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The old woman hastened to obey, and gave orders, under authority

of that name which, by whomsoever pronounced, set the whole

castle in motion, as no one imagined that any one would dare to

use it unauthorised. She reached Malanotte a little before the

carriage: when it was near at hand, she left the litter; and

making a sign to the coachman to stop, approached the window, and

whispered in the ear of Nibbio the will of her master.

Lucy, sensible that the motion of the carriage had ceased, shook

off the lethargy into which she had for some time been plunged,

and in an agony of terror looked around her. Nibbio had drawn

himself back on the seat, and the old woman, resting her chin on

the window, said to Lucy, "Come, my child; come, poor girl; come

with me. I have orders to treat you kindly, and to offer you

every consolation."