He began to reason again. Corona knew
the truth, of course, and her husband knew it too. Montevarchi
realised that he had already taken his revenge for their
complicity, before knowing that they had injured him. His
overwrought brain was scarcely capable of receiving another
impression. He laughed aloud in a way that was almost hysterical.
"All!" he cried in sudden exultation. "All--even to their name--
but the other--" His face changed quickly and he sank into his
chair and buried his face in his hands, as he thought of all he
had lost through Faustina's folly. And yet, the harm might be
repaired--no one knew except--
He looked up and saw that Meschini had returned and was standing
before him, as though waiting to be addressed. The suddenness of
the librarian's appearance made the prince utter an exclamation of
surprise.
"Yes, I have come back," said Meschini. "The matter we were
discussing cannot be put off, and I have come back to ask you to
be good enough to pay the money."
Montevarchi was nervous and had lost the calm tone of superiority
he had maintained before his interview with Faustina. The idea of
losing Frangipani, too, made his avarice assert itself very
strongly.
"I told you," he replied, "that I refused altogether to talk with
you, so long as you addressed me in that tone.
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