morning! I was really undergoing the same
tortures as Bruno, the same doubt and the same agony. And even
when I saw through the whole miserable machination of lying and
duplicity I was actually in terror for Bruno lest he should betray
you in the end. Betray you! His voice when he uttered that last
cry rings in my ears still. It was a voice of triumph--triumph
over deception, over temptation, over jealousy, and over self.

"Don't think, David Rossi, that Bruno died of a broken heart, and
don't think he went out of the world believing that you were
false. I feel sure he came to that court with the full intention
of doing what he did. All through the trial there was something in
his bearing which left the impression of a purpose unrevealed.
Everybody felt it, and even the judges ceased to protest against
his outbursts. The poor prisoner in convict clothes, with
dishevelled hair and bare neck, made every one else look paltry
and small. Behind him was something mightier than himself. It was
Death. Then remember his last cry, and ask yourself what he meant
by it. He meant loyalty, love, faith, fidelity. He intended to
say, 'You've beaten me, but no matter; I believe in him, and
follow him to the last.'

"As you see, I am here in your own quarters, but I keep in touch
with 'Sister Angelica,' and still have no answer to my letter. I
invent all manner of excuses to account for your silence. You are
busy, you are on a journey, you are waiting for the right moment
to reply to me at length. If I could only continue to think so,
how happy I should be! But I cannot deceive myself any longer.

"It is perhaps natural that you should find it hard to forgive me,
but you might at least write and put me out of suspense. I think
you would do so if you knew how much I suffer. Your great soul
cannot intend to torture me. To-night the burden of things is
almost more than I can bear, and I am nearly heartbroken. It is my
dark hour, dearest, and if you had to say you could never forgive
me, I think I could easier reconcile myself to that. I have been
so happy since I began to love you; I shall always love you even
if I have to lose you, and I shall never, never be sorry for
anything that has occurred.

"Not receiving any new letters from you, I am going back on the
old ones, and there is a lette