"I am going now. Gaspare!"
At this moment Gaspare came into the room with a face that was almost
livid.
"Who is it that has brought a /fattura della morte/ here?" he
exclaimed.
His usually courageous eyes were full of superstitious fear.
"Signore, do you--"
He stopped. He had seen the death-charm lying on the little table
covered with silver trifles. He approached it, made a sign of the
cross, bent down his head and examined it closely, but did not touch
it.
Artois and Vere watched him closely. He lifted up his head at last.
"I know who brought the /fattura della morte/ here," he said,
solemnly. "I know."
"Who?" said Vere.
"It was Ruffo."
"Ruffo!"
Vere reddened. "Ruffo! He loves our house, and he loves us!"
"It is Ruffo, Signorina. It is Ruffo. He brought it, and it is he that
must take it away. Do not touch it, Signorina. Do not touch it,
Signore. Leave it where it is till Ruffo comes, till Ruffo takes it
away."
He again made the sign of the cross, and drew back from the death-
charm with a sort of mysterious caution.
Pages:
887
888
889
890
891
892
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908
909
910
911