next morning, approaching Florida, where she sat

e in such a case, the forgiver or the forgiven. Pardon rankles even in a generous soul, and the memory of having pardoned embarrasses the sensitive spirit before the object of its clemency, humbling and making it ashamed. It would b

ter. "You are thinking about what happened the other day; and you had better forget it. There is no use brooding over these matters. Dear me! if I had sto

cause I thought you must be very

n't apply too closely. Now really, yesterday,-after all you had been through,

from their drapery, and fingered the cord round his three-cornered hat. "I have scarcely touched them of late. Bu

elling Florida of the grand sights,-little children dressed up like Jo

his hat slid to the floor, bumping and tumbling some distance away. He

ou be in the

with the other pri

all feel greatly honored to think I actually know some one in the proces

feet, Florida, and make me a little comfortable before you begin your reading this morning." At the same time she feebly disposed herself among the sofa cushions on which she reclined, and waited for some final touches from her daught

said, "But before you commence, Florida, I wish you'd play a little, to get me quieted down. I f

no struck with a sort of soft firmness a few low, soothing chords, out of which a lulling melody grew. With her

is there anything in the air of Ven

heard that,

ung girl absently, "why my m

from the fatigues of the othe

da, sadly looking tow

d her face, and smoothed back from her temples some straggling tendrils of hair. Without looking at the priest she aske

and he answered evasively, "I have n

Florida, letting her fing

h of the room. Then he came towards her and said meekly, "Madamigella, I did not mean to repel any interes

hat?" demanded the girl, sti

red to forget it," he sai

ence. She let her hands fall into her lap, and sat in an attitude of e

here, and you. How shall I repay you? It cut me to the heart that you should ask forgiveness of me when you did, though I was hurt by your rebuke. Oh

e in, "You did nothing wrong. It

hould I have cared for a few words, when all your acts ha

unhappy city? To be haunted by the strict espionage of all your own class, to be shunned as a spy by all who are not of it! But you two have n

girl, and I am very ignorant of these things," said Florida with a sligh

e if I am frank with you. It

as if it must break in tears. She glanced towar

id of listening to me!"

," said Florida calm

f the truth. Do you know what it is to have the life-long habit of a lie? It is to be a priest. Do you know what it is to seem, to say, to do, t

e. "Do you know what it is when such a moment as this comes, and you would fling away the whole fabric of falsehood that has clothed

pathy it expressed, together with a certain sad, impersonal surprise at the difference between his ow

he young girl sat silent. After a time, in which she seemed to be trying to think

Ippolito. "I will not trouble y

ld have allowed yourself to become one. We should be very unhappy if we could not respect you,-not trust

t thing necessary to your happiness. Is it true, then, that you care for my bein

How could we help being grieve

rch loves his calling or not,-you, a Protestant? It is

e. I am no Catholic, but

he faintest movemen

ng the things you must do as a priest, and

iests of your f

e. But are non

friend of mine in Padua, of whom I once told you, became such, and died an angel

st? You have never

e figures out of wood and pasteboard, and I drew rude copies of the pictures I saw at church. We lived in the house where I live now, and where I was born, and my mother let me play in the small chamber where I now have my forge; it was anciently the oratory

d have real men and women to preach to, as he had, and would not that be much finer? In my heart I did not think so, for I did not care for that part of it; I only liked to preach to my puppets because I had made them. But said, 'Oh yes,' as children do. I kept on contriving the toys that I played with, and I grew used to hearing it told among my mates and about the neighborhood that I was to be a priest; I cannot remember any other talk with my mother, and I do not know how or when i

orced? There was no

eir priest's gowns, which they put on when they enter the school, with a couple of young priests at the head of the file,-and once, for an uncommon pleasure, they took us to the Arsenal, and let us see the shipyards and the museum. You know the wonderful things that are there: the flags and the guns captured from the Turks; the strange weapons of all devices; the famous suits of armor. I came back half-crazed; I wept that I must leave the place. But I set to work the best I could to carve out in wood an invention which the model of one of the antique galleys had suggested to me. They found it,-nothing can be concealed outside of your own breast in such a school,-and they carried me with my cont

and tried to make him understand the illusions and vain hopes in which I had lived. He received coldly my sorrow and the reproaches which I did not spare him; he bade me consider my inclinations as so many temptations to be overcome for the good of my soul and the

ave showed itself to those who had me in their charge. I have heard that at one time my superiors had grave doubts whether I ought to be allowed to take orders. My examination, in which the difficulties of the sacerdotal life were brought before me with the greatest clearness, was severe; I do not know how I passed it;

onscripts, whom you saw carried away last week, are Austrian soldier

If it was not mine, still I have suffered for it. Some ban seems to have rested upon whatever I have attempted. My work,-oh, I know it well enough!-has all been cursed with futility; my labors are miserable failures or contemptible successes. I have

pect of grieving pity, fetched a long sigh. "Oh, I am sorry for you!" she said, "mor

est of conditions in this world. But something-I do not know what or whom; perhaps no more my uncle or my mot

luctantly asse

on and my attempted inventions are a scandal to him, for he is a priest of those like the Holy Father, who believe that all the wickedness of the modern world has come from the devices of science; my indifference to the things of religion is a terror

ry strange, almost like some dream," she murmured, "that you should be saying all

whom she looked it. His eyes worshipped her, as he answered her devout

me, I am so helpless and I know so very little that I don't understand how to comfort or encourage you. But surely you can somehow h

n Ippolito coldly, letting his eyes drop to th

ould be a man, and so

shrugged hi

ere must be in such a calling? It is singular that I should venture to say such a thing to you, and it must seem presumptuous and ridiculous for me, a P

gella?" asked th

, opening her eyes fu

s head fall so low upon his breast tha

feelings as a Catholic. I have been very bold and intrusive. I ought to have

ooked up with

e poor

nd you," said Flo

eve in the saints a

lieve in yo

e no C

ped his head upon his breast. Florida leaned forward

spered. She met his gaze with one of dumb bewilderment. At last she said: "Sometim

es

nfess their sins, and you absolve

es

u must stand by their death-beds and giv

is t

polito a long look of wonder and reproach,

think I was made so; but now you see how black and deadly a lie my life is. It is worse than you could hav

, far

me that I have the grace to abhor myself. It is not much, it is

y, why must you tell me all this? No, no; you are not to

ess to take away the pain I have given you. It has been more a relief than

isn't for me; but oh, I w

your compassion; I shall never forget it." He lingered irresolutely wi

read any more to-

madamigella," he said; and after a mom

vements of a desire to keep him from going, yet let him go, and so turned b