“Listen, signorina,” the official said gravely. “Certain information has been obtained by the Questore, and upon that information I have been sent here to you. Much as I regret to disturb you, signorina, the Questore, after carefully considering certain statements before him, has decided that your presence is undesirable in Livorno, and, further, he wishes me to inform you that to-day you must leave this city.”
Gemma, her face white and drawn, humiliated and abased, sighed deeply, then breathed again more freely. She had expected arrest, but instead was ordered out of Livorno. To say the least, the police had been merciful towards her.
“Then I must leave to-day?” she repeated mechanically.
“Yes, signorina. The penalty for remaining here after this order of the Questore is immediate arrest,” he said.
“But why is this course pursued?” Armytage asked. “For what reason is the presence of the signorina deleterious in the city? It all seems very remarkable to me.”
“The information before the Questore is of a very confidential character, signore.”
“Are you not aware of the allegations against her?”
“No,” he replied; “I have only been deputed to warn her to leave Livorno.”
“Is such a measure frequently resorted to?”
“Usually we arrest the suspected individual, question him, and afterwards deport him to the railway station, if there is not sufficient ground to justify a prosecution. In this case there is just a simple warning. Only in very exceptional cases is the course followed which the Questore is now pursuing.”