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

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
320
IDALIA

"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