'I am sorry that you should have overheard me, Lord Count. But since it has happened, you must be the judge of whether I have cause for heat. After all the patience I have used, after so loyally doing my part, Isotta threatens to evade by fraud her obligation. I appeal to you, sir, to bring your daughter to . . . to reason.'
'Odd that you should use the word fraud,' said the Count. 'For that is the very subject I was coming to discuss with you. Domenico has been telling me something of the circumstances of your duel with Messer Melville: something that he has lately discovered.'
'My duel with Melville?' Vendramin became impatient. 'What has my duel with Melville to do with this? Let that wait, sir. Let us first settle this fulfilment of a pledge. After that I'll discuss the duel with you to your heart's content.'
'What is this? You take an extraordinary tone, I think.'
But Vendramin was excited, exacerbated, at bay. 'Excuse it, sir, on the score of my anxiety: my anxiety for my rights, which appear to be in danger.'
'Your rights?'
'Are they questioned? That cannot be. As a man of honour, my lord, you cannot hesitate where your word has been given.'
The Count smiled acidly. 'And now we appeal to honour. It is opportune. Well, well! To come to this duel, then . . .'
'By the Host!' cried the infuriated Vendramin, 'if you must know the causes of that duel, you shall know them.'
But the Count did not suffer him to proceed further. 'Not the causes, sir. That may come after. Or we may not get so far. It is on the circumstances that I desire a word with you.'
'The circumstances?' Vendramin did not understand.
'Tell him, Domenico.'
Domenico was prompt. 'It is common knowledge in the casini you frequent that you owed Messer Melville a thousand ducats, which you had borrowed from him. It is further said that, trusting to your accomplishments as a swordsman, you calculatedly provoked him, hoping thus to liquidate the debt.'
'If you will tell me by whom that abominable lie is being repeated . . .'
'At the Casino del Leone I found it on the lips of everyone to whom I mentioned the matter.'
'To whom you mentioned the matter? At the Casino del Leone? You mean that you went there to spy upon me?'
'To investigate. Yes. To assure myself that there might be nothing against the honour of the man who proposed to marry my sister. I learnt that you were publicly charged by Messer Melville with the very thing which you denounce as an abominable lie.'
'Does that make it true? The fact is, if you must know, that the coward sheltered himself behind the debt. He paraded it, so that he might excuse himself from meeting me until it was paid. That because he was sure I could not pay.'
'Then, since you met him, it follows that you paid him.'
'Of course. What then?' His manner was blustering, but in his heart he was afraid, suddenly assailed by a premonition of whither this was leading.
Domenico looked at his father with a crooked smile before replying.
'Your duel was fought two days after the feast of Saint Theodore. Was it not?'
'It may have been. Is that important?'
'I think so. Will you tell my father where you obtained so large a sum of money?'
This was the deadly question that Vendramin had been fearing. But he was ready with his answer, and the manner of its delivery was crafty. He folded his arms, to express the self-control that he was exercising. 'I understand,' he said bitterly. 'You think to embarrass me before your sister. To prejudice me with her. So it be. After all, what does it matter? I had the money from a lady; from a lady with whom it follows that I was very friendly. Must I name her? But why not? I borrowed the money from the Vicomtesse de Saulx.'
Domenico's answer came like a blow between the eyes.
'She tells me that you did not.'
In his stupefaction Vendramin unfolded his arms and let them fall to his sides. He stared about him, his lips foolishly parted, at Domenico, at the Count, and at Isotta, all of whom were inscrutably watching him. At last he found his voice.
'She tells you . . . She tells you that? You questioned her, and she tells you that?' He paused there to add stormily, 'She lies, then.'
'She lies,' said the Count, 'to cancel a debt of a thousand ducats. I never heard a stranger reason for falsehood. However, we must accept your word for it. Tell me this: did this lady know the purpose for which she was lending you the money?'
'I don't know. I don't remember.'
'Then let me help your memory,' said Domenico. 'She must have known, because she was present when Marc made his stipulation that he would not meet you until you had paid your debt. You won't trouble to deny that?'
'No. Why should I?'
