Usually she simply
ornamented any company in which she found herself without
troubling to entertain with her tongue. But the accusation
against the baronet, whom she apparently loved, changed her into
a voluble virago. Brushing aside the little Professor, who stood
in her way, she launched herself forward and spoke at length.
Hervey, cowering in the chair, thus met with an antagonist
against whom he had no armor. He could not use force; she
dominated him with her eye and when he ventured to open his mouth
his few feeble words were speedily drowned by the torrent of
speech which flowed from the lips of the Peruvian lady. Every
one was as astonished by this outburst as though a dog had
spoken. That the hitherto silent Donna Inez de Gayangos should
speak thus freely and with such power was quite as great a
miracle.
"You--are a dog and a liar," said Donna Inez with great
distinctness, and speaking English excellently. "What you say
against Sir Frank is madness and foolish talk. In Genoa my
father did not speak of the manuscript, nor did I, who tell you
this. How, then, could Sir Frank kill this poor man, when he had
no reason to slay him--"
"For the emeralds," faltered Hervey weakly.
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