"I care about it as I do about my everlasting salvation, and the affair is of the deepest interest to the persons who are dearer to me than anybody else on earth since your father died. My brother is in danger, as well as this excellent young man, for whom I demand your sincere and loyal friendship." "Have I not shaken his hand?" "Therefore I count upon you. When I see that you are ready, I will tell you something that will be a more enticing bait to you than gold or glory." "I am ready. Is it an enemy of the country who is to be killed?" "I told you that there is nobody to be killed; you forget that I serve the God of peace and mercy. But there is some one to be thwarted, some one whose treacherous plans must be utterly foiled; and that man is a spy and a traitor." "His name?" "Will you come?" "Am I not on my feet?" "Abbé Ninfo." The Piccinino began to laugh, a silent laugh in which there was something ghastly. "May I be permitted to thwart him?" he asked. "Morally, yes. But not a drop of blood must be shed!" "Morally! good, I will exert my wits. Courage is not current coin with that fellow; but as we have made our bargain, or nearly so, it is time to explain to me the motive of this abduction." "I will explain it to you, and you can reflect upon it as we walk." "Impossible. I cannot do two things at once. I reflect only when my body is at rest." And he coolly lay down again after relighting his cigarette. Fra Angelo saw clearly enough that he would not allow himself to be led into action with his eyes closed. "You know," he said, with no indication of impatience, "that Ninfo is the tool, the spy, the inseparable companion of a certain cardinal?" "Hieronymo de Palmarosa?" "You know also that my older brother, Pier-Angelo, was forced to leave Sicily eighteen years ago?" "I know it. It was his own fault! My father was still alive. He might have joined him instead of abandoning his country." "You are mistaken; your father was dead. You were an infant, I was a monk! There was nothing to be done here." "Go on." "My brother returned, as you know, a year ago; and his son, Michelangelo here, returned a week ago." "What for?" "To assist his father in his trade and his country on occasion. But there is already a denunciation hanging over him as well as over his father. The cardinal still has his memory, and does not forgive. Ninfo is prepared to act in his name." "What are they waiting for?" "I don't know why the cardinal is waiting so long before dying, but I can say that Ninfo is waiting for the cardinal's death." "Why?" "In order to seize his papers before there is time to put seals on them and notify his heiress." "Who is the heiress?" "Princess Agatha de Palmarosa." "Ah! yes," said the bandit, changing his position, "a beautiful woman, so they say." "That has nothing to do with the affair. But do you understand now why it is necessary that Abbé Ninfo should disappear during the cardinal's last moments?"