"I will not forbid you to seek it," she said.
He sighed deeply. His hands dropped down from her. They stood for a
moment quite still. Then he said, in a low voice:
"You took the /fattura della morte/?"
"Yes," she answered. "It was in--in her room at Mergellina to-day."
"Have you got it still?"
"Yes."
She held out her right hand. He took the death-charm from her.
"She made it--the woman who wronged you made it to bring death into
the Casa del Mare."
"Not to me?"
"No, to Peppina. Has it not brought another death? Or, at least, does
it not typify another death to-night, the death of a great lie? I
think it does. I look upon it as a symbol. But--but--?"
He looked at her. He was at the huge doorway of the palace. The sea
murmured below him. Hermione understood and bent her head.
Then Artois threw the death-charm far away into the sea.
"Let me take you to the boat. Let me take you back to the island."
She did not answer him. But when he moved she followed him, till they
came to the rocks and saw floating on the dim water the two white
boats.
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