When she acknowledged to her lover that "these diamonds were pledged to the Jew Isaachar ben Solomon, to raise the sum with which his last debt was paid," it flashed to the old nobleman's mind that his wife had exhibited some little confusion when he had spoken to her a day or two previously concerning her jewels: and now it was clear that they had been used as the means to supply the extravagances of an unprincipled spendthrift. How could he any longer cling to the hope that Giulia was imprudent only, and not guilty? Must she not be guilty, to have made so large a sacrifice and run so great a risk for the sake of the Marquis of Orsini? It was under the influence of these excited feelings that the Count of Arestino burst into the room. Fortunately--so far as outward appearance went--there was nothing more to confirm the old nobleman's suspicions; the youthful pair were not locked in each other's arms; their hands were not even joined. Manuel was seated on the sofa, and Giulia was standing at a short distance from him. But conscious guilt elicited a faint scream from her lips; and the boiling blood, after rushing to her countenance, seemed to ebb away as rapidly again--leaving her beauteous face as pale as marble; while she clung to the mantel-piece for support. "I am glad that your lordship is returned," said the marquis, rising from his seat and advancing toward the count in a manner so insolently cool and apparently self-possessed, that Giulia was not only astonished but felt her courage suddenly revive: "I was determined--however uncourteous the intrusion and unseemly the hour--to await your lordship's coming; and as her ladyship assured me that you would not tarry late----" "My lord marquis," interrupted the old nobleman, who was himself so taken by surprise at this unembarrassed mode of address, that he began to fancy his ears must have deceived him and his suspicions beguiled him; "on what business could you possibly have needed my services at this late hour?" "I will explain myself," returned Orsini, who was a perfect adept in the art of dissimulation, and who, never losing his presence of mind, embraced at a glance the whole danger of Giulia's position and his own, and the probability that their conversation might have been overheard; "I was explaining to her ladyship the temporary embarrassment under which I lay, and from which I hoped that your friendship might probably release me----" "And her ladyship spoke of her diamonds--did she not?" demanded the count, addressing himself to the marquis, but fixing a keen and penetrating glance on Giulia. "Her ladyship was remonstrating with me on my extravagancies," hastily replied the marquis, "and was repeating to me--I must say in a manner too impressive to be agreeable--the words which my own sister had used to me a few days ago, when explaining, as her motive for refusing me the succor which I needed, that she actually had been compelled to pledge her diamonds----"