d in the black wall before him
appeared a vertical line of orange light. This sudden gleam was so
bewildering to the eyes that Calabressa could not see who it was that
come out to him; he only knew that the stranger waited for him to pass
on into the outer air.

"It is cooler here. To your business, friend Calabressa."

The moment Calabressa recognized this tall, military-looking man, with
the closely cropped bullet-head and long silver-white mustache, he
whipped off his cap, and said, anxiously,

"A thousand pardons, Excellency! a thousand pardons! Do I interrupt? May
not I see Fossati?"

"It is unnecessary. There is much business to-night. One must breathe
the air sometimes."

Calabressa for once had completely lost his _sang-froid_. He could not
speak for stammering.

"I assure you, your Excellency, it is death to me to think that I
interrupt you."

"But why did you come, then, my friend? To the point."

"Zaccatelli," the other managed to get out.

"Well?"

"There was a proposal. Some days ago I saw Granaglia."

"Well?"

"Pardon me, Excellency. If I had known, not for worlds would I have
called you--"

"Come, come my Calabressa," said the other, good-naturedly. "No more
apologies. What is it you have to say?--the proposal made by the
Cardinal? Yes; we know about that."

"And it has not been accepted?--the decree remains?"

"You waste your breath, my friend. The decree remains, certainly. We are
not children; we do not play. What more, my Calabressa?"

But Calabressa had to collect his thoughts. Then he said, slowly,

"It occurred to me when I was in England--there was a poor devil there
who would have thrown away his life in a useless act of revenge--well--"

"Well, you brought him over here," said the other, interrupting him.
"Your object? Ah, Lind and you being old comrades; and Lind appearing to
you to be in a difficulty. But did Lind approve?"

"Not quite," said Calabressa, still hesitating. "He allowed us to try.
He was doubtful himself."

"I should have thought so," said the other, ironically. "No, good
Calabressa; we cannot accept the services of a maniac. The night has got
dark; I cannot see whether you are surprised. How do we know? The man
Kirski has been twice examined--once in Venice, once this morning, when
you went down to the _Luisa_; the reports the same. What! To have a
maniac blundering about the gates, attracting every one's notice by his
gibberish; then he is arrested wi