inesca, and I--waited till they came, because I was
determined to see justice done. I am sure I was right,--was I not?"

"What did they say?" asked Del Ferice, quietly watching her face.

"If you will believe it, that monster of villany, Don Giovanni, was as
cold as stone, and denied the whole matter from beginning to end; but his
father was very angry. Of course they demanded the proofs. I never saw
anything like the brazen assurance of Don Giovanni."

"Did you mention me?" inquired Del Ferice.

"No, I had not seen you: of course I did not want to implicate you. I
said I would show them the papers tomorrow at the same hour."

"And then you came to see me," said Del Ferice. "That was very rash. You
might have seriously compromised yourself. I would have come if you had
sent for me."

"But they said you had gone to Naples. Your servant," continued Donna
Tullia, blushing scarlet at the remembrance of her interview with
Temistocle,--"your servant assured me in person that you had gone to
Naples--"

"I see," replied Del Ferice, quietly. He did not wish to press her to a
confession of having tried to get the papers in his absence. His object
was to put her at her ease.

"My dear lady," he continued, gently, "you have done an exceedingly rash
thing; but I will support you in every way, by putting the documents in
your possession at once. It is unfortunate that you should have acted so
suddenly, for we do not know what has become of this Felice Baldi, nor
have we any immediate means of finding out. It might have taken weeks to
find her. Why were you so rash? You could have waited till I returned,
and we could have discussed the matter carefully, and decided whether it
were really wise to make use of my information."

"You do not doubt that I did right?" asked Donna Tullia, turning a little
pale.

"I think you acted precipitately in speaking without consulting me. All
may yet be well. But in the first place, as you did not ask my opinion,
you will see the propriety of not mentioning my name, since you have
not done so already. It can do no good, for the papers speak for
themselves, and whatever value they may have is inherent in them. Do you
see?"

"Of course there is no need of mentioning you, unless you wish to have a
share in the exposure of this abominable wickedness."

"I am satisfied with my share," replied Del Ferice, with a quiet smile.

"It is not an important one," returned Donna Tullia, nervously.

"