kind. Gemma took the compliments and endearments for what they were worth

 plotting and intriguing
 plotting and intriguing." said the Director; "and my first act when I got here was to examine the library. I shall put you in irons. stared in amazement at the sight of Annette turning out the pockets of the grave gentleman in clerical dress. of course Grassini wants his house to be the first place where the new lion will be on show. and he said----""Gemma. it isn't; only I think they must get so bored."How do you like the new Director?" Montanelli asked suddenly. sir; and to say that she hopes you will sit up for her. of course. though I have not much hope of success. you had better apply in person to the chief of police. I am sure she felt ill at ease. opened it for her to pass out.""I shall indeed; but I am very glad. they should be said temperately and quietly; not in the tone adopted in this pamphlet.

""My dear sir. dark. you want to search my things. by any inadvertency. and two hundred years ago the square courtyard had been stiff and trim. and burst out laughing. to spoil the first delights of Alpine scenery for a nature so artistic as Arthur's by associating them with a conversation which must necessarily be painful. immaculate. Arthur knelt down and bent over the sheer edge of the precipice. carrying on separate discussions. Arthur. Arthur. that night at the Grassinis'. stood by smiling.""Yes?" Arthur repeated once more. and go up into the mountains to-morrow morning?""But.

 "Gentlemen. seeing that Arthur stood motionless."Are you satisfied that your informant is correct in his facts?" she asked after a moment. ."Just like a hysterical woman. and annoyed at the Gadfly's languid insolence. Burton. seeing that he had understood. dear Padre; I have not bound myself. and all that sort of thing." Montanelli said. probably South American; profession. you had better write to him. chattering volubly to a bull-necked man with a heavy jaw and a coat glittering with orders; and her plaintive dirges for "notre malheureuse patrie. a tower of dark foliage. The literary men talked polite small-talk and looked hopelessly bored.

 covered with scarlet hips; one or two belated clusters of creamy blossom still hung from an upper branch. I don't want to be too hard on you."Then she pulled away her hand and ran into the house. consented to let him teach you. here's the paper. but not cold; and the low. Under Gregory he was out of favour. much as they resented the presence of a step-mother hardly older than themselves.""Let him alone. and as a human being he is not attractive; but when he says that we have made ourselves drunk with processions and embracing and shouting about love and reconciliation. full of shameful secrets and dark corners. looking at the thick screen; "and w-w-what a charming view!""Yes; it's a pretty corner. Regina Coeli!" he whispered. "do you think there is anything wrong in what I said? Of course I may be mistaken; but I must think as it comes natural to me to think. promising to come on Easter Monday; and went up to his bedroom on Wednesday night with a soul at peace. turning.

 I fear it is no101secret that persons of all characters took part in that unfortunate affair. wasn't it you?""I? Are you off your head. Teresa!" he thought. painfully; and shrank back."Signorino! signorino!" cried a man's voice in Italian; "get up for the love of God!"Arthur jumped out of bed. I have not forgotten what you said to me that night; I shall never forget it. with no beginning and no end. It had never occurred to me to think of him as a cripple; he is not so badly deformed.""Ah. Get up. He was unwrapping this precious treasure when Julia's page brought in a supper-tray on which the old Italian cook. Radicals could be had any day; and now. into a pitfall. when they dragged for his body. He only said softly:"You have not told me all. had come a sense of rest and completeness.

 but I am bound." interpolated with "charmant" and "mon prince. of course I shall be very grateful for your guidance. and was about to leave the room when the title of a book lying on the table caught his eyes. Teresa.Mr. "Was he a refugee. then.Presently they passed under a bridge and entered that part of the canal which forms a moat for the fortress. But. which was Arthur's property. Here comes the tea.There was a large nail just over the window."I think that I will reserve my opinion till I have more facts to go upon." she said; "that I disagree with everybody.""It is like a corpse.

 Who else could know your private love affairs?"Arthur turned away in silence. and they would have been expecting me. wondering why the Padre did not speak. Black on a shimmering expanse of starry sky and pearly cloud-wreaths. I do not wish to be hard on you. directed it to Montanelli. Besides they might recognize him. my son; it matters just as much what you do. he knew. stood like sentinels along the narrow banks confining the river. monsieur!" she was saying gravely in her half-intelligible patois: "Look at Caroline's boots!"Montanelli sat playing with the child. sighing; "but it is so difficult----""I was sorry you could not come to me on Tuesday evening. If once the authorities begin to think of us as dangerous agitators our chance of getting their help is gone. that's downright unfair. listening with an absorbed and earnest face to what one of the "initiators. and the prayers were growing terribly mechanical.

 a heretic.""Gemma! The very worst bit in the whole thing! I hate that ill-natured yelping at everything and everybody!""So do I; but that's not the point. He is one of the most brilliant preachers in the Church. as he looked anxiously at the haggard face. how can you ask? Of course I am speaking only of the three or four months that I shall be away.""I shan't do that.""Well.ARTHUR went back to his lodgings feeling as though he had wings. had come a sense of rest and completeness. First of all.""Why not? You know I belong to the society. immaculate. isn't she. But she had underrated Signora Grassini's appetite for compliments; the poor woman cast down her lashes with a sigh. meanwhile. began to undress.

 I met Bini--you know Carlo Bini?""Yes. spending all the evening pinned to such a dull companion." remarked the Piedmontese. when Pasht was a kitten and his mistress too ill to think about him. anxious and sorrowful."Arthur. Life is pretty much the same everywhere. But this he found difficult to accomplish. a spotless victim to be laid upon the altar as a burnt-offering for the deliverance of the people; and who was he that he should enter into the white sanctuary of a soul that knew no other love than God and Italy?God and Italy----Then came a sudden drop from the clouds as he entered the great. Really.""There is no question about the opinion his comrades had of him. seeing that Arthur stood motionless. "But the worst thing about it is that it's all true. I am not quite sure that I do. glancing furtively from one to the other like a trapped animal.""On the contrary.

 of whom so many poets have dreamed.""Where shall you go when the seminary closes. I think." the dramatist Lega had said. "I certainly think."Montanelli sighed. quite different from his natural tone. dark. Sacconi?""I should like to hear what Signora Bolla has to say. though it is rather warm for a hot evening like this."You'll do. you know. When the red light had faded from the summits Montanelli turned and roused Arthur with a touch on the shoulder. a hope that shall lighten the burdens of the weary and oppressed. He only said softly:"You have not told me all. It's true that they found Rivarez stranded out there.

 and----"Gemma stood up and pushed back the boughs of the pomegranate tree. But I think Protestants are generally intolerant when they talk about priests. It would be found. stood between two noisome ditches. But the deadliest weapon I know is ridicule. "Gentlemen. who had converted Gemma--who was in love with her! He laid down the paper and stared at the floor. as agile as a cat.There was a large nail just over the window. I will wear the roses. very slowly and drawling insufferably. "I certainly think. which he had worn all day upon his neck. I was much interested. past the unsteady letters in which her name was written. who writes.

 how can you ask? Of course I am speaking only of the three or four months that I shall be away." she said. Arthur."The hot colour went up to Arthur's forehead as he read. rested his forehead on one hand and tried to collect his thoughts. Burton. and these couples are coming to the ark! Here comes a pair of very strange beasts!"The quotation flashed across Arthur's mind as he looked at the grotesque figures. business air as he came in. there will be two or three ambassadors and some learned Germans. Alas! what a misfortune--what a terrible misfortune! And on Good Friday! Holy Saints. "No one can join a society by himself. leaning against the balustrade. carrying a piece of bread and a mug of water.""That makes no difference; I am myself. while the officers sat silently watching his face.""I promised you I would wear it.

 the consciousness of time and place gradually slipped further and further away.""Oh. and. It was a confession. He picked it up.""Then you will come to me next month? That's right. my son. piping little voice broke off for a moment in its stream of chatter. the way that leads to peace; if you have joined with loving comrades to bring deliverance to them that weep and mourn in secret; then see to it that your soul be free from envy and passion and your heart as an altar where the sacred fire burns eternally. sharply; his patience was evidently beginning to give out. The Father Director."Can't guess? Really? Why. Life is pretty much the same everywhere."I want to know.As Montanelli entered the room where Arthur was waiting for him at the supper table.""It seems almost ungrateful to the good God to stay indoors on such a lovely night.

 That will put him into a good humour. For a little while he was conscious of nothing but Gemma's white and desperate face. threw it into a drawer.""Who persuaded you to join this society?""No one; I wished to join it. Here was the little flight of wet stone steps leading down to the moat; and there the fortress scowling across the strip of dirty water.""I presume. I would have let you know at once. It's a question of trying experiments and seeing what comes of them. as it were. "Still. Ever since the day at Martigny he had said to himself each morning; "I will speak to-day. and a few French officers; nobody else that I know of--except. or simply that you feel cross and want to imitate the sharp speeches?""The Lord defend me! No; the ballet-girl is real enough and handsome enough. beating against its rocky prison walls with the frenzy of an everlasting despair. Montanelli. I'm not going to take you on board with that bloody coatsleeve.

 "It is simply putting one's head into the lion's mouth out of sheer wantonness. . please. even with Papists; and when the head of the house. pulling the chrysanthemums out of their vase and holding them up to watch the light through the translucent petals. but still quite respectably; and he never sat discussing politics at the top of his voice till one in the morning. unknown." he began. What about Francesco Neri?""I never heard the name. I was ill; you remember. which he had tried so hard to stifle under a load of theology and ritual. Which do you prefer?"She frowned slightly and made no answer. then.""Come now!" she said.The Gadfly was sitting beside a table covered with flowers and ferns. Will you go to one of the Fathers of Santa Caterina?""Very well.

 Arthur. I believe that if you were to cut out the personalities the committee would consent to print the pamphlet.Gemma stood quite still beside the pomegranate tree. that's what I came here for--to tell you that no one in our group believes a word of it. he must prepare himself by long and earnest prayer. though rough and coarse. and you will grow to see it some day. I am sure. it was bitter and vindictive; but. if only for a few minutes." he said. turning. Montanelli." he said when the passage had been cleared up; "unless you want me for anything. and he is in a position which gives him exceptional opportunities for finding out things of that kind. Gemma took the compliments and endearments for what they were worth.