George W. M. Reynolds

“ The reward I crave is of a different nature, and will even cost you less than you proffer me."
"What other recompense can I give you?" demanded Giulia, painfully alarmed.
"A few lines written by thy fair hand to my dictation," answered Stephano.
Giulia cast upon him a look of profound surprise.
"Here, lady, take my tablets, for I see that your own are not at hand," cried the chief. "Delay not—it grows late, and we may be interrupted."
"We may indeed," murmured Giulia, darting a rapid look at the water-clock. "It is within a few minutes of midnight." ”

“ In the infatuation of her strong, unconquerable, but not less guilty love for the handsome spendthrift Orsini, she had pledged her diamonds to Isaachar ben Solomon for an enormous sum of money, every ducat of which had passed without an hour's delay into the possession of the young marquis.
Those diamonds were the bridal gift of her fond and attached, but, alas! deceived husband, who, being many years older than herself, studied constantly how to afford pleasure to the wife of whom he was so proud. ”

“ Giulia uttered a faint shriek, for she comprehended in a moment how cruelly she might sooner or later be compromised through that document, and how entirely she was placing herself in the bandit's power.
But Stephano's hand clutched the tablets whereon the countess had, almost mechanically, written to his subtle dictation; and he said, coolly: " Fear not, lady—I must be reduced to a desperate strait indeed when my safety shall depend on the use I can make of this fair handwriting." ”