"She seemed quite contented then?"
"Quite."
"But she left you very suddenly at last. How do you account for that?"
"On the simple grounds that she found herself in her own country, and did not wish to leave it; and then, also, her dread of a sea voyage. But, in addition to this, I think that Gualtier must have worked upon her in some way."
"How? By bribery?"
"I can scarcely think that, for she was better off with me. Her situation was very profitable."
"In what way, then, could he have worked upon her? By menaces?"
"Perhaps so."
"But how? Can you think of any thing in your situation which would, by any possibility, put any one who might be your maid in any danger, or in any fear of some imaginary danger?"
At this question Zillah thought immediately of her assumed name, and the possibility that Gualtier might have reminded Mathilde of this, and terrified her in some way. But she could not explain this; and so she said, unhesitatingly,