"Admit the stranger."
Accordingly the stranger was admitted, and shown into the apartment where the countess was sitting.
At a signal the servants retired, leaving the countess and the stranger alone. It was some moments ere they spoke, and then the countess said in a low tone,--
"You are come?"
"I am come."
"You cannot now, you see, perform your threat. My husband, the count, caught a putrid disease, and he is no more."
"I cannot indeed do what I intended, inform your husband of your amours; but I can do something as good, and which will give you as much annoyance."
"Indeed."
"Aye, more, it will cause you to be hated. I can spread reports."
"You can."
"And these may ruin you."
"They may."
"What do you intend to do? Do you intend that I shall be an enemy or a friend? I can be either, according to my will."
"What, do you desire to be either?" inquired the countess, with a careless tone.
"If you refuse my terms, you can make me an implacable enemy, and if you grant them, you can make me a useful friend and auxiliary," said the stranger.
"What would you do if you were my enemy?" inquired the countess.
"It is hardly my place," said the stranger, "to furnish you with a knowledge of my intentions, but I will say this much, that the bankrupt Count of Morven is your lover."
"Well?"
"And in the second place, that you were the cause of the death of your husband,"
"How dare you, sir--"
"I dare say so much, and I dare say, also, that the Count of Morven bought the drug of me, and that he gave it to you, and that you gave it to the count your husband."
"And what could you do if you were my friend?" inquired the countess, in the same tone, and without emotion.
"I should abstain from doing all this; should be able to put any one else out of your way for you, when you get rid of this Count of Morven, as you assuredly will; for I know him too well not to be sure of that."
"Get rid of him!"
"Exactly, in the same manner you got rid of the old count."
"Then I accept your terms."
"It is agreed, then?"
"Yes, quite."
"Well, then, you must order me some rooms in a tower, where I can pursue my studies in quiet."
"You will be seen--and noticed--all will be discovered."
"No, indeed, I will take care of that, I can so far disguise myself that he will not recognise me, and you can give out I am a philosopher or necromancer, or what you will; no one will come to me--they will be terrified."
"Very well."
"And the gold?"
"Shall be forthcoming as soon as I can get it. The count has placed all his gold in safe keeping, and all I can seize are the rents as they become due."
"Very well; but let me have them. In the meantime you must provide for me, as I have come here with the full intention of staying here, or in some neighbouring town."
"Indeed!"
"Yes; and my servant must be discharged, as I want none here."
The countess called to an attendant and gave the necessary orders, and afterwards remained some time with the stranger, who had thus so unceremoniously thrust himself upon her, and insisted upon staying under such strange and awful circumstances.
* * * * *
The Count of Morven came a few weeks after, and remained some days with the countess. They were ceremonious and polite until they had a moment to retire from before people, when the countess changed her cold disdain to a cordial and familiar address.
"And now, my dear Morven," she exclaimed, as soon as they were unobserved--"and now, my dear Morven, that we are not seen, tell me, what have you been doing with yourself?"
"Why, I have been in some trouble. I never had gold that would stay by me. You know my hand was always open."
"The old complaint again."
"No; but having come to the end of my store, I began to grow serious."
"Ah, Morven!' said the countess, reproachfully.
"Well, never mind; when my purse is low my spirits sink, as the mercury does with the cold. You used to say my spirits were mercurial--I think they were."
"Well, what did you do?"
"Oh, nothing."
"Was that what you were about to tell me?" inquired the countess.
"Oh, dear, no. You recollect the Italian quack of whom I bought the drug you gave to the count, and which put an end to his days--he wanted more money. Well, as I had no more to spare, I could spare no more to him, and he turned vicious, and threatened. I threatened, too, and he knew I was fully able and willing to perform any promise I might make to him on that score. I endeavoured to catch him, as he had already began to set people off on the suspicious and marvellous concerning me, and if I could have come across him, I would have laid him very low indeed."