"Let us not waste time in idle words, Isaachar," cried the marquis. "Will you permit this scandal to be discovered, and involve the Countess of Arestino--myself--ay, and _yourself_, old man, in danger, and perhaps ruin? Perhaps, did I say? Nay, that ruin is certain to fall upon _her_--certain also to overwhelm _you_--for the Count of Arestino is a councilor of state, and," added Manuel, with slow, measured emphasis, "_the dungeons of the inquisition open at his commands_ to receive the heretic or the Jew!" Isaachar ben Solomon vainly endeavored to reply; fear choked his utterance; and he sank trembling and faint upon a low ottoman, where he sat, the picture of dumb despair. "Ruin, then, awaits the countess, ruin, and the inquisition yawn to ingulf you; and dishonor in having involved that noble lady in such a labyrinth of perils attends upon me," continued Orsini, perceiving that his dark threats had produced the effect which he desired. "My lord--my lord," gasped the unfortunate Israelite, who could not close his eyes against the truth, the terrible truth of the prospect submitted to his contemplation. "It is for you to decide against the ruin of one, two, three persons, yourself being he who will, if possible, suffer most," resumed the marquis, impressively--"it is, I say, for you to decide between exposure and the inquisition on one hand, and the surrender of those paltry diamonds on the other!" "The diamonds, the diamonds, they are gone!" exclaimed the Jew, his voice becoming almost frantic with the wild hope that suddenly struck him of being able to shift the danger from his own head to that of another. "The captain of banditti, Stephano Verrina, was here a few hours ago, here, in this very room, and he sat where your lordship now sits!" "Well, well?" cried the marquis, impatiently; for his heart began to grow sick with the fear of disappointment in respect to his plan of obtaining the diamonds of his mistress. "And Stephano Verrina took them from me--basely, vilely, wrenched them as it were from my grasp!" continued the Jew. "'Tis false! a miserable subterfuge on your part!" ejaculated the marquis, starting from his seat and striding in a menacing manner toward Isaachar ben Solomon. "'Tis true!--I will give your lordship the proof!" cried the Jew: and Manuel fell back a few paces. "Stephano came and told me all. He said that the countess had pledged her jewels for the sake of her lover--of you, my lord--you, the Marquis of Orsini. 'Twas to pay a gambling debt which your lordship had contracted; and that debt was paid within an hour or two from the moment when the sum was advanced on the diamonds. Moreover," continued Isaachar, still speaking in a rapid, excited tone--"moreover, Stephano was hired by the countess to regain them from me!" "Liar!" thundered the marquis, again rushing toward the defenseless old man.