"No," answered he. "He is not aware of the true facts, but he knows how far the knowledge of Scotland Yard extends." "What's his name?" "Tristram. Captain Tristram." "Do you know him?" "No." "Then don't make his acquaintance," the eccentric woman urged with darkening countenance. "He's no doubt a dangerous friend." "But we may obtain from him some useful knowledge. You know the old saying about being forewarned." "Our warnings must come from Livorno," she answered briefly. "That will be impossible." "Why?" "Gemma has unfortunately fallen in love." "Love! Bah! With whom?" "With an Englishman," he answered. "Arnoldo saw them together several times when in Livorno last week." "Who is he?" "His name is Armytage--Charles Armytage. He--" "Charles Armytage!" her ladyship echoed, starting from her chair. "And he is in love with Gemma?" "No doubt he is. He intends to marry her." "But they must never marry--never!" she cried quickly. "They must be parted immediately, or our secret will at once be out." "How? I don't understand," he said, with a puzzled expression. "Surely Gemma, of all persons, is still friendly disposed? She owes much to us." "Certainly," Lady Marshfield answered. "But was she not present with Vittorina on that memorable night in Livorno? Did she not witness with her own eyes that which we witnessed?" "Well, what of that? We have nothing to fear from her." "Alas! we have. A word from her would expose the whole affair," the wizen-faced woman declared. "By some means or other we must part her from Armytage." "And by doing so you will at once make her your enemy." "No, your own enemy, Doctor Malvano," she exclaimed, correcting him haughtily. "I am blameless in this matter." He looked straight into her dark, sunken eyes, and smiled grimly. "It is surely best to preserve her friendship," he urged. "We have enemies enough, in all conscience." "Reflect," she answered quickly. "Reflect for a moment what exposure means to us. If Gemma marries Armytage, then our secret is no longer safe." "But surely she has no object to attain in denouncing us, especially as in doing so she must inevitably implicate herself," he observed. "No," she said gravely, after a brief pause. "In this matter I have my own views. They must be parted, Filippo. Armytage has the strongest motive--the motive of a fierce and terrible vengeance--for revealing everything." "But why has Armytage any motive in denouncing us? You speak in enigmas." "The secret of his motive is mine alone," the haggard-eyed woman answered. "Seek no explanation, for you can never gain knowledge of the truth until too late, when the whole affair is exposed. It is sufficient for me to tell you that he must be parted from Gemma." Her wizened face was bloodless and brown beneath its paint and powder, her blue lips were closed tight, and a hard expression showed itself at the corners of her cruel mouth.