“Ah!”
Ejaculation as much as sigh, and accompanied by a wild look of horror. Then, with her manner completely changed, Cornel laid her hand upon Pacey’s arm.
“Who is this woman?” she said firmly.
Pacey compressed his lips, but the beautiful eyes fixed upon him forced the words to come, and in a low voice he muttered the Contessa’s name.
Then he stood looking at his visitor wonderingly, as, with her lips now white as if all the blood within them had fled to her heart, she said firmly—
“And the Conte?”
“Is a man of fashion—a dog—a scoundrel whom I could crush beneath my heel.”
“Cornel,” cried her brother firmly, “you have heard enough: you shall not degrade yourself by listening to these wretched details.”
“Yes, I have heard enough,” she said firmly; but she did not stir, only stood with her brows knit, gazing straight before her.
“Then now you will come back to the hotel,” cried the doctor eagerly.