“Very well,” said he. “Let us look in it.”
And quite suddenly he pulled the door open to disclose Giuliana standing there, erect but in a listening attitude.
“Look in it!” he mocked me, and waved one of his bony hands towards that perfect countenance.
There was shame and confusion in her face, and some anger. But she turned without a word, and went quickly down the passage, followed by his evil, cackling laugh.
Then he looked at me quite solemnly. “I think,” said he, “you had best get to your studies. You will find more than enough to engage you there. Leave my affairs to me, boy.”
There was almost a menace in his voice, and after what had happened it was impossible to pursue the matter.
Sheepishly, overwhelmed with confusion, I went out—a knight-errant with a shorn crest.
CHAPTER IV. MY LORD GAMBARA CLEARS THE GROUND
I had angered her! Worse; I had exposed her to humiliation at the hands of that unworthy animal who soiled her in thought with the slime of his suspicions. Through me she had been put to the shameful need of listening at a door, and had been subjected to the ignominy of being so discovered. Through me she had been mocked and derided!