something."

"He will decide on separating us, that is sure. Do you think if he takes
me, that you could go with us?"

"No! but if you meant to kill yourself, I should die after you."

"Why not die together?"

"I do not care."

"Then you love me thoroughly?" she exclaimed in delight.

"Death would be repose, and this struggle is driving me frantic," said
he, in a deep voice.

"Well, we will die some day," she said with pretended fervor, "but we
are young and have time before us. Lovers do not willingly die! If you
love me as I love you, you would, like me, find life all of a sudden
wondrously bright! What a blessing that I have money for our enjoyment!"
clapping her hands like a child.

"In your fair Italy, we--"

"Money," repeated he, raised by her magic into a region above such
sordid ideas and falling quickly.

"Of course! my bank orders! stay, they are in your box. Let us hasten
away before he returns. Quick, take!"

"No;" said Antonino. "When he left the house in my charge he bade me
touch nothing, and let nothing be touched until his return."

"He forsaw!" muttered the faithless wife, gnawing one of the tresses
furiously as she studied the Italian's emotion. "Get me my money!"

"Wait until--"

"And with it those papers that describe your discoveries."

"What do you mean?" he cried, coming to a halt, half-way toward the
chest while she was undoing one of the windows of which she had drawn
back the curtains. "The papers--they are not mine, or yours."

"They will make the man I love rich and famous!" she replied, with eyes
that seemed to light up the room far more than the starlight entering.
"You know all about the work. With those plans in the language you also
read, you can rise higher than he! He restricts his genius to his
country--you--we will sell to the highest bidder!"

"Mercenary fiend! I comprehend all now!" said the Italian.

"So much the better!" she replied, coolly, having opened the window and
descried a shadow standing guard in a narrow alley. "We shall lose no
time in explaining."

"You mean to betray your country?"

"Neither mine nor yours! our country is wherever love and gold are
rulers."

"Wretch!" cried he, taking a step toward her so threateningly that she
retreated from the window to which his back was turned as he continued
to face her.

"Which is the meaner?" she responded. "I deceive a man who loaths me,
scorns me and threatens me with the love of another! You d