ight be possessed of,
and prepare to accompany him with her family to London, where he would
provide for them, and his nephew Eugenio, leaving his studies, could
take a place in his counting-house. This request--or rather command--was
embraced with gratitude, though it cost a pang to think of leaving the
home that had sheltered them under many vicissitudes. Besides which, it
was a matter of doubt to Signora Mortera and her eldest son whether any
worldly promotion could justify his deserting the priestly vocation to
which he had felt himself called.

One evening my mother and I were surprised by a call from Rugiero. His
face was pale and his eyes were wild. He sank into an easy-chair, and
after a long silence broke into the most terrible invectives against his
brother Eugenio, who had dragged the widow and orphans from a peaceful
home to cast them adrift.

"What widow? what orphans?"

"Simply, Madama Melville, my poor sister Lucretia, whom he induced to
accompany him to London, with her family, on the pretence of providing
for them all, is now with those children at my house, without means,
without even a change of clothing. Yes, my sister Lucretia, who was a
mother to him when his own mother died; and yet he prospers!"

"But, Rugiero, what was the cause of his treating them thus?"

"When they had arrived at my brother's house the wife, who had not
expected them, took an aversion to them, and no sooner did she learn
that they were strict Roman Catholics than she believed them to be
capable of every crime. Celestino, who is in a decline, was treated with
the greatest neglect. Every occasion of showing disrespect toward her
sister-in-law before her children or the servants was eagerly sought by
my brother's wife, whilst in the presence of her husband she was all
amiability. The sickness of one of her own children was made the
occasion of accusing Lucretia of an attempt to poison it, and the wily
woman so worked on my brother's parental feelings that he had not
returned home an hour ere he commanded his 'infamous sister'--'quel
assassinatrice!'--to leave his house with her children on the instant!
The door was closed upon them, and the outer apparel that had served
them for their journey was thrown to them from the window by the
servants. Amazed and full of grief, they directed their steps toward the
house of the good priest whose chapel they had once or twice attended.
Here they procured my address, and soon after cam