“I will get into the room.”
He let go her hands and went towards the door. Just as he reached it there came from below in the house a loud, shrill cry. It was followed by an instant of silence, then by another cry, louder, nearer than before. And this time they could hear the words:
“La fattura della morte! La fattura della morte!”
Running, stumbling feet sounded outside, and Peppina appeared at the door, her disfigured face convulsed with terror, her hand out-stretched.
“Look!” she cried shrilly. “Look, Signorina! Look, Signore! La fattura della morte! La fattura della morte! It has been brought to the house to-night! It has been put in my room to-night!”
In her hand lay a green lemon pierced by many nails.
CHAPTER XL
“Monsieur Emile, what is it?” exclaimed Vere.
The frightened servants were gone, half coaxed and half scolded into silence by Artois. He had taken the lemon from Peppina, and it lay now in his hand.