What he had heard gave him but small influence over Saracinesca, though it was of great value in determining his own action.

To say aloud to the world that Giovanni loved the Duchessa d'Astrardente would be of little use.

Del Ferice could not, for very shame, tell how he had found it out; and there was no other proof but his evidence, for he guessed that from that time forward the open relation between the two would be even more formal than before--and the most credulous people do not believe in a great fire unless they can see a little smoke.

He had not even the advantage of turning the duel to account in his interest with Donna Tullia, since Giovanni could force him to deny that she was implicated in the question, on pain of exposing his treachery.

There was palpably no satisfactory way out of the matter unless he could kill his adversary.