infidelity
had warped his best feelings, soured his temper, and aroused the dark
spirit of vengeance.

"She lives! she lives!" he murmured to himself, pausing for a moment to
press his feverish hand to his heated brow; "she lives! and doubtless
under the protection of her paramour! But I shall know more presently.
Antonio is faithful--he will not deceive me!"

And the count resumed his agitated walk up and down the room. A few
minutes elapsed, when the door opened slowly, and Antonio, whom the
reader may remember to have been a valet in the service of the Riverola
family, made his appearance.

The count hastened toward him, exclaiming: "What news, Antonio?
Speak--hast thou learnt aught more of--of _her_?"

"My lord," answered the valet, closing the door behind him, "I have
ascertained everything. The individual who spoke darkly and mysteriously
to me last evening, has within this hour made me acquainted with many
strange things."

"But the countess?--I mean the guilty, fallen creature who once bore my
name?" ejaculated the old nobleman, his voice trembling with impatience.

"There is no doubt, my lord, that her ladyship lives, and that she is
still in Florence," answered Antonio.

"The shameless woman," cried the Count of Arestino, his usually pale
face becoming perfectly death-like through the violence of his inward
emotions. "But how know you all this?" demanded his lordship, suddenly
turning toward the dependent; "who is your informant--and can he be
relied on? Remember I took thee into my service at thine own
solicitation--I have no guarantee for thy fidelity, and I am influential
to punish as well as rich to reward!"

"Your lordship has bound me to you by ties of gratitude," responded
Antonio, "for when discarded suddenly by the young Count of Riverola, I
found an asylum and employment in your lordship's palace. It is your
lordship's bounty which has enabled me to give bread to my aged mother;
and I should be a villain were I to deceive you."

"I believe you, Antonio," said the count: "and now tell me how you are
assured that the countess escaped from the conflagration and ruin of the
institution to which my just vengeance had consigned her--how, too, you
have learnt that she is still in Florence."

"I have ascertained, my lord, beyond all possibility of doubt," answered
the valet, "that the assailants of the convent were a terrible horde of
banditti, at that time headed by Stephano Verrina, who has sin