but to send a strong force was out of the question, for political
reasons, though the work to be done was so urgently necessary that it
could not be put off much longer.

Old General Severi sincerely hoped Angela might yet marry his son, and
was convinced that the best thing possible would be to secure for the
latter the first opportunity for quick promotion, instead of allowing
him to leave the army in order to find more lucrative employment. The
expedition would be gone five or six months, perhaps, and there were
many reasons why it would be better to keep the young people apart for
a time. Any one would understand that, he was sure. While Angela was
living obscurely with a former governess, a brilliant young officer of
some distinction, like Giovanni, could not see her regularly without
seriously compromising her. It was the way of the world and could not
be helped, yet if Giovanni stayed in Rome it would be too much to
expect that he should stay away from the little apartment in
Trastevere. So the matter was settled, and when he came to see Angela
that afternoon he had just had an interview with his chief, who had
informed him of his appointment, and at the same time of his promotion
to be captain. The expedition was to leave Italy in a few days, and he
would have barely time to provide himself with what was strictly
necessary for the climate. He explained all this to Angela and Madame
Bernard.

'If you had only let me resign the other day,' he said ruefully, when
he had finished his account, 'nobody could have found fault then! But
now, I must face the laugh of every man I know!'

Angela looked up quickly, in evident surprise.

'Why?' she asked. 'I see nothing to laugh at in such an expedition.'

'I am not going to accept the appointment,' Giovanni answered with
decision. 'I asked for twenty-four hours to consider it, though the
General seemed very much surprised.'

'But you cannot refuse!' Angela cried. 'They will say you are afraid!'

'They may say whatever occurs to them, for I will not go, and I shall
resign at once, as I said I would. My mind is made up.'

'You cannot refuse this,' Angela repeated confidently. 'If you are
obliged to admit that there is some danger in it, though you wish
there were none, because you safely could refuse to go, it must be
very dangerous indeed. Tell me the truth, as far as you know it.'

'It would depend on circumstances----' Giovanni hesitated.

'You have told me tha