"
Gerald had somewhat altered his natural voice while speaking, but
Geoffrey was watching Donna Inez closely, and saw her start when he
began to speak; and when he said they had been on board the _San
Josef_ a flush of colour came across her face.
"We must relieve these poor men," she said to the duenna; "it is
pitiful to see them in such a state."
"We know not that their tale is true," the duenna replied sharply.
"Every beggar in our days pretends to be a broken-down soldier."
At this moment Donna Inez happened to glance at Geoffrey, who raised
his hand to his face and permitted a corner of a letter to be
momentarily seen.
"An impostor!" Gerald cried in a loud voice. "To think that I,
suffering from my terrible wounds, should be taken as an impostor," and
with a hideous yell he tumbled down as if in a fit, and rolled over and
over on the ground towards the duenna.
Seized with alarm at his approach, she turned and ran a few paces
backward. As she did so Geoffrey stepped up to Inez and held out the
note, which she took and concealed instantly in her dress.
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