"He seemed to take for granted my cognizance of the affair, and passed on to make insinuations which I did not rightly understand, but behind which looked something horrible."
"How? Did he dare to?" said Oscar, flaring up.
"Yes, he did dare to impugn your honor, and treat me as your accomplice. He spoke of knowing more about your life than would be agreeable to you; he called us adventurers--do you hear? adventurers! But you will have your revenge, will give him the answer that he deserves, and avenge both yourself and me!"
Wildenrod had turned pale. He stood there with darkened brow and clinched fists, but he was silent. The passionate outburst of indignation, and wrath, that Cecilia had looked and hoped for, did not come.
"Did he actually say that to you?" he slowly inquired at last.
"Word for word! And you--you make no answer?"
Wildenrod had recovered his self-possession. He shrugged his shoulders with a mocking air of superiority. "What answer am I to make? Would you have me take such nonsense seriously?"
"He was in sober earnest, and if, as he maintained, proofs are lacking up to this time----"
"Actually?" Oscar laughed, scornfully and triumphantly, while he drew a deep, long sigh of relief.
"Well, let him search for those proofs; he will not find them!"