"Yes, she leave," continued Mrs. Grent, when she recovered her speech. "I say: 'you go, or I go,' so she go. But I know she met my fool husband in this city."

"Ha!" exclaimed Torry, recollecting the visit of Lydia to the Duke-street rooms on the fatal Saturday.

"Yes, yes; and I swear she fly with him. He say: 'I go to Italy.' Oh, yes, I know that, but not alone; she go also. My husband meet her to fly. Then she see he too old and kill him by her lover."

"What--Mr. Blake?"

"No, no; she say she love him, but that one big lie. She love young Leighbourne."

"Impossible!" cried Torry, utterly taken aback.

"I tell you, yes. Blake think she love him; but no, she love Mister Leighbourne. Oh, yes, I swear it. You see that wretch and speak."

"Yes, I'll see her, madam; but whether she loved your husband, or loves Leighbourne or Blake, I'm sure she did not commit the murder."

"Ki! Ki Ki!" cried Donna Inez derisively, and took her leave.

CHAPTER XVI