“But what do you want with us? How can we serve you?” interrupted the man. “Urgent business carries me to Alexandria. Can you give me a cast?” inquired Teresa. “Out of the question,” said the wife. “I will pay you handsomely; two pieces of St. John the Baptist; that is, ten livres of France.” [Illustration] “I don’t know how we could manage it,” observed the man. “In the first place, the bench is so narrow that it will be scarcely possible to sit three; though I own, signorina, ’tis no great matter of room you will take up. In the next place, we are going only as far as the _Mercato_ of Renigano, near Asti, which is only half-way to Alexandria.” “No matter,” cried Teresa; “convey me only so far as to the gates of Asti. But we must set out this very night—this very moment.” “Impossible! quite impossible!” exclaimed both husband and wife at the same moment. “We made no bargain of our night’s rest.” “The sum shall be doubled,” said Teresa, in a lower voice, “if you will only oblige me.” The man and the woman interchanged looks of interrogation. “No,” cried the wife, at last; “we shall fall ill of fatigue on the road. Besides, Losca and Zoppa want rest. Do you wish to kill the poor mules?” “Four pieces, remember!” murmured the husband. “Four pieces!” “What is that to the value of Losca and Zoppa!” “Double price, recollect, for only half the fare, and no danger to the beasts.” “Pho! pho! a single Venetian sequin is worth two _parpaîole_ of Genoa.” Nevertheless, the notion of four crowns to be earned so easily was not without its charm for either wife or husband, and at last, after farther objections on one side, and supplications on the other, the mules were brought out and re-harnessed. Teresa, enveloped in her mantle, to protect her from the night air, arranged herself as well as she could on the bench between the grumbling couple; and at length they set off on their expedition. All the clocks in Turin were striking eleven as they passed the gate of the city. In her impatience to arrive and procure good tidings for transmission to Fenestrella, Teresa would fain have found herself carried away by the speed of impetuous coursers towards Alexandria. But alas! the vehicle in which she had secured a place lumbered heavily along the road. The mules paced steadily along, lifting their legs with measured precision, so as to put in motion the little chime of bells, which imparted a still cooler character to the nonchalance of their movements. For some time, indeed, the fair traveller took patience, hoping the animals would become gradually excited, or that the driver might urge them with a touch of the whip. But finding his incitement limited to a slight clicking of the tongue, she at length took courage to inform him that it was essential to make all speed towards Asti, that she might arrive by day-break at Alexandria.