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"Certainly I did. Oh! what a liar! oh! what a great liar! Who was

it?"

"Don't ask me; I don't wish to make mischief."

"You must tell me; you must tell me. Oh! what a lie!"

"So it was; but you can't believe how sorry I felt not to know

all the story, that I might have confuted her."

"It is an infamous lie," said Perpetua. "As to Beppo, every one

knows--"

In front of Don Abbondio's house, there was a short and narrow

lane, between two old cottages, which opened at the farther end

into the fields. Agnes drew Perpetua thither, as if for the

purpose of talking with her more freely. When they were at a

spot, from which they could not see what passed before the

curate's house, Agnes coughed loudly.