He might have been like Vrain, eh, but not so much."
"Mrs. Clear explained that," replied Lucian quickly. "You made that scar, Count, with vitriol, or some such stuff.
You don't know chemistry for nothing, I see."
"I am quite ignorant of chemistry," said Ferruci sullenly.
"Jorce heard a different story in Florence."
"In Florence!
Did Jorce ask about me there?" said the Count in alarm.
"He did, and heard some strange tales, Count.
Come, now, it is no use your trying to evade this matter further.
Jorce can prove that you put Vrain into his asylum under the name of Clear.
Miss Vrain can prove that the so-called Clear is her father, and Mrs. Clear—who has turned Queen's evidence—has exposed the whole of your conspiracy.
The game's up, Count."
Ferruci sprang from his seat and began to walk hastily up and down the room.
He looked haggard and pale, and years older, as he recognised his position, for he saw very plainly that he was trapped, and that nothing remained to him but flight. But how to fly?
He stopped opposite to Lucian.
"What do you intend to do?" he demanded in a hoarse voice.
"Have you arrested, along with Mrs. Vrain," replied Lucian, making this threat to force Ferruci into defending himself or confessing.
"Mrs. Vrain is innocent—she knows nothing about this conspiracy, as you call it.
I planned the whole thing myself."
"You admit, then, that the so-called Vrain was really Michael Clear?"
"Yes. I got him to personate the man Vrain, so that I could get the assurance money when I married Lydia.
I chose Clear because he was like Vrain.
I made the scar on the cheek, and I thought he would die soon, being consumptive."
"And you killed him?"
"No!
No!
I swear I did not kill him!"
"Did you not take that stiletto from Berwin Manor?"
"No!
I never did!
I am telling the truth!
I do not know who killed Clear."
"Did you not visit Wrent in Jersey Street?"
"Yes.
I was the man Rhoda saw in the back yard.
I was waiting for Mrs. Clear, to take her to Hampstead; and in the meantime I thought I would climb over the fence and see Clear.
But the girl saw me, so I ran away, and joined Mrs. Clear up the road. I was not aware at the time that the woman who saw me was Rhoda.
Afterwards I went to Hampstead with Mrs. Clear, to see Jorce."
"Did you buy the cloak?"
"I did.
That girl in Baxter & Co.'s told a lie for me.
I was warned by Mrs. Vrain that you had made questions about the cloak, so I went to the girl and told her you were a jealous husband, and paid her to say it was not I who bought the cloak.
She did so, quite ignorant of the real reason I wished her to deny knowing me."
"Why did you buy the cloak?" asked Lucian, satisfied with this explanation.
"I bought it for Wrent.
He asked me to buy it, but what he wanted it for I do not know.
He had it some days before Christmas, and, I believe, gave it to Mrs. Clear, and afterwards to the girl Rhoda.
But of this I am not sure."
"Who is Wrent?" asked Denzil, reserving the most important question for the last.
"Wrent?" said Ferruci, smiling in a sneering way.