THE BRONZE BUTTERFLY The two women were facing one another in a painful silence when Carlo Ammiani was announced to them.

He entered with a rapid stride, and struck his hands together gladly at sight of Vittoria.
Laura met his salutation by lifting the accusing butterfly attached to Vittoria's dress.
'Yes; I expected it,' he said, breathing quick from recent exertion.
'They are kind--they give her a personal warning.

Sometimes the dagger heads the butterfly.

I have seen the mark on the Play-bills affixed to the signorina's name.' 'What does it mean ?' said Laura, speaking huskily, with her head bent over the bronze insect.

'What can it mean ?' she asked again, and looked up to meet a covert answer.
'Unpin it.' Vittoria raised her arms as if she felt the thing to be enveloping her.
The signora loosened the pin from its hold; but dreading lest she thereby sacrificed some possible clue to the mystery, she hesitated in her action, and sent an intolerable shiver of spite through Vittoria's frame, at whom she gazed in a cold and cruel way, saying, 'Don't tremble.' And again, 'Is it the doing of that 'garritrice magrezza,' whom you call 'la Lazzeruola ?' Speak.