BIANCA AND BEPPO 199

There was no answer.

Bianca, hardly knowing what she did,ran screaming from
the chamber, out into the long dark hall, and on through
the great oaken door, which, to her surprise, was wide open.
Finally, she stood irresolute upon the marble terrace.

Beppo followed her. On his way he saw one of the
duke’s chief attendants lying very still.

“Fesco! Fesco! are you hurt ?” called Beppo, again and
again.

But Fesco did not answer; and with a shudder, the boy
bounded past him and joined Bianca on the terrace.

Down the long broad walk, past the beautiful garden,
and out through the open gateway they flew together, two
scantily-clad little children, chilly with fear on that warm,
bright night, and trembling at every sound. Oh, if their
father were but with them!

The forest was near by— gloomy and erim now in its
shadows, but safer, at any rate, than the open highway.
They would hide there, they thought, till morning.

But night was nearly over; very soon the faint pink
streaks that lit the edge of the sky spread and grew
brighter and brighter. The children sat on a mossy mound
for a while and with tearful eyes watched the growing
light. Then Bianca remembered some fruit that she had
stowed the day before in the satchel hanging from her
girdle. She put it into Beppo’s cap, and begged him to eat.

“T cannot,” said Beppo. “Hark! What is that ?”

They listened. It was a faint sound as of some one
moaning.

“Oh! oh!” sobbed Bianca, “ what can it be?”