where her
own plans were concerned, or her will thwarted, treacherous also.

Enrica had been taught not only to obey the marchesa implicitly, but
never to dispute her will. Hitherto she had had no will but hers.
How, then, could she all at once shake off the feeling of awe, almost
terror, with which her aunt inspired her? Besides, was not the very
sound of Nobili's name abhorrent to her? Why the marchesa should
abhor him or his name, Enrica could not tell. It was a mystery to her
altogether beyond her small experience of life. But it was so. No, she
would say nothing; that was safest. The marchesa, if displeased, was
quite capable of carrying her away from Lucca to Corellia--perhaps
leaving her there alone in the mountains. She might even shut her up
in a convent for life!--Then she should die!

No, she would say nothing.

CHAPTER VI.

MARCHESA GUINIGI AT HOME.

The marchesa was, as I have said, in a very bad humor. She had by no
means recovered from what she conceived to be the affront put upon her
by the brilliant display made by Count Nobili, at the festival of the
Holy Countenance, nor, indeed, from the festival itself.

She had had the satisfaction of shutting up her palace, it is true;
but she was not quite sure if this had impressed the public mind of
Lucca as she had intended. She felt painful doubts as to whether the
splendors opposite had not so entirely engrossed public attention that
no eye was left to observe any thing else--at least, in that street.
It was possible, she thought, that another year it might be wiser not
to shut up her palace at all, but so far to overcome her feelings as
to exhibit the superb hangings, the banners, the damask, and cloth of
gold, used in the mediaeval festivals and processions, and thus outdo
the modern tinsel of Count Nobili.

Besides the festival, and Count Nobili's audacity, the marchesa had a
further cause for ill-humor. No one had come on that evening to play
her usual game of whist. Even Trenta had deserted her. She had said
to herself that when she--the Marchesa Guinigi--"received," no other
company, no other engagement whatever, ought to interfere with the
honor that her company conferred. These were valid causes of ill-humor
to any lady of the marchesa's humor.

She was seated now in the sitting-room of her own particular suite,
one of three small and rather stuffy rooms, on the second floor. These
rooms consisted of an anteroom, covered with a cre