pulled to one side, and Madame Zara appeared between them,
glancing fearfully at the excited crowd before her. As she
stood hesitating on the threshold, she swayed slightly and
clutched the curtains for a moment as though for support. The
priest advanced, and led her to the centre of the room. She
held a folded paper in her hand, which she gave to him in
silence.

"You have heard what has passed?" he asked, with a toss of his
head toward the heavy curtains. The woman raised her head and
bowed. The priest unfolded the paper.

"Am I to read this?" he asked. The woman bowed again.

There was silence in the room while the priest's eyes ran
quickly over the paper. He crushed it in his hand.

"It is as General Renauld says," he exclaimed. "In this the
Republic of Messina agrees to pay the Countess Zara and the
Prince Kalonay three hundred thousand francs, if the
expedition is withdrawn after it has made a pretence of
landing on the shores of Messina."

He took a step forward. "Madame Zara," he cried, in a tone of
warning, "do you pretend that the Prince Kalonay was your
accomplice in this; that he knew what you meant to do?"

Madame Zara once more bowed her head.

"No! You must speak," commanded the priest. "Answer me!"