Saracinesca

ince she had come out into the world, she had found no cause for forsaking the habits she had acquired in her girlhood. Some people find religion a burden; others regard it as a

ling to them throughout their lives. But the multifarious interests of social existence do much to shake that young edifice of faith. The driving strength of stormy passions of all kinds undermines the walls of the fabric, and when at last the bolt of adversity strikes full upo

sions do not get the mastery, and whose self is sheltered from danger by something more than the feeble defence of

nsolation is not satisfaction; and though, when she reflected on what she had done, she knew that from her point of view she had done her best, she knew also that she had closed upon herself the gates of the earthly paradise, and that for her the prospect of happiness had been removed from the now to the hereafter-the dim and shadowy glass in which we love to see any reflection save that of our present lives. And to her, thus living in submi

her mind upon the morning following the day of the meet, but drove to the church of the Capuchins in the Piazza Barberini, and went up the broad steps with a beating heart, not knowi

her childhood, for he had been a friend of her father's; but he had not been consulted about her marriage,-she even remembered that, though she had earnestly desired to see him before the wedding-day, her father had told her that he had left Rome for a time. For the old gentleman was in terrible earnest about the match, so that in his heart he feared lest Corona might waver and ask Padre Filippo's advice; and he knew the good monk too well to think that he would g

ona paused, her graceful figure half leaning against the stone doorpost of the church, her hand upon the heavy leathern curtain in the act to lift it; and as she stood there, a desperate temptation assailed her. It seemed desperate to her-to many another woman it would have appeared only the natural course to pursue-to turn her back upon the church, to put off the hard moment of confession, to go down again into the city, and to say to herself that there was no harm in seeing Don Giovanni, provided she never let him speak of love. Why should he speak of it? Had she any reason to suppose there was danger to her in anything he meant to say? Had he ever, by word or deed, betrayed that interest in her which she knew in herself was love for him? Had he ever?-ah yes! It was only the night before last that he had asked her advice, had besought her to advise him not to marry another, had suffered his arm to tremble when she laid her hand upon it. In the quick remembrance that he too had shown some feeling, there was a sudden burst of joy such as Corona had never felt, and a moment later she knew it and was afraid. It was true, then. At the very time when sh

ws. Corona shuddered, and drew her furs more closely about her as she passed up the aisle

erable woman." She hid her dark face in her ungloved hands, and one by one the crystal tears welled f

e were no evil in ourselves, there could be no temptation from without, for nothing evil could seem pleasant. But with you I cannot find that you have done any great wrong as yet. You must take courage. We are all in the world, and do what we may, we cannot disregard it. The sin you see is real, but it is yet not very near you since you so abhor it; and if you pray that you may hate it, it will go further from you till you may hope not

a's eyes in the dark corner of the ch

e it now. God forgive me, I have never loved my husband. I never knew what it meant to love. I was a mere child, a very innocent child, when

erstood why Corona had not been allowed to come

t seems to me as though I saw but one half of life, and saw it from the window of a prison; and yet I am not imprisoned. I would that I were, fo

You told me you had never spoken of love; that you wer

rs flowed down. "I could not say it-it seemed so dreadful-I love him with m

ed to an old man whom she could not help despising, however honestly she tried to conceal the fact from herself, however effectually she hid it from others. It was a wonder the disaster had not occurred before: it showed how loyal and true a woman she was, that, living in the very centre and midst of the world, admired and assailed by many, she should never in five years have so much as thought of any man beside her husband. A woman made for love and happiness, in the

at others would suffer also. It was the consequence of an irretrievable error in the beginning, when it had seemed to the young girl just le

ain away nature, and bid a friendless woman defy a power that has more than once overset the reckoning of the world? He could bid her pray for help and strength, but he found it hard to argue the case with her; for he had

understand herself. She did not know, as Padre Filippo knew, that her woman's heart was breaking for sympathy rather than for religious counsel. She knew many women, but her noble pride would not have let her even contemplate the possibility of confiding in any one of them, even if she could have done so in the c

nough, and his kind heart comp

ld be an inestimable advantage if this man could go away for a time, but that is

elieve he does not love me at all!" But in her heart she felt that he must love her; and her

the monk, quietly. "For if he does not love y

feeling that it would be wrong even to con

u. Think that even from the worldly point there is small dignity in a woman who exhibits love for a man who has never

placed her heart there is no response, and that if she fails to awaken an affection akin to her own, what has been love may be turned to loathing, or at least to indiff

shown me myself. There shall be no perhaps. I loathe myself

orrow-to go over and over in her thoughts the feelings she experienced, the fears she felt, the half-formulated hope that Giovanni might love her after all. There was left only a haughty determination to have done with her folly quickly and surely, and to try and forget it for ever. The confessor's words had produced their effect. Henceforth she would never stoop so l

yer did not profess to be very devout. As a matter of fact, she had not found it convenient to go to confession during the Christmas season, and she had been intending to make up for the deficiency for some time pas

when she had been at her devotions. It might also be possible to judge from Padre Filippo's manner whether the interview had been an interesting one. The Astrardente was so very devout that she probably had difficulty in inventing sins to confess. One might perhaps tell from her face whether she had felt any emotion. At all events the opportunity should not be lost. Besides, if Donna Tullia found that she hersel

on. This would not have suited Donna Tullia's intentions, however, for she meant to have a good look at her friend. It was not for nothing

ce!" she exclaimed. "You must ha

be aware how unlike her usual self she appeared. There were dark rings beneath her eyes, and her eyes themselves seemed to emit a strange light; whil

like that?" asked the

confess," replied Donna Tullia, sweetly. "You are s

l in her appearance, and had made the awkward speech to conceal her curiosity. She was

ues," she answered. "I assure you I am not half so

another time. Will not you come with me to Gouache's s

. "I am afraid I cannot go. My husband expe

was so fortunate-the only fine day this week. Giovanni was very amusing: he was complet

ietly, "but it was impossible. I am gla

ey pa

excellent old Mayer, of blessed memory, and take himself out of the world

roper state to undertake so serious a matter as confession. She therefore waited a few minutes, to give time for Corona to drive away, and then turned back. She cautiously pushed aside the curtain and looked out. The Astrardente carriage was just disappearing in the distanc

ny one had paid much attention to Del Fence's doings, it would have been said that he was paying court to the rich young widow. But he was never looked upon by society from the point of view of matrimonial possibility, and no one thought of attaching any importance to his doings. Nevertheless Ugo, who had been gradually rising in the social scale for many years, saw no reason why he should not win the hand of Donna Tullia as well as any one else, i

she asked, as he opened her carria

your faithful slave

nna Tullia, still sitting in her seat. "I w

uchins," replied Del Ferice promp

: how did you know?

distinctly see any carriage which turned out of the Piazza Barberini towards the Cap

Donna Tullia, with a little laugh, half expressive of sa

urse?" said Ugo, with a sentimental intonation of his soft persuasive voic

been confessing her

is always

e she finds to say?

deous, and that you are

readil

hy

tes her husband

, ag

away from her. For the matter of that, I hate him as much as the Astrardente hates you," added Del

she really car

t he does not," r

na Tullia, meditatively. "I wou

only to wa

more than she does,"

loves her; nobody s

ar report is always mistake

o

much that is good, it cannot

nd took his hand to des