d guessed
that she would betray the secret--that after the engagement became known,
she would not be able to refrain from communicating it to Corona
d'Astrardente; and so soon as he heard the news, he had shut himself up
in his lodging, pretending a sudden journey to Naples, determined not to
set foot out of the house until he heard that Donna Tullia had committed
herself. He knew that when she had once spoken she would make a desperate
attempt to obtain the papers, for he knew that such an assertion as hers
would need to be immediately proved, at the risk of her position in
society. His plot had succeeded so far. His only anxiety was to know
whether she had mentioned his name in connection with the subject, but he
guessed, from his knowledge of her character, that she would not do so:
she would respect her oath enough to conceal his name, even while
breaking her promise; she would enjoy taking the sole credit of the
discovery upon herself, and she would shun an avowal which would prove
her to have discussed with any one else the means of preventing the
marriage, because it would be a confession of jealousy, and consequently
of personal interest in Don Giovanni. Del Ferice was a very clever
fellow.

He put on his coat, and in five minutes was seated in a cab on his way to
Donna Tullia's house, with a large envelope full of papers in his pocket.
He found her as she had left him, her face still wrapped in a veil,
walking up and down her drawing-room in great excitement. He advanced
and saluted her courteously, maintaining a dignified gravity of bearing
which he judged fitting for the occasion.

"And now, my dear lady," he said, gently, "will you tell me exactly what
you have done?"

"This morning," answered Madame Mayer, in a stifled voice, "I heard of
the Astrardente's engagement to Don Giovanni. It seemed such a terrible
thing!"

"Terrible, indeed," said Del Ferice, solemnly.

"I sent for you at once, to know what to do: they said you were gone to
Naples. I thought, of course, that you would approve if you were here,
because we ought to prevent such a dreadful crime--of course." She waited
for some sign of assent, but Del Ferice's pale face expressed nothing but
a sort of grave reproach.

"And then," she continued, "as I could not find you, I thought it was
best to act at once, and so I went to see the Astrardente, feeling that
you would entirely support me. There was a terrific scene. She sent for
the two Sarac