Part 6 (2/2)
”Then you think it is really from Cardi?”
Ricardo shrugged his square shoulders. ”Who knows? Some say there is no such person, others declare he went to America years ago.”
”What is your belief?”
”I know a man who has seen him.”
”Who?”
”Aliandro.”
”Bah! Aliandro is such a liar!” exclaimed Savigno.
”However that may be, he has seen things in his time. He says that Cardi is not what people suppose him to be--a brigand--except when it suits his desires. That is why he comes and goes and the carabinieri can never trace him. That is why he is at home in all parts of Sicily; that is why he uses men like Narcone when he chooses.”
”It would please me to capture the wretch,” said Martel.
”Let's try it,” Norvin suggested, and accordingly a trap was laid.
Four carabinieri were sent to the appointed place, ahead of time, with directions to conceal themselves, and Ferara carried out his part of the programme. But no one came to meet him, he encountered no one coming or going to the crossroads, and returned greatly disgusted.
However, at his suggestion Colonel Neri stationed the four soldier policemen at the castello to prevent any demonstration and to profit by any development which might occur.
The young men did not permit this diversion to interrupt their daily trips to Terranova, although as a matter of precaution they added Ippolito to their party. He was delighted at the change of duty, because, as Norvin discovered, it brought him to the side of Lucrezia Ferara. Thus it happened that Martel had reason to regret the choice of his bodyguard, for on the very first visit Ippolito began to strut and swagger before the girl and allowed the secret to escape him, whereupon it was carried to the Countess.
She appealed to Martel to leave San Sebastiano for the time being, to postpone the wedding, or at least to go to Messina for it; but of course he refused and tried to laugh down her misgivings, and of course she appealed privately to Blake for a.s.sistance.
”You must use your influence to change his mind,” she said, earnestly.
”He declares he will not be overawed by these ruffians. He says that to pay them the least attention would be to encourage them to another attempt when we return, but--he does not know the Mafia as I know it.
You will do this for me?”
”Of course, if you wish it, although I agree with Martel, and I'm sure he won't listen to me. He can't play the coward. The wedding is only two days off now. Why, to-morrow is the gala-day! How could he notify the whole district, when all his preparations have been completed?
What excuse could he give without confessing his fear and making himself liable to a later and stronger attack?”
”The country people need not know anything about it. Let them come and make merry. He can leave now, tonight. We will join him at Messina.”
Norvin shook his head. ”I'll do what I can, since you wish it, but I'm sure he won't consent to any change of plan. I'm sure, also, that you are needlessly troubled.”
”Perhaps,” she acknowledged, doubtfully. ”And yet Martel's father--”
”Yes, yes. But conditions are not what they were fifteen years ago.
This is merely a blackmailing scheme, and if he ignores it he'll probably never hear of it again. On the other hand, if he allows it to drive him away it will be repeated upon his return.”
She searched his face with her eyes, and his wits reeled at her earnest gaze. He was conscious of a single wild desire that such anxiety might be for him. How gladly he would yield to her wishes--how gladly he would yield to any wish of hers! He was a foreigner; he hated this island and its people, for the most part, and yet if he stood in Martel's place he would willingly change his life to correspond with hers. He would become Sicilian in body and soul. She had the power to dissolve his habits, his likes and dislikes, and reconstruct him through and through.
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