e care what
was said of her? What did she care for appearing without those
ornaments which women so love, and which add so much to their charms?
What mattered it to her that she was ruining her own health by
depriving herself of rest, toiling, and weeping? One look, one smile
of Edoardo, the having satisfied one of his desires, compensated for
all. What afflicted and troubled her was, that her labour should be
so insufficient to meet his wants. Often did it occur to her mind
that he gambled, that he was ruining himself, and she thought of
reproving him for it, but had not courage to do so. Sometimes she
accused herself of aiding him to destroy himself. Then she thought
that she was mistaken; her doubts seemed to her as injuries to his
love, and she grieved for having for a moment admitted them.

One treasure alone remained, the cross which her mother had given her
on her death-bed. It was of brilliants, and might bring a large sum.
She thought over this, and wept for a whole week. Many times she went
out with the intention of selling it, but her heart could not resolve
to do so, and she returned penitent and sorrowful.

Meanwhile, Edoardo was involving himself more and more in debt.
Assailed by creditors on one side, and drawn to the gaming-table by
desire and necessity on the other; menaced with a prison, threatened
to be denounced to his father, stupid from want of rest, midnight
revelling, and anxiety, he one day presented himself before Sophia in
a state so different from usual, that the poor girl was terrified at
him. Whither, Edoardo, has departed the beauty, the freshness of your
youthful years?--whither your simplicity of heart? Buried, buried
amid dice and cards. Sophia no longer doubted that Edoardo gambled,
that he had given himself up to a life worthy of reprehension; but
she was disposed to pardon him, to hope that he would repent and
turn to better counsels. But what made her tremble was the hoarse and
desperate accent in which he told her that he had need of money, that
he was, hard pressed by necessity, obliged to pay ten thousand
_lire_. The glance that he directed to every corner of the apartment,
perhaps because he did not dare to look her in the face, was dark and
unsteady: some broken words, uttered in a low voice, pierced her
heart like a dagger. And without any available means, she promised
Edoardo to procure him the required sum by next day.

When he left the house, therefore, she threw hersel