here?" asked Donna Tullia, peering over the man's shoulder into the dark and narrow passage within. "He lives here, but he is gone to Naples," answered Temistocle, promptly. "When will he be back?'' she inquired. The man raised his shoulders to his ears, and spread out the palms of his hands to signify that he did not know. Donna Tullia hesitated. She had never attempted to bribe anybody in her life, and hardly knew how to go about it. She thought that the sight of the money might produce an impression, and she withdrew a bank-note from the hollow of her hand, spreading it out between her fingers. Temistocle eyed it greedily. "There are twenty-five scudi," she said. "If you will help me to find a piece of paper in your master's room, you shall have them." Temistocle drew himself up with an air of mock pride. Madame Mayer looked at him. "Impossible, signora," he said. Then she drew out another. Temistocle eyed the glove curiously to see if it contained more. "Signora," he repeated, "it is impossible. My master would kill me. I cannot think of it." But his tone seemed to yield a little. Donna Tullia found another banknote; there were now seventy-five scudi in her hand. She thought she saw Temistocle tremble with excitement. But still he hesitated. "Signora, my conscience," he said, in a low voice of protestation. "Come," said Madame Mayer, impatiently, there is another there are a hundred scudi-that is all I have got," she added, turning down her empty glove. ddenly Temistocle put out his hand and grasped the banknotes eagerly. But instead of retiring to allow her to enter, he pushed roughly past her. "You may go in," he said in a hoarse whisper, and turning quickly, fled precipitately down the narrow steps, in his shirtsleeves as he was. Madame Mayer stood for a moment looking after him in surprise, even when he had already disappeared. Then she turned and entered the door rather timidly; but before she had gone two steps in the dark passage, she uttered a cry of horror. Del Ferice stood in her way, wrapped in a loose dressing-gown, a curious expression upon his pale face, which from its whiteness was clearly distinguishable in the gloom. Temistocle had cheated her, had lied in telling her that his master was absent, had taken her bribe and had fled. He would easily find an excuse for having allowed her to enter; and with his quick varlet's instinct, he guessed that she would not confess to Del Ferice that she had bribed him. Ugo came forward a step and instantly recognised Madame Mayer. "Donna Tullia!" he cried, "what are you doing? You must not be seen here." A less clever man than Ugo would have pretended to be overjoyed at her coming. Del Ferice's fine instincts told him that for whatever cause she had comeand he guessed the cause well enough he would get a firmer hold upon her consideration by appearing to be shocked at her imprudence. Donna Tullia was nearly fainting with fright, and stood leaning against the wall of the passage. "I thought-I-I must see you at once," she stammered. "Not here," he answered, quickly. "Go home at once; I will join you in five minutes. It would ruin you to have it known that you have been here." Madame Mayer took courage at his tone. "You must bring them-those papers," she said, hurriedly. "Something dreadful has happened. Promise me to come at once!" "I will come at once, my dear lady," he said, gently pushing her towards the door. "I cannot even go down-stairs with you-forgive me. You have your carriage of course?" would not do so, from his knowledge of her character: 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 the means of preventing the marriage with any one else, because it would be a confession of jealousy, and consequently of personal interest in Don Giovanni. Del Ferice was a very clever fellow. "And now, my dear lady," he said, gently, "will you tell me exactly what you have done?" It "This morning," answered Madame Mayer, in a stifled voice, "I heard of the Astrardente's engagement to Don Giovanni. seemed such a terrible thing!" "Terrible, indeed," said Don Ferice, solemnly. He put on his coat, and in five minutes was seated in a cab on his "I have a cab," replied Donna way to Donna Tullia's house, with a Tullia, faintly, submitting to be put large envelope full of papers in his out of the door. He seized her pocket. He found her as she had hand and kissed it passionately, or left him, her face still wrapped in with a magnificent semblance of a veil, walking up and down her passion. With a startled look, drawing-room in great excitement. Donna Tullia turned and went He advanced and saluted her rapidly down the steps. Del courteously, maintaining a digniFerice smiled softly to himself fied gravity of bearing which he when she was gone, and went in judged fitted for the occasion. again to exchange his dressinggown for a coat. He had her in his power at last. He had 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 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 bis name in connection with the subject, but he guessed that she "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 crimeof course." She waited for some sign of assent, but Del Ferice's pale face expressed nothing but a sort of grave reproach. as "And then," she continued, 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 Sarracinescas, 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 to-morrow at the same hour." 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 was 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. "It is the lion's share," he answered. "Most adorable of women, you have not, I am sure, forgotten the terms of our agreement-terms so dear to me, that every word of them is engraven for ever upon the tablet of my heart." Madame Mayer started slightly. She had not realised that her promise to marry Ugo was now due --she did not believe that he would press it; he had exacted it to frighten her, and besides, she had so persuaded herself that he would approve of her conduct, that she had not felt as though she were betraying his secret. "You will not - you cannot hold me to that; you approve of telling the Astrardente, on the you are doing a great wrong, repudiating a solemn contractbut you whole, it is the same as though that I had consulted you— "Pardon me, my dear lady; you did not consult me," answered Del "If I refuse — well Ferice, soothingly. He sat near would give me the papers?" asked her by the fire, his hat upon his Donna Tullia, who was beginning knee, no longer watching her, but to tremble for the result of the gazing contemplatively at the interview. She had a vague susburning logs. There was a deli- picion that, for the sake of obtaincacy about his pale face since the ing them, she would even be willwound he had received a year be- ing to promise to marry Del Ferice. fore which was rather attractive: It would be very wrong, perhaps; from having been a little inclined but it would be for the sake of to stoutness, he had grown slender accomplishing good, by preventing and more graceful, partly because Corona from falling into the trap his health had really been affected Corona, whom she hated! Still, by his illness, and partly because he had determined never again to risk being too fat. "I tried to consult you," "objected Donna Tullia. "It is the same thing." "It is not the same thing to me," he answered, although you have not involved me in the affair. I would have most distinctly advised you to say nothing about it at present. You have acted rashly, have put yourself in a most painful situation; and you have broken your promise to me-a very solemn promise, Donna Tullia, sworn upon the memory of your mother and upon a holy relic. One cannot make light of such promises as that." "You made me give it in order to frighten me. The Church does not bind us to oaths sworn under compulsion," she argued. it would be a generous act to save her. The minds of women like Madame Mayer are apt to be a little tortuous when they find themselves hemmed in between their own jealousies, hatreds, and personal interests. Why "If you refused-no; if you refused, I am afraid I could not give you the papers," replied Del Ferice, musing as he gazed at the fire. "I love you too much to lose that chance of winning you, even for the sake of saving the Duchessa d'Astrardente from her fate. do you refuse? why do you bargain?" he asked, suddenly turning towards her. Does all my devotion count for nothing-all my love, my years of patient waiting? Oh, you cannot be so cruel as to snatch the cup from my very lips! It is not for the sake of these miserable documents: what is it to me whether Don Giovanni appears as the criminal in a case of bigamy, "Excuse me; there was no compulsion whatever. You wanted to know my secret, and for the whether he is ruined now, as by sake of knowing it you bound his evil deeds he will be hereafter, yourself. That is not compulsion. or whether he goes on unharmed I cannot compel you. I could not and unthwarted upon his career of think of presuming to compel you wickedness? He is nothing to me, to marry me now. But I can say nor his pale-faced bride either. It to you that I am devotedly at- is for you that I care, for you that tached to you, that to marry you I will do anything, bad or good, is the aim and object of my life, to win you that I would risk my and if you refuse I will tell you life and my soul. Can you not see it? Have I not been faithful for very long? Take pity on me -forget this whole business, forget that you have promised any thing, forget all except that I am here at your feet, a miserable man, unless you speak the word, and turn all my wretchedness into joy!" He slipped from his seat and knelt upon one knee before her, clasping one of her hands passionately between both his own. The scene was well planned and well executed; his voice had a ring of emotion that sounded pleasantly in Donna Tullia's ears, and his hands trembled with excitement. She did not repulse him, being a vain woman and willing to believe in the reality of a passion so well simulated. Perhaps, too, it was not wholly put on, for she was a handsome, dashing woman, in the prime of youth, and Del Ferice was a man who had always been susceptible to charms of that kind. Donna Tullia hesitated, wondering what more he could say. But he, on his part, knew the danger of trusting too much to eloquence when not backed by a greater strength than his, and he pressed her for an answer. 66 "Be generous-trust me," he cried. Believe that your happiness is everything to me; believe that I will take no unfair advantage of a hasty promise. Tell me that, of your own free will, you will be my wife, and command me anything, that I may prove my devotion. It is so true, so honest, -Tullia, I adore you, I live only for you! Speak the word, and make me the happiest of men!" He really looked handsome as he knelt before her, and she felt the light, nervous pressure of his hand at every word he spoke. After all, what did it matter? She might accept him, and then well, if she did not like the idea, she could throw him over. It would only cost her a violent scene, and a few moments of discomfort. Meanwhile she would get the papers. "But you would give me the papers, would you not, and leave me to decide whether- Really, Del Ferice." she said, interrupting herself with a nervous laugh, "this is very absurd." "I implore you not to speak of the papers--it is not absurd. It may seem so to you, but it is life or death to me death if you refuse me-life if you will speak the word and be mine !" Donna Tullia made up her mind. He would evidently not give her what she wanted, except in return for a promise of marriage. She had grown used to him, almost fond of him, in the last year. "Well, I do not know whether I am right," she said, but I am really very fond of you; and if you will do all I say " "Everything, my dear lady; everything in the world I will do, if you will make me so supremely happy," cried Del Ferice, ardently. Then-yes; I will marry you. Only get up and sit upon your chair like a reasonable being. No; you really must be reasonable, or you must go away." Ugo was madly kissing her hands. He was really a good actor, if it was all acting. She could not but be moved by his pale delicate face and passionate words. With a quick movement he sprang to his feet and stood before her, clasping his hands together and gazing into her face, "Oh, I am the happiest man alive to-day!" he exclaimed, and the sense of triumph he felt lent energy to his voice. "Do sit down," said Donna Tullia, gaily, "and let us talk it all |