down to the landing for Andrea, and the other for Giorgio. Quick!”

”Oh, Peter, I've been, and I couldn't find Giorgio or any one.”

”Carmela was in your bedroom not long ago,” said Lady Kay, watching the gondolier's contortions nervously; ”she helped me put on my cloak.”

Miss Senter ran to her bedroom, her train flying in the haste she made.

But in a moment she was back again. ”There is no one there. Oh, where are they all?”

Ercole, hearing her voice, peered at her with his crimsoned eyes, and then, breaking loose suddenly, he came and caught hold of her arm. ”The antiquity-room. _Will_ she come?”

Peter and Sir William dragged him away by main force.

”The gentlemen, then. Will _they_ come?” said the gondolier, hoa.r.s.ely.

And again freeing himself with two strokes of his powerful arms, he pa.s.sed out (for the door was still open), and began to descend the outside staircase.

”Oh, thank Heaven, he has gone!” ”Oh, lock the door!” cried the two ladies together.

”We must follow him, Mr. Senter,” said Sir William. ”He is plainly mad from drink, and may do some harm.”

”Yes; and down there Andrea can help us,” answered Peter.

And the two gentlemen hastened down the staircase. It was a very long flight with three turns. The court below was brilliantly lighted by many wall lamps.

”I _don't_ like my husband's going down,” said Lady Kay, in a tremor, as she stood on the landing outside. ”If they are going to seize him, the more of us the better; don't you think so? For while they are holding him, you and I could run across and get that other man in from the riva.”

But Miss Senter was not there. She had rushed back into the house, and was now calling with all her strength: ”Giorgio! Carmela! a.s.sunta!