"You think he's a bigamist," said Father Brown reflectively. "Well, bigamy and blackmail often go together, of course. But she may be bluffing as well as blackmailing. She may be mad. These theatrical people often have monomaniacs running after them. You may be right, but I shouldn't jump to conclusions.... And talking about theatrical people, isn't the rehearsal going to begin, and aren't you a theatrical person?"
"I'm not on in this scene," said Jarvis with a smile. "They're only doing one act, you know, until your Italian friend comes to her senses."
"Talking about my Italian friend," observed the priest, "I should rather like to know whether she has come to her senses."
"We can go back and see, if you like," said Jarvis; and they descended again to the basement and the long passage, at one end of which was Mandeville's study and at the other the closed door of Signora Maroni. The door seemed to be still closed; and Mrs. Sands sat grimly outside it, as motionless as a wooden idol.
Near the other end of the passage they caught a glimpse of some of the other actors in the scene mounting the stairs to the stage just above. Vernon and old Randall went ahead, running rapidly up the stairs; but Mrs. Mandeville went more slowly, in her quietly dignified fashion, and Norman Knight seemed to linger a little to speak to her. A few words fell on the ears of the unintentional eavesdroppers as they passed.
"I tell you a woman visits him," Knight was saying violently.
"Hush!" said the lady in her voice of silver that still had in it something of steel. "You must not talk like this. Remember, he is my husband."
"I wish to God I could forget it," said Knight, and rushed up the stairs to the stage.
The lady followed him, still pale and calm, to take up her own position there.
"Somebody else knows it," said the priest quietly; "but I doubt whether it is any business of ours."