love, she is
not Angela, she is not worthy of you; and as for me, I hate her, with
all my soul!'

Severi had said truly that he could not understand, and instead of
responding to her appeal, he turned impatient again.

'You choose your words well enough,' he answered, 'but women's fine
speeches persuade women, not men. No man was ever really moved to
change his mind by a woman's eloquence, though we will risk our lives
for a look of yours, for a touch--for a kiss!'

Sister Giovanna sighed and turned from him. The razor-edge of
extremest peril was passed, for the words that left him cold and
unbelieving had brought back conviction to her soul. She could live
for him, pray for him, die for him, but she would not sin for him nor
lift a hand to loose the vows that bound her to the religious life.
Yet she did not see that she was slowly driving him to a state of
temper in which he might break all barriers. Very good women rarely
understand men well until it is too late, because men very rarely make
any appeal to what is good in woman, whereas they lie in wait for all
her weaknesses. It is almost a proverbial truth that men of the most
lawless nature, if not actually of the worst character, are often
loved by saintly women, perhaps because the true saint sees some good
in every one and believes that those who have least of it are the ones
who need help most. Sister Giovanna was not a saint yet, but she was
winning her way as she gained ground in the struggle that had been
forced upon her that night, so cruelly against her will, and having
got the better of a temptation, her charity made her think that
Giovanni Severi was farther from it than he was. Outward danger was
near at hand, just when inward peril was passed.

As if he were weary of the contest of words, he left the writing-table,
sat down in a big chair farther away, and stared at the pattern in the
carpet.

'You are forcing me to extremities,' he said, after a long pause, and
rather slowly. 'Unless you consent to appeal to the Pope for your
freedom, I will not let you leave this house. You are in my power
here, and here you shall stay.'

She was more surprised and offended than indignant at what she took
for an empty threat, and she was not at all frightened. Women never
are, when one expects them to be. She drew her long cloak round her
with simple dignity, crossed the room without haste, and stopped
before the locked door, turning her head to speak to him.