"What do you know about the Nervina?" I asked.

"She has been to see me. She told me. She said you would be here
tonight. I was waiting. She is very beautiful. I never saw anyone
like her. She is wonderful!"

"What did she say?"

"She! Oh, Harry. Tell me. I have waited. Something has happened.
Tell me. You have told me nothing. You are not like the old
Harry."

"Tell me about the Nervina. What did she say? Charlotte, tell me
everything. Am I so much different from the old Harry?"

She clutched at my arm fearfully; she looked into my eyes.

"Oh," she said, "how can you say it? You haven't laughed once. You
are melancholy; you are pale, drawn, haggard. You keep muttering.
You are not the old Harry. Is it this Nervina? At first I thought
she loved you; but she does not. She wanted to know all about you,
and about our love. She was so interested. What is this danger?"

I didn't answer.

"You must tell me. This ring? She said that you must give it to
me. What is it?" she insisted.

"Did she ask that? She told you to take the ring? My dear," I
asked, "if it were the ring and it were so sinister would I be a