Clementina

"I am not the visitor whom you expect," continued Wogan, "nor do I bring

the news which you would wish to hear;" and at that she raised a

trembling hand. "I beg you--a moment's silence. Then I will hear you,

Mr. Warner." She made a sort of stumbling run and reached a couch. Wogan

shut the door and waited. He was glad that she had used the name of

Warner. It recalled to him that evening at Ohlau when she had stood

behind the curtain with a stiletto in her hand, and the three last days

of his perilous ride to Schlestadt. He needed his most vivid

recollections to steel his heart against her; for he was beginning to

think it was his weary lot to go up and down the world causing pain to

women. After a while she said, "Now your news;" and she held her hand

lightly to her heart to await the blow.

"The King married this morning the Princess Clementina," said Wogan.

Lady Featherstone did not move her hand; she still waited. It was just

to hinder this marriage that she had come to Italy, but her failure was

at this moment of no account. She heard of it with indifference; it had

no meaning to her. She waited. Wogan's mere presence at the villa told

her there was more to come. He continued:-"Last night Mr. Whittington came with the King to Bologna--you

understand, no doubt, why;" and she nodded without moving her eyes from

his face. She made no pretence as to the part she had played in the

affair. All the world might know it. That was a matter at this moment of

complete indifference. She waited.

"The King and Mr. Whittington came at nine of the night to the little

house which you once occupied. I was there, but I was not there alone.

Can your Ladyship conjecture whom I brought there? Your Ladyship, as I

learned last night from Mr. Whittington's own lips, had paid a visit

secretly, using a key which you had retained to the house on an excuse

that you had left behind jewels of some value. You saw her Highness the

Princess. You told her a story of the King and Mlle. de Caprara. I rode

to Rome, and when the King came last night Mlle. de Caprara was with the

Princess. I had evidence against Mr. Whittington, a confession of one of

the soldiers of the Governor of Trent, the leader of a party of five who

attacked me at Peri. No doubt you know of that little matter too;" and

again Lady Featherstone nodded.