But when he was gone, Regina sat quite still for some time, looking at the fire.  Settimia was safe in her own room, and was probably asleep.  It would be soon enough to wake her when Regina had considered what she should say in order to get the information Marcello wanted.  Settimia would deny having had any communication with Corbario, or that she knew anything of his whereabouts.  The next step would probably be to tempt her with money or other presents.  If this failed, what was to be done?  Somehow Regina guessed that a bribe would not have much effect on the woman.

Marcello had wished to send her away long ago, but Regina had persuaded him to let her stay.  It was part of her hatred of Corbario to accumulate proofs against him, and they were not lacking in the letters he wrote to Settimia.  Regina could not understand the relation in which they stood to each other, but now and then she had found passages in the letters which referred neither to herself nor Marcello, but to things that had happened a good many years ago in another country.  She was convinced that the two had once been companions in some nefarious business, of which they had escaped the consequences.  It was her intention to find out exactly what the deed had been, and then to bring Corbario to ruin by exposing it.  It was a simple scheme, but it seemed a sure one, and Regina was very patient.  Corbario had tried to separate her from Marcello, and she had sworn that he should pay her for that; and besides, he had wished to kill Marcello in order to get his money.  That was bad, undoubtedly—­very bad; but to her peasant mind it was not unnatural.  She had heard all her life of crimes committed for the sake of an inheritance; and so have most of us, and in countries that fondly believe themselves much more civilised than Italy.  That was extremely wicked, but the attempt had failed, and it sank into insignificance in comparison with the heinous crime of trying to separate two lovers by treachery.  That was what Regina would not forgive Corbario.

Nor would she pardon Settimia, who had been Corbario’s instrument and helper; and as she meant to include the woman in her vengeance, she would not let her go, but kept her, and treated her so generously and unsuspiciously that Settimia was glad to stay, since Corbario still wished it.

Regina looked at the little travelling-clock that stood on the low table at her elbow, and saw that it was half-past eleven.  Behind the drawn curtains she could hear the rain beating furiously against the shutters, but all was quiet within the house.  Regina listened, for Settimia’s room was overhead, and when she moved about her footsteps could be heard in the sitting-room.  Regina had heard her just before Marcello had come in, but there was no sound now; she had probably gone to bed.  Regina lit a candle and went into her own room.