and , in a voice broken with tears , she recounted how , a few days before , while returning from the mill , left behind by her companions , don rodrigo had passed before her , in company with another gentleman ; that the former had tried to hold her with chatter , as she said , not at all nice ; but her , paying no attention to him , had quickened her pace , and reached her companions , and meanwhile she had heard that other gentleman laughing loudly , and don rodrigo say , `` i bet ... '' silvia and deborah came back to the classroom just then , slowly , one after the other , with their heads down .