"Have some dinner downstairs before you return, Nazzareno," said the

Baron. "And when you see the doctor this evening, say I'll come out

some time this week if I can. Good-morning!"

The repulsion the Baron had inspired in Roma deepened to loathing when

he began to speak affectionately the moment the door had closed on the

steward.

"Look at this, dearest. It's from his Majesty."

She did not look at the letter he put before her, so he told her what it

contained. It offered him the Collar of the Annunziata, the highest

order in Italy, making him a cousin to the King.

She could not contain herself any longer. "I want to tell you

something," she said, "so that you may know once for all that it is

useless to waste further thought on me."

He looked at her with an indulgent smile.

"I am married to Mr. Rossi," she said.

"But that is impossible. There was no time."

"We were married religiously, in the parish church, on the morning he

left Rome."

The indulgent smile gave way to a sarcastic one.

"Then why did he leave you behind? If he thought that was a good

marriage, why didn't he take you with him? But perhaps he had his own

reason, and the denunciation of the poor man in prison was not so far

amiss."

"That was an official lie, a cowardly lie," said Roma, and her eyes

burned with anger.

"Was it? Perhaps it was. But I have just heard something else about Mr.

Rossi that is undoubtedly true. I have heard from the Prefect of Paris

that he is organising a conspiracy for the assassination of the King."

A look of fear which she could not restrain crossed Roma's face.

"More than that, and stranger than that, I have just heard also that the

Pope has some knowledge of the plot."

Roma felt terror seizing her, and she said in a constrained voice, "Why?

What has the Pope told you?"

"Only that an insurrection is impending. It seems that his informant is

a woman.... Who can she be, I wonder?"

The Baron was fixing his eyes on her and she tried to elude his gaze.

"Whoever she is she must know more," he said in a severe voice, "and

whatever it is she must reveal it."

Roma got up, looking very pale, and feeling very feeble. When she

reached the door the Baron was smiling and holding out his hand.




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