"My name is Orsola Steno," said the old woman humbly, a little in
awe of the majestic porter, chosen for that situation for his size;
"and the Signor Marchesino knows me very well. I am sure he would
not refuse to see me."
Insolent servants in a great house are generally a sure symptom of
something amiss in the moral nature of their masters. Good and
kindly masters have and make civil and kindly servants; and the big
porter of the palazzo Castelmare was accordingly by no means a
terrible personage.
"Signora Orsola Steno! To be sure. I remember you very well,
Signora, when you called on the padrone last summer. I am sure the
Signor Marchesino would have pleasure in seeing you, if he were at
home. But he is not here. And to tell you the truth, we have no idea
where he is. He came home early this morning after the ball, and
instead of going to bed, changed his dress, and went out again at
once; and has not been back since. Some devilry or other! Che vuole!
We were all young once upon a time, eh, Signora Orsola? And as for
the Marchesino, he is as good a gentleman as any in Ravenna or out
of it, for that matter. But he is young, Signora, he is young! And
that's all the fault he has. Can I give him any message for you,
Signora?"
"The fact is," said old Orsola, after a few moments of rapid
reflection as to the expediency of telling her trouble to the
porter, and a decision prompted by the good-natured manner of the
man, and by the poor woman's extreme need of some one to tell her
trouble to,--"the fact is, that I wanted to ask the advice of the
Signor Marchesino about a young friend of mine, the Signora Paolina
Foscarelli, who went out of the city early this morning to go to St.
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