"He was concerned in that affair at Tivoli. You will tell me about it."
The tone which the Italian employed was not pleasing to Frederic, who, glad to have found a new adversary, answered quickly:
"I suppose you mean that I can tell you, if I choose. You seem to give me orders."
"Suppose we sit down." And the Italian pointed to two chairs which were unoccupied. He seated himself at once.
"My dear Vicomte," he said, serenely, "it seems to me that, situated as we are, there should be no misunderstanding or quarrel between us."
"How do you mean?"
"I mean what you seem to have forgotten, that yesterday, in a moment of absent-mindedness, you signed a certain paper with a name that was not your own."
The Vicomte turned very pale.
"How did you know this?" he stammered.
The Italian took out an elegant little pocketbook.