"The wife I call brave is a man's friend, and if she knows what

that means, to be the friend of her husband to all the limitless

lengths of friendship, she thinks nothing about sacrifices between

him and her, and differences of class do not exist for either of

them. Her pride died the instant love looked out of her eyes at

him, and if people taunt her with his poverty, or his birth, she

answers and says: 'It's true he is poor, but his glory is, that he

was a workhouse boy who hadn't father or mother to care for him,

and now he is a great man, and I'm proud of him, and not all the

wealth of the world shall take me away.' "One thing I will say, though, for the sister that isn't to be,

and that is, that you are deceiving yourself if you suppose that

she is going to reconcile herself to your separation while she is

kept in the dark as to the cause of it. It is all very well for

you to pay compliments to her beauty and youth and the natural

strength of her mind to remove passing impressions, but perhaps

the impressions are the reverse of passing ones, and if you go out

of her life, what is to become of her? Have you thought of that?

Of course you haven't.

"No, no, no! My poor sister! you shall not be so hard on her! In

my darkness I could almost fancy that I personate her, and I am

she and she is I. Conceited, isn't it? But I told you it wasn't

for nothing I was a daughter of Eve. Anyhow I have fought hard for

her and beaten you out and out, and now I don't say: 'Will you go

to her?' You will--I know you will.

"My bust is out of the caster's hand, and ought to be under mine,

but I've done no work again to-day. Tried, but the glow of soul

was not there, and I was injuring the face at every touch.

"No further news of M----, and my heart's blood is cold at the

silence. But if you are fearless, why should I be afraid?--Your

friend's friend, R."

X

Before going to bed that night, Rossi replied to Roma.

"My Dearest,--Bruno will take this letter, and I will charge him

on his soul to deliver it safely into your hands. When you have

read it, you will destroy it immediately, both for your sake and

my own.

"From this moment onward I throw away all disguises. The

duplicities of love are sweet and touching, but I cannot play

hide-and-seek with you any longer.




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