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"At such an hour?" said Don Abbondio.

"What do you expect? They have no discretion. But if you do not

shoot the bird flying--"

"Who knows if I shall ever be able to do it?" continued he. "Let

him come in. But are you very sure that it is Tony?"

"The devil!" said Perpetua, as she descended, and, opening the

door, demanded, "Where are you?"

Tony appeared, in company with Agnes, who accosted Perpetua by

name.

"Good evening, Agnes," said she; "whence come you at this hour?"

"I come from--," naming a neighbouring village. "And do you

know," she continued, "that I have been delayed on your account?"

"On my account!" exclaimed she; and turning to the two brothers,

said, "Go in, and I will follow you."

"Because," resumed Agnes, "a gossiping woman of the company

said-would you believe it?-obstinately persisted in saying, that

you were never engaged to Beppo Suolavecchia, nor to Anselmo

Lunghigna, because they would not have you. I maintained that you

had refused them both--"