He had not so very long; but you might have given him an hour, it would have made no difference to Castracane then. The guard came reeking to the brow of the hill; Andrea, haltered, was with them. Alessandro, mopping his head and cursing the flies, came last.
"Look yonder, Marco," said one. The other said "Ha!" and pounced upon his treasure. He had him by the ear and was pricking him with his sabre in the fleshy parts.
"Easy, friend," said Castracane; "I'm not running away."
He went like a sheep to the Sub-Prefect. Andrea watched him twittering.
"What is your name, fellow?" said that heated officer.
Andrea's eyes yearned for his mate's. Castracane gave him a terrible look.
"Silvestro is my name, Signore," says he; and Andrea knew his game.
"We have found our bird, I think," said Alessandro, turning to his men.
"Yes, Excellency, this is the lad we want. There was another of them—Castracane they call him."
"Ah, yes. Where is Castracane, fellow?"
"He is over Venda. Gone to Noventa, to his mother," replied Castracane.
"Well, we don't want him so far as I know. Now, attend to me. You are suspected of that business in the Via della Gatta."
Castracane shrugged. "Chi lo sa?" says he.
"We shall see about that. Meantime, what have you to urge?"
