Page:Idalia, by 'Ouida' volume 3.djvu/331

320 "How can you get them? They will have confiscated all you have?"

"In Italy—yes. But that was little. My wealth lies elsewhere. I will write you an order on Paris, that will give you the sum down in gold."

"You speak truth?" "Did you ever hear that I spoke any other thing?" He laughed. "Basta, never. They all say that you lash king and priest with your tongue! Well; I will see what I can do."

He left her; barring her in. She waited in an anguish of dread. She had spoken calmly and briefly to him; but alone, the great veins stood out on her forehead, and her limbs shook with the passion of hope and fear. She would have laid her head down on a scaffold with the breaking of dawn if to-night she could thereby have purchased the power to say but a single word to the man who believed her his traitress. Before long the Calabrian returned; he had nothing of the soft grace common to his countrymen; but he had a rough good faith, which, blent with his liking of gold, served her better. He held her an inkhom and a slip of paper.

"It was a miracle to get these; I sent to the