e net closer ...
let us hold him fast ... let us go on as we have begun...."

Her sight grew dim. The letter seemed to be full of blotches. It dropped
out of her helpless fingers. She sat a long time looking out on the
sunlit city, and all the world grew dark and chill. Then she rose, and
her face was pale and rigid.

"No, I will _not_ go on!" she thought. "I will _not_ betray him! I will
_save_ him! He insulted me, he humiliated me, he was my enemy, but ... I
love him! I love him!"

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PART FOUR--DAVID ROSSI

I

David Rossi was in his bedroom writing his leader for next morning's
paper. A lamp with a dark shade burned on the desk, and the rest of the
room was in shadow. It was late, and the house was quiet.

The door opened softly, and Bruno, in shirt-sleeves and slippered feet,
came on tiptoe into the room. He brought a letter in a large violet
envelope with a monogram on the front of it, and put it down on the desk
by Rossi's side. It was from Roma.

"DEAR DAVID ROSSI,--Without rhyme or reason I have been expecting
to see you here to-day, having something to say which it is
important that you should hear. May I expect you in the morning?
Knowing how busy you are, I dare not bid you come, yet the matter
is of great consequence and admits of no delay. It is not a
subject on which it is safe or proper to write, and how to speak
of it I am at a loss to decide. But you shall help me. Therefore
come without delay! There! I have bidden you come in spite of
myself. Judge from that how eager is my expectation.--In haste,
"ROMA V.

"P.S.--I open my envelope, to wonder if you can ever forgive me
the humiliations you have suffered for my sake. To think that _I_
threw you into the way of them! And merely to wipe out an offence
that is not worth considering! I am ashamed of myself. I am also
ashamed of the people about me. You will remember that I told you
they were pitiless and cruel. They are worse--they are heartless
and without mercy. But how bravely you bore their insults and
innuendoes! I almost cry to think of it, and if I were a good
Catholic I should confess and do penance. See? I do confess, and
if you want me to do penance you will come you