South Italy had given the open signal.

It was near upon the hour of the unmasking of the great Lombard conspiracy, and Vittoria, standing there, was the beacon-light of it.

Her presence filled Laura with transports of exultation; and shy of displaying it, and of the theme itself, she let her tongue run on, and satisfied herself by smoothing the hand of the brave girl on her chin, and plucking with little loving tugs at her skirts.

In doing this she suddenly gave a cry, as if stung.
'You carry pins,' she said.

And inspecting the skirts more closely, 'You have a careless maid in that creature Giacinta; she lets paper stick to your dress.