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Updated: June 12, 2025
The princess, quick enough to see the treachery of Scorpa and the net of circumstantial evidence that he had thrown about them, felt utterly helpless. "It is true, even I did not actually see the duke take the picture," she said, "and I am the only one who knew anything about it. As Sandro's wife my word will have no weight at all!" Valdeste solemnly shook his head.
There was no way for Sansevero ever to secure enough money to get back the picture unless, indeed, his younger brother Giovanni should marry the great American heiress who was on her way to Italy for the winter. "I hardly think that likely," said the Duke Scorpa to himself, as he stroked his heavy chin with his fat hand, "for I intend to annex that little fortune myself."
Sansevero followed his wife's cue, but without feeling her dismay, for he, it must be remembered, liked Scorpa. He had the naïve manner of a child caught doing something foolish, but that was all. Giovanni welcomed the duke suavely, yet, as the princess led Scorpa into the living rooms, Nina had an exhibition of a real side of Giovanni that she was destined to remember ever after.
All that evening Nina was tense and nervous, not only because of her experience at the Palazzo Scorpa, but because of something portentous in Giovanni's unexplained demand for silence. He was not at the same dinner party with her, but she went on to a dance at the Marchese Valdeste's, feeling sure that she would have a chance to speak with him there.
Further than that I meant nothing except that I was serious in what I said about repaying the man who should bring about my marriage." They had long since passed through the Porta San Giovanni and had arrived at the Coliseum. Scorpa gave Sansevero little chance to answer, but with a friendly good-by, he turned toward the Monte Quirinal. Sansevero pursued his way along the foot of the Palatine.
"All that you tell me, Signore," he said at last, his voice echoing a sweetness, a cheerful patience that was doubtless the keynote to his nature "it all sounds very beautiful; but, indeed, it cannot be! The great Duke Scorpa has given the matter much thought. The mine owners cannot pay the people more there is scarcely any profit as it is.
Since reading it I have been rather amusing myself by constructing hypothetical cases. For instance" Scorpa pursed his lips and lowered his eyes, as though trying to invent a fanciful story "take a transaction such as your letting me have that picture. One could build a very stirring case upon that!" "Yes?" encouraged the prince. "How do you mean?"
But I will tell you. I have arranged it all with Scorpa. I have let him have the Raphael as security, practically that is, I have sold it to him for a hundred thousand lire a loan merely and he has given me the privilege of buying it back at any time, with added interest, of course. There will be no need of paying for years.
The "collaress" answered nothing, and the fat duchess, who had so far been only a listener, drew her head in like a snapping turtle as she made the satisfactory observation that her "Todo" was now the partner of the heiress. The Duke Scorpa and Nina, standing for the commencement of a quadrille, suggested rather a brigand and a princess than a duke and a titleless daughter of the democracy.
A sudden violent knocking interrupted, and at the same moment Sansevero, who had been looking for his wife everywhere, rushed in, quite beside himself, with the announcement that Scorpa was dead. The Sanseveros had for some days known the cause of his illness, and the doctor who had been at the duel had kept them informed of his condition. Now there was not a minute to lose!
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