. ."
"Harm? Why what harm could happen? What harm could happen?" said the
Cardinal soothingly,--"My dear brother, do not alarm yourself
needlessly--"
"Let us go to the studio," interposed Manuel suddenly--"She may not
have heard you call her."
He moved in his gentle light way out of the room, and without
another word they followed. Outside the studio door they paused, and
Prince Sovrani tried again and again to open it, calling "Angela!"
now loudly, now softly, now entreatingly, now commandingly, all to
no purpose. The servants had gathered on the landing, afraid of they
knew not what, and one old man, the Prince's valet, shook his head
dolefully at the continued silence.
"Why not break open the door, Eccellenza?" he asked anxiously, "I
know the trick of those old locks--if the Eccellenza will permit I
can push back the catch with a strong chisel."
"Do so then," replied his master, "I cannot wait--there is something
horrible in the atmosphere!--something that chokes me! Quick! This
suspense will kill me!"
The old valet hurried away, and in two or three minutes, during
which time both Prince Sovrani and the Cardinal knocked and called
again outside the door quite uselessly, he returned with a strong
iron chisel which he forced against the lock.
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