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The Protestants, spite of so-called 'ecclesiastical authority, persist in denying them. With the Protestants, I hold that the entire machinery of modern miracles is false and unprofitable. With the Apostles miraculous power ended." "Marescotti!" ejaculated the poor cavaliere, aghast at the effect his appeal had produced, "for God's sake, don't, don't! before Enrica and in a church, too!"
The cavaliere himself was on his knees; rosary in hand, he was devoutly offering up his innocent prayers to the ashes of an imaginary saint. "And now," said the count, turning toward Enrica, "I will ask leave to show you another tomb, which may, possibly, interest you more than the sepulchre of the respected Trenta."
"Count" and the old chamberlain, utterly disregarding the dismay of poor Adonis, who never clearly understood what he had done to deserve such severity, now addressed himself to Marescotti "will you be visible to-morrow after breakfast? If so, I shall have the honor of calling on you." "With pleasure," was the count's reply. Enrica stood apart.
Enrica was within the garden in an instant, the gate was closed, and Nobili disappeared." Any further talk is now cut short by the approach of Cassandra, a friend of Brigitta's. Cassandra is a servant in a neighboring eating-house, a tall, large-boned woman, a colored handkerchief tied over her head, and much tawdry jewelry about her hands and neck.
The fair Enrica, with her tender smile, and patient, chastened loveliness Enrica, as he had imagined her, the type of the young Madonna, was before him. No, Enrica could never be his; no child of his would ever be encircled by those soft, womanly arms!
"Scarcely to part," he answered, pressing her hand "only for a few days; then always to be together." Enrica tried to withdraw her hand from his, but he held it firmly. Then she turned away her head, and big tears rolled down her cheeks.
"The marchesa is not even aware that I am here," interposed Fra Pacifico. "Enrica is now married she acts for herself. Her first act, Count Nobili, is one of obedience she sacrifices herself to you." Again the priest's deep-set eyes turned reprovingly upon Count Nobili. Dare the headstrong boy affect to misunderstand that he had driven Enrica to renounce him?
Baldassare, who had grown very pale, now shuddered visibly, and contemplated the cavaliere with awe. "Stupendous!" he muttered "prodigious! Indeed!" Enrica did not speak; her eyes were fixed on the ground.
Her blue eyes, that shine out now like a rent in a cloudy sky, are meekly but fearlessly cast upon her aunt. "You dare to tell me you love him you dare to avow it in my presence, degraded girl! have you no pride no decency?" "I have done nothing," Enrica answers in the same voice, "of which I am ashamed. From the first moment I saw him I loved him. I loved him oh! how I loved him!"
The marchesa's manner was strange, almost menacing. Fra Pacifico led Enrica across the sala to her own door. When he returned, the marchesa was again reading Count Nobili's letter. "A love-match in the Guinigi family!" She was laughing with derision. "What are we coming to?" She tore the letter into innumerable fragments. "My father, I shall leave for Lucca early to-morrow.
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