n debate upon the question of some hours further on salt water. 'No bora,' he threw in at interv

the most delicate of human subjects for her, for him, and hardly less for the other two. An overmastering fervour can do this. It upsets the vessel we float in, and we have to swim our way out of deep waters by the directest use of the natural faculties, without much reflection on the change in our habits. To others not under such an influence the position

it is you that consent to this wild fre

haracter-what much he knew-in the dust of the

head; she had

d her will,' said Beauchamp. 'She

made her think that it had been with an entire abandonment; and in the heat of her conflict of feelin

' said

r!' she

annot suffer you

do

, and she could have fallen at his feet

my charge,

es

, between us tw

and's ear. The arrogation of a terrible foresight that harped on present and future to persuade him of the righteousness of this headlong proceeding advocated by his friend, vexed his natural equanimity. The argument was

ou, why Trieste? You can't have a Catholic pries

said Beauchamp, 'and we return to Venice, and I go to y

rives at any determination sh

a girl; she has to fight the battle of her life in

such a coward?

only call

esponsible for her. It's your own fault-if you had not saved my life I should not have been in your way. He

auchamp, and he attacked Roland on the

and now she almost sighed with relief to think that she was escaping from this hurr

just now!' cried Roland, stari

im calmly, 'The boat

Roland. 'Round with the boat at once.

hamp refused to alter t

my sister?'

en her,' sa

ish to return to

wish that

command to the men, while Beaucha

s a ghastly pleasa

ow to be right,

tercation befor

t be one; t

apidly in wrath

-is he justified in taking my sister's hand? You perceive that I am obliged to appeal to you. Is he not dependent on his uncle? And is he not, therefore, in your opinion, bound in reason as well as in honour to wait for his uncle's approbation before he undertakes to spe

uchamp; 'she can neither speak nor thin

r than any of us. It is understood. I venture

e was constrained to answer, and said,

at, Nevil,'

und had inclined to the view that he was sure of his uncle's support, it would have seemed to him a simple confirmation of his sentiments, but he was not

acts presented to him; and Rosamund's reluctantly spoken words brought his stubbor

eauchamp stared at the

y? She gave him no sign. He was assuredly not the man to pretend to powers he did not feel himself to possess, and though from a personal, and still more from a lover's, inability to see all round him at one ti

ance on her lover, which his imagination had filled her with; none. That was plain. She could not even ventu

the boat was set

mund's hand, and Renee, despite a confused fee

ght; the dome of Sta. Maria Sal

und his friend's neck,

u think right,'

religion to obey her father. That's why I was astonished!... I owe you my life, and I would willingly give you

e has no courage. I feel that I could carry the day with my uncle, but I can't subject her to the risks, si

t your uncle's cons

ll go to h

to back you-supposing it, I say-won't you b

He perceived the quality of Renee's unfor

suppose that

is a

opinion, frankly, she is best married. And I think so all the more after this morning's lesson. You und

I am bound to her, and when-if ever I see her un

its delivery. I prefer the sage-femme to the prophet. From my heart, Nevil, I wish I could help you. We have charged great guns together, but a family arrangement is something different from a hostile battery. There's Venice! and, as soon as you land, my responsibility's ended. Reflect, I pray you, on what I have said about girls. Upon my wor

h that inner light of history seen through the beauty Venice was like a lowered banner. The great white dome and the campanili watching above her wer

from a gondola. The count and the marquis were sitting together, and there was a spare gondola for the voyagers, so tha

all been very wonderful and u

l, papa;

ms of an

sure you.'

irm it, if you fi

he count's gondola, cordially than

and pay these fel

madame. He had jumped into the spare

ing Beauchamp, 'it is I w

is with an entreati

ll entertain you

wish was to enter the count's gondola, but Renee had recovered

ng to her father without a formal asking of l

sisted in the step down to h

hing! until you