Vassalla threw himself back in his chair, with a short, angry laugh.
"Upon my soul, sir," he said, coldly, "I hardly recognise your right to speak to me about such a thing; but as you seem so bent on knowing, I think she would have been--very sorry, indeed."
"Oh! Then she still loved him?"
Vassalla cast his fine eyes up to the ceiling.
"Passionately!"
"That is curious," said Ronald, sardonically, "as I have a document in my possession, written five or six years ago, in which she threatens to kill him."
"Indeed, and how did you obtain such a document?"
"I found it among some papers left by Verschoyle with his sister, Mrs. Taunton."
"Ah!" Vassalla thought a moment: so this was the reason Monteith was with Mrs. Taunton; it was business, not love, that brought them together; well, at all events, he would not let Carmela know. After a moment's deliberation, he faced his adversary with a clear brow.
"Very likely it was written in her first outburst of jealous anger at being so betrayed by her husband; but I assure you she loved her husband deeply, in spite of the way he wronged her, and often spoke of him with affection."