y speech imply what I did not intend. For I have
_not_ forgiven--do not know if I can forgive, all that has passed. All
depends on that which is to come. You made me promise not to interrupt
your tale. I have not done so; and, in justice, I have the right to ask
that you should tell it out, before you claim my final answer. So I say,
once again, Proceed."

Unable, from the steadiness of her demeanour, so much even as to
conjecture what were her present feelings, yet much dispirited at finding
his mistake, the young man proceeded with his narrative. Gaining courage,
however, as he continued speaking, the principal difficulties of his story
being past, he warmed and spoke more feelingly, more eloquently, with
every word he uttered.

He told her of the deep depression, which had fallen on him the following
morning, when her letter had called him to the house of Hortensia. He
again related the attack made on him by Catiline, on the same evening, in
Egeria's grotto; and spoke of the absolute despair, in which he was
plunged, seeing the better course, yet unable to pursue it; aiming at
virtue, yet forced by his fatal oath to follow vice; marking clearly
before him the beacon light of happiness and honour, yet driven
irresistibly into the gulf of misery, crime, and destruction. He told her
of Lucia's visit to his house; how she released him from his fatal oath!
disclaimed all right to his affection, nay! to his respect, even, and
esteem! encouraged him to hold honour in his eye, and in the scorn of
consequence to follow virtue for its own sake! He told her, too, of the
conspiracy, in all its terrible details of atrocity and guilt--that dark
and hideous scheme of treason, cruelty, lust, horror, from which he had
himself escaped so narrowly.

Then, with a glow of conscious rectitude, he proved to her that he had
indeed repented; that he was now, howsoever he might have been deceived
into error and to the brink of crime, firm, and resolved; a champion of
the right; a defender of his country; trusted and chosen by the Great
Consul; and, in proof of that trust, commissioned by him now to lead his
troop of horsemen to Praeneste, a strong fortress, near at hand, which
there was reason to expect might be assailed by the conspirators.

"And now, my tale is ended," he said. "I did hope there would have been no
need to reveal these things to you; but from the first, I have been
resolved, if need were, to open to you my whole heart--to