his head near her, pressing her
hand, and said, "Not only I, but Countess Alessandra Ammiani exonerates
you from blame. As she loves her country, you love yours. My words to
Karl were an exaggeration of what I know and think. Only tell me
this;--if Nagen captures Count Ammiani, how is he likely to deal with
him?"

"How can I inform you?" Anna replied coldly; but she reflected in a fire
of terror. She had given Nagen the prompting of a hundred angry
exclamations in the days of her fever of hatred; she had nevertheless
forgotten their parting words; that is, she had forgotten her mood when
he started for Brescia, and the nature of the last instructions she had
given him. Revolting from the thought of execution being done upon Count
Ammiani, as one quickly springing out of fever dreams, all her white face
went into hard little lines, like the withered snow which wears away in
frost. "Yes," she said; and again, "Yes," to something Weisspriess
whispered in her ear, she knew not clearly what. Weisspriess told Wilfrid
that he would wait below. As he quitted the room, the duchess entered,
and went up to Anna. "My good soul," she said, "you have, I trust,
listened to Major Weisspriess. Oh, Anna! you wanted revenge. Now take it,
as becomes a high-born woman; and let your enemy come to your feet, and
don't spurn her when she is there. Must I inform you that I have been to
Countess d'Isorella myself with a man who can compel her to speak? But
Anna von Lenkenstein is not base like that Italian. Let them think of you
as they will, I believe you to have a great heart. I am sure you will not
allow personal sentiment to sully your devotion to our country. Show them
that our Austrian faces can be bright; and meet her whom you call your
enemy; you cannot fly. You must see her, or you betray yourself. The poor
creature's husband is in danger of capture or death."

While the duchess's stern under-breath ran on hurriedly, convincing Anna
that she had, with no further warning, to fall back upon her uttermost
strength--the name of Countess Alessandra Ammiani was called at the door.
Instinctively the others left a path between Vittoria and Anna. It was
one of the moments when the adoption of a decisive course says more in
vindication of conduct than long speeches. Anna felt that she was on her
trial. For the first time since she had looked on this woman she noticed
the soft splendour of Vittoria's eyes, and the harmony of her whole
figure; no