oung nobles
are trained in knowledge of these laws of Venice from quite early
boyhood."

"It is part training, if thou wilt," he had answered lightly; "or in
these questions women are stupid--I know not. But these matters concern
them not." And after that, he remembered now with shame, she had
troubled him no more, and he had felt it a relief; for during the few
discussions they had had together he had been aware that they approached
the question from a radically different point of view. He had never
taken the trouble to comprehend her ground nor to give her reasons for
his own; he had simply made assertions, with a sense of irritation that
any repetition should be called for in a matter quite out of a woman's
province; for the women of Venice had no part in that salon influence on
politics which was ascribed to their sisters of France, and her attempts
to gain understanding for a personal judgment had chafed him like an
interference in his own special field. He, with his subtly trained
intellect and legal knowledge, could so easily have convinced her, he
told himself remorsefully; but he had not taken the trouble even to look
through her lens, while she had been so eager to understand his point of
view--and only that she might reach the truth!

Now he had much time to understand it all! He recalled a strange, hurt
look when her questions had ceased, but it had not troubled him then;
she would forget it,--would understand that he preferred to talk about
other things,--he had said to himself, and he had been careful in
gracious little ways to show her that he was not displeased. And she had
been wise and had vexed him no more; there had been no arguments on this
or any other theme. And then the days of strain had come and the labors
of the Council had absorbed him. Now he saw that she had been too proud
and strong to subject herself to repeated insinuations of inferiority of
understanding, as she had been too loving and dutiful to prolong the
contest. And so--he groaned aloud as his mistake revealed itself to him
in those long, unhappy hours--he had lost the dear opportunity of
leading her aright; for he contemplated but one possible issue of such
an attempt on his part; he had scorned her entreaty when she came to him
for understanding of a mystery that was killing her, and he had driven
her to take up the study alone, with the help of her father confessor,
who knew but one side of the vexed question, and that _not_ th