tars err not--cannot err."

"Pardon me, father," said the young man with his usual careless air.
"I will doubt no further. And we shall succeed?"

"Beyond your utmost hopes. Upon your brow, young man," continued the
astrologer, addressing again the smaller person, "descends a circlet
of glory, the brilliancy of which shall dazzle every eye. But stay,
all is not yet done. The stars thus declare the will of destiny; but
yet, in these inscrutable mysteries of fate, it is man's own will that
must direct the course of events--it is his own hand must strike the
blow. Fatality and human will are bound together as incomprehensibly
as soul and body. You must still lend your hand to secure the
accomplishment of your own destiny. But our mighty science shall
procure for you so powerful a charm, that no earthly power can resist
its influence. Stay, I will return shortly." So saying, Ruggieri rose
and left the room by the door through which the young men had entered.

"What does he mean?" said the shorter of the young men.

"What matter, Monseigneur!" replied the other. "Does he not promise us
unbounded success? I little thought myself, when I accompanied you
hither, that my belief in this astrology would grow up so rapidly.
Long live the dark science, and the black old gentleman who professes
it, when they lighten our path so brilliantly!"

"Let us breathe a little at our ease, until he returns," said he who
appeared the more important personage of the two; and throwing himself
into a chair, and removing his mask, he discovered the pale face of a
young man, who might have been said to possess some beauty, in spite
of the irregularity of his features, had not the expression of that
face been marred by a pinched and peevish look of weakness and
indecision.

His companion followed his example in removing his mask, and the face
thus revealed formed a striking contrast to that of the other young
man. His complexion was of a clear pale brown, relieved by a flush of
animated colour; his brow was fair and noble; his features were finely
but not too strongly chiselled. A small dark mustache curled boldly
upwards above a beautifully traced and smiling mouth, the character of
which was at once resolute and gay, and strangely at variance with the
expression of the dark grey eyes, which was more that of tenderness
and melancholy. He remained standing before the other personage, with
one hand on his hip, in an attitude at once full of ease