"Did she speak in private with any one?"
"Yes; with me."
"Then you know everything?"
"Absolutely everything."
"I am glad at least to find that my object in wishing to see the
count can be equally well answered by seeing you. My brother, I
regret to say--" He stopped perplexedly, and drew from his pocket
a roll of papers.
"You may speak of your brother in the plainest terms," said the
doctor. "I know what share he has had in promoting the infamous
conspiracy of the Yellow Mask."
"My petition to you, and through you to the count, is, that your
knowledge of what my brother has done may go no further. If this
scandal becomes public it will ruin me in my profession. And I
make little enough by it already," said Luca, with his old sordid
smile breaking out again faintly on his face.
"Pray do you come from your brother with this petition?" inquired
the doctor.
"No; I come solely on my own account. My brother seems careless
what happens. He has made a full statement of his share in the
matter from the first; has forwarded it to his ecclesiastical
superior (who will send it to the archbishop), and is now
awaiting whatever sentence they choose to pass on him. I have a
copy of the document, to prove that he has at least been candid,
and that he does not shrink from consequences which he might have
avoided by flight. The law cannot touch him, but the Church
can--and to the Church he has confessed.
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