"That question my sister must answer for herself," said Lady
Bothwell.

"With my own eyes will I endure to see whatever you have power to
show me," said Lady Forester, with the same determined spirit
which had stimulated her since her resolution was taken upon this
subject.

"There may be danger in it."

"If gold can compensate the risk," said Lady Forester, taking out
her purse.

"I do not such things for the purpose of gain," answered the
foreigner; "I dare not turn my art to such a purpose. If I take
the gold of the wealthy, it is but to bestow it on the poor; nor
do I ever accept more than the sum I have already received from
your servant. Put up your purse, madam; an adept needs not your
gold,"

Lady Bothwell, considering this rejection of her sister's offer
as a mere trick of an empiric, to induce her to press a larger
sum upon him, and willing that the scene should be commenced and
ended, offered some gold in turn, observing that it was only to
enlarge the sphere of his charity.

"Let Lady Bothwell enlarge the sphere of her own charity," said
the Paduan, "not merely in giving of alms, in which I know she is
not deficient, but in judging the character of others; and let
her oblige Baptista Damiotti by believing him honest, till she