aolo's calmness, and that upon hearing of the proposition concerning
the crucifix he had acted as though he had received a bribe to be quiet.
He bit his thin lips as he reflected that all the family must have
supposed his silence from that moment to have been the effect of the
important commission which Paolo had communicated to him; for it seemed
impossible that they should understand the current of his thoughts.

As he glanced at the head he had drawn he understood himself better than
others had understood him, for he saw on the corner of the paper the
masterly sketch of an ideal Christ he had sought after for years without
ever reaching it. He knew that that ideal had presented itself to his
mind at the very moment when Paolo had proposed the work to him--the
result perhaps, of the excitement under which he laboured at the moment.
From that instant he had been able to think of nothing. He had been
impelled to draw, and the expression of his thought had driven
everything else out of his mind. Paolo had gained a fancied victory by
means of a fancied bribe. Marzio determined to revenge himself for the
unfair advantage his brother had then taken, by showing himself
inflexible in his resolution concerning the marriage. It was but a small
satisfaction to have braved Gianbattista's boyish threats, after having
seemed to accept the bribe of a priest.

CHAPTER IV

On the following morning, Marzio left the house earlier than usual
Gianbattista had not finished his black coffee, and was not in a humour
to make advances to his master, after the scene of the previous evening.
So he did not move from the table when the chiseller left the room, nor
did he make any remark upon the hour. The door that led to the stairs
had hardly closed after Marzio, when Lucia put her head into the room
where Gianbattista was seated.

"He is gone," said the young man; "come in, we can talk a few minutes."

"Tista," began, Lucia, coming forward and laying her fingers on his
curly hair, "what did all that mean last night? Have you understood?"

"Who understands that lunatic!" exclaimed Gianbattista, passing his arm
round the girl's waist, and drawing her to him. "I only understand one
thing, we must be married as soon as possible and be done with it. Is it
not true, Lucia?"

"I hope so," answered his companion, with a blush and a sigh. "But I am
so much afraid."

"Do not be afraid, leave it all to me, I will protect you, my darling,"