upon the keys.

"Why? He does not care what people say--why should he? He will marry her
when the year is out. Why should he care?"

"He can never marry her unless I choose to allow it," said Del Ferice,
quietly.

"So you told me the other night," returned Donna Tullia. "But you will
allow him, of course. Besides, you could not stop it, after all. I do not
believe that you could." She leaned far back in her chair, her hands
resting upon the keys without striking them, and she looked at Del Ferice
with a sweet smile. There was a moment's pause.

"I have decided to tell you something," he said at last, "upon one
condition."

"Why make conditions?" asked Donna Tullia, trying to conceal her
excitement.

"Only one, that of secrecy. Will you promise never to mention what I am
going to tell you without previously consulting me? I do not mean a
common promise; I mean it to be an oath." He spoke very earnestly. "This
is a very serious matter. We are playing with fire and with life and
death. You must give me some guarantee that you will be secret."

His manner impressed Donna Tullia; she had never seen him so much in
earnest in her life.

"I will promise in any way you please," she said.

"Then say this," he answered. "Say, 'I swear and solemnly bind myself
that I will faithfully keep the secret about to be committed to me; and
that if I fail to keep it I will atone by immediately marrying Ugo del
Ferice--'"

"That is absurd!" cried Donna Tullia, starting back from him. He did not
heed her.

"'And I take to witness of this oath the blessed memory of my mother, the
hope of the salvation of my soul, and this relic of the True Cross.'" He
pointed to the locket she wore at her neck, which she had often told
him contained the relic he mentioned.

"It is impossible!" she cried again. "I cannot swear so solemnly about
such a matter. I cannot promise to marry you."

"Then it is because you cannot promise to keep my secret," he answered
calmly. He knew her very well, and he believed that she would not break
such an oath as he had dictated, under any circumstances. He did not
choose to risk anything by her indiscretion. Donna Tullia hesitated,
seeing that he was firm. She was tortured with curiosity beyond all
endurance.

"I am only promising to marry you in case I reveal the secret?" she
asked. He bowed assent. "So that I am really only promising to be silent?
Well, I cannot understand why it should be solemn; but if y