vilege!--to
suppose that he called you down at this late hour simply to inform you
that he is compelled to do something which will cause you unhappiness!
I repeat, it is an enviable privilege. Now, when the real occasion has
come for you to serve us, you have not a single weapon--except these
tears, which you are wasting on my lap. Be sure that if he denounces
Angelo, Angelo's life cries out against you. You have but to quicken
your brain to save him. Did he expose his life for you or not? I knew
that he was in Meran," the signora continued sadly. "The paper which
frightened the silly peasants, revealed to me that he was there,
needing help. I told you Angelo was under an evil star. I thought my day
to-morrow would be a day of scheming. The task has become easy, if you
will."

"Be merciful; the task is dreadful," said Vittoria.

"The task is simple. You have an instrument ready to your hands. You
can do just what you like with him--make an Italian of him; make him
renounce his engagement to this pert little Lena of Lenkenstein, break
his sword, play Arlecchino, do what you please. He is not required for
any outrageous performance. A week, and Angelo will have recovered his
strength; you likewise may resume the statuesque demeanour which you
have been exhibiting here. For the space of one week you are asked for
some natural exercise of your wits and compliancy. Hitherto what have
you accomplished, pray?" Laura struck spitefully at Vittoria's
degraded estimation of her worth as measured by events. "You have done
nothing--worse than nothing. It gives me horrors to find it necessary to
entreat you to look your duty in the face and do it, that even three
or four Italian hearts--Carlo among them--may thank you. Not Carlo, you
say?" (Vittoria had sobbed, "No, not Carlo.") "How little you know men!
How little do you think how the obligations of the hour should affect
a creature deserving life! Do you fancy that Carlo wishes you to be for
ever reading the line of a copy-book and shaping your conduct by it?
Our Italian girls do this; he despises them. Listen to me; do not I
know what is meant by the truth of love? I pass through fire, and keep
constant to it; but you have some vile Romance of Chivalry in your head;
a modern sculptor's figure, 'MEDITATION;' that is the sort of bride you
would give him in the stirring days of Italy. Do you think it is only
a statue that can be true? Perceive--will you not--that this Lieutenant
Pi