Page:In Maremma, by Ouida (vol 3).djvu/11

 him what you answer to-morrow. He says that with gold all things can be done.'

'That is true,' said Este bitterly. 'But why should he do this for me? Why?'

'I do not know. Because he is generous, or because'

She hesitated; she remembered that Sanctis had said he would do this for her sake.

A sudden light of fell suspicion flashed on Este. His eyes lit up with it as a dark night is lit up by blue fire.

'And the price?' he said between his teeth.

'The price?'

She did not understand him.

'Do you not see? Are you so simple? He will aid me to escape because he will thus sever me from you. He is your lover, or would be so. You are the price that he will claim for freeing me.'

A dark red flush came over her face.

'I do not think it is so,' she said firmly. 'He is a generous man; he is not a traitor. He will save you if you choose.'

For the first moment his natural impulse had been one of rapturous acceptance of his liberty, of passionate ecstasy at