le lady's fame, honor,
reputation are at stake; and I am the guilty, unhappy cause of the
danger that threatens her. To minister to my necessities she has pledged
her jewels----"

"Yes, yes, my lord--I understand," said Isaachar, trembling from head to
foot, "'tis a plan by no means unusual nowadays in Florence."

"Her husband suspects the fact, and has commanded her to produce her
diamonds to-morrow----"

"Her diamonds!" articulated the Jew in a stifling tone.

"Yes, _her diamonds_," exclaimed Manuel emphatically; "and they are in
your possession. Now do you understand me?"

"I--I--my lord----"

"Let us not waste time in idle words, Isaachar," cried the marquis.
"Will you permit this scandal to be discovered, and involve the Countess
of Arestino--myself--ay, and _yourself_, old man, in danger, and perhaps
ruin? Perhaps, did I say? Nay, that ruin is certain to fall upon
_her_--certain also to overwhelm _you_--for the Count of Arestino is a
councilor of state, and," added Manuel, with slow, measured emphasis,
"_the dungeons of the inquisition open at his commands_ to receive the
heretic or the Jew!"

Isaachar ben Solomon vainly endeavored to reply; fear choked his
utterance; and he sank trembling and faint upon a low ottoman, where he
sat, the picture of dumb despair.

"Ruin, then, awaits the countess, ruin, and the inquisition yawn to
ingulf you; and dishonor in having involved that noble lady in such a
labyrinth of perils attends upon me," continued Orsini, perceiving that
his dark threats had produced the effect which he desired.

"My lord--my lord," gasped the unfortunate Israelite, who could not
close his eyes against the truth, the terrible truth of the prospect
submitted to his contemplation.

"It is for you to decide against the ruin of one, two, three persons,
yourself being he who will, if possible, suffer most," resumed the
marquis, impressively--"it is, I say, for you to decide between exposure
and the inquisition on one hand, and the surrender of those paltry
diamonds on the other!"

"The diamonds, the diamonds, they are gone!" exclaimed the Jew, his
voice becoming almost frantic with the wild hope that suddenly struck
him of being able to shift the danger from his own head to that of
another. "The captain of banditti, Stephano Verrina, was here a few
hours ago, here, in this very room, and he sat where your lordship now
sits!"

"Well, well?" cried the marquis, impatiently; for his heart bega