He knew as well as any one that the
Conti were ruined and could not raise any such sum as he proposed to
demand, even to save Sabina's good name. It would apparently be
necessary to extract the blackmail from Volterra by some means to be
discovered. On the other hand, Volterra was not only rich, he also
possessed much power, and it would be somewhat dangerous to incur his
displeasure.
Toto, though dull, had a certain rough common sense and pointed this
out. He said that the Princess must have jewels which she could sell
to save her daughter from disgrace. She and Donna Sabina were at the
Russian Embassy, for the _Messaggero_ said so. Gigi, who could write,
might send her a letter there.
"No doubt," assented the carpenter with a superior air. "I have some
instruction, and can write a letter. But the jewels are paste. Half
the Roman princesses wear sham jewellery nowadays. Do you suppose the
Conti have not sold everything long ago? They had to live."
"I do not see why," observed Toto. "Princes without money might as
well be dead, an apoplexy on them all! Well, what do you propose to
do? That old franc-eater of a Senator will not pay you for the girl's
reputation, since she is not his daughter."
"We must think," said Gigi. "Perhaps it would do no harm to write a
letter to the Princess.
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