"But, in spite of all her wealth," continued Stephano, "she was compelled to pledge her diamonds to thee, to raise the money wherewith to discharge a gambling debt contracted by her lover, the high-born, handsome, but ruined Marquis of Orsini." "How knowest thou all this?" inquired the Jew. "From her ladyship's own lips," responded Stephano. "At least she told me she had raised the sum to accommodate a very particular friend. Now, as the transaction is unknown to her husband, and as I am well assured that the Marquis of Orsini is really on most excellent terms with her ladyship--moreover, as this same marquis did pay a certain heavy gambling debt within an hour after the diamonds were pledged to you--it requires but little ingenuity to put all these circumstances together, to arrive at the result which I have mentioned. Is it not so, Isaachar?" "I know not the motive for which the money was raised," answered the Jew, wondering what was coming next. "Oh! then the money was raised with you," cried Stephano, "and consequently you hold the diamonds." "I did not say so--I----" "A truce to this fencing with my words!" ejaculated the bandit, impatiently. "I have an unconquerable desire to behold these diamonds----" "You, good captain!" murmured Isaachar, trembling from head to foot. "Yes, I! And wherefore not? Is there anything so marvelous in a man of my refined tastes and exquisite notions taking a fancy to inspect the jewels of one of the proudest beauties of gay Florence? By my patron saint! you should thank me that I come in so polite a manner to request a favor, the granting of which I could so easily compel without all this tedious circumlocution." "The diamonds!" muttered the Jew, doubtless troubled at the idea of surrendering the security which he held for a very considerable loan. "Perdition seize the man!" thundered Stephano, now waxing angry. "Yes, the diamonds, I say; and fortunate will it be for you if they are produced without further parley." Thus speaking the bandit suffered his cloak to fall from over his belt, and the Jew's quick eye recoiled from the sight of those menacing weapons, with which his visitor was armed, as it were, to the teeth. Then without further remonstrance, but with many profound sighs, Isaachar proceeded to fetch a small iron box from another room; and in a few moments the diamond case, made of sandal wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl, was in the bandit captain's hands.