"Take them back to the place where you purloined them," Maitrank grinned.
Leona was silent. Whence the gems came was no business of her opponent. He seemed to be pleased about something. And he made no allusion to his money, which was a very bad sign. The Countess brought up the subject.
"What are you going to do?" she asked meaningly.
"I am going to do nothing--for the present." Maitrank replied. "I am going to pursue what that admirable diplomatist Beaconsfield called a policy of masterly inactivity. If I do not get my money in cash I shall in another way."
"But you are going to get it?" Leona said eagerly. "I have practically effected a loan with the firm of Bernstein of New York--why do you laugh?"
"Because I am amused, because I am greatly amused. You are wasting your time and all your pretty schemes there. The name of a firm means nothing in business nowadays. I have a different name in every capital in Europe. Also I have another different name in New York. For instance, my firm is called Ernstein and Co., of 149, Broadway. Ah, ah!"
"So I have been corresponding with you all the time?"
"Yes. As the English say, that is about the size of it. Those letters of yours! Oh, oh! The fun I have had out of this. And the magnificent lies!"
But Maitrank was alone. The Countess had bounced in a fury out of the room. At every turn fate seemed to be against her now.
That deadly fear was coming on her again. It was hard to be baffled and beaten at every turn like this, and yet not be able to strike a single blow in return. There was the haunting terror that her enemies knew too much, and that the sword would fall when they pleased. Otherwise the cruel, greedy nature of Maitrank would never have held her off like this. He seemed to be resigned to the loss of the money, but he was evidently going to take it out in another way. Leona would have given years of her life to know which way.