"I do not fear you," said Carmen, calmly; "I will be the first to urge your punishment, if some suspicious circumstance should arise and—"
"Be silent, wretched creature!" cried Larsagny angrily, "be silent, or—"
He grasped a knife and rushed upon Carmen. The latter stared at him in such a way that he dropped the weapon and stammered:
"Carmen, you will drive me crazy!"
At this moment the door opened, and the servant brought in a card which he handed to Larsagny.
"The gentleman is waiting in the parlor," he said; "will the baron receive him?"
Before Larsagny could throw a look at the card, Carmen had grasped it.
"Signor Fagiano," she read aloud, and as the banker with trembling voice said he would be down, she nodded to the servant to go away, and then mockingly said:
"Signor Fagiano has no doubt come to tell the baron his name. Good luck to him!"