“I assure you that when we heard the pistol-shot after you had gone, she remarked, without evincing the slightest emotion, that the shot was the pleasure her rascally Spaniard had promised her.
“I said that you might be killed.
“‘All the worse for the count,’ she replied, ‘for his turn will come also.’
“Then she began laughing like a madcap; she was thinking of the excitement your death would cause in Barcelona.
“At eight o’clock the following day, your man came and told her that you had been taken to the citadel; and I will say it to her credit, she seemed relieved to hear you were alive.”
“My man—I did not know that he was in correspondence with her.”
“No, I suppose not; but I assure you the worthy man was very much attached to you.”
“I am sure he was. Go on.”
“Nina then wrote a note to your landlord. She did not shew it me, but it no doubt contained instructions to supply you with everything.
“The man told us that he had seen your sword all red with blood, and that your cloak had a bullet hole through it. She was delighted, but do not think it was because she loved you; she was glad you had escaped that you might take your revenge. However, she was troubled by the pretext on which the count had had you arrested.