ather sufficient to place beyond all doubt the guilt of that
fair creature; and even in the midst of his Italian ire, he had clung to
the hope that she might have been imprudent--but not culpable, as yet!

Oh! in this case, how gladly would that old lord have forgiven the past,
on condition of complete reformation for the future! He would have
removed his young wife afar from the scene of temptation--to a distant
estate which he possessed; and there by gentle remonstrances and
redoubled attention, he would have sought to bind her to him by the
links of gratitude and respect, if not by those of love.

But this dream--so honorable to that old man's heart--was not to be
realized; for scarcely was it conceived, when the discourse of the
youthful pair turned upon the diamonds--those diamonds which he had
given her on the bridal day!

Giulia spoke clearly and plainly enough _then_--in spite of the presence
of the bandit in that chamber; for she was about to explain to her lover
how willingly she would comply with his suggestion to raise upon the
jewels the sum he again required--a readiness on her part which might be
corroborated by the fact that she had already once had recourse to this
expedient, and for _him_--but she dared not adopt the same course again,
as her husband might detect the absence of the valuables ere she could
obtain funds to redeem them.

When she acknowledged to her lover that "these diamonds were pledged to
the Jew Isaachar ben Solomon, to raise the sum with which his last debt
was paid," it flashed to the old nobleman's mind that his wife had
exhibited some little confusion when he had spoken to her a day or two
previously concerning her jewels: and now it was clear that they had
been used as the means to supply the extravagances of an unprincipled
spendthrift. How could he any longer cling to the hope that Giulia was
imprudent only, and not guilty? Must she not be guilty, to have made so
large a sacrifice and run so great a risk for the sake of the Marquis of
Orsini?

It was under the influence of these excited feelings that the Count of
Arestino burst into the room.

Fortunately--so far as outward appearance went--there was nothing more
to confirm the old nobleman's suspicions; the youthful pair were not
locked in each other's arms; their hands were not even joined. Manuel
was seated on the sofa, and Giulia was standing at a short distance from
him.

But conscious guilt elicited a faint scream