e voices of her
maidens came in sounds of merriment through the fretted stonework of the
great window, and a sweet odor of altar candles and incense mingled with
the breath of the blossoms that was wafted up to her; for to-morrow, for
the first time since her illness, there would be matins in the chapel
of the palazzo, and Marcantonio had assured her that the new father
confessor was much like Fra Francesco--coming, also, from the convent of
the Servi, that he might seem nearer to her who had so loved the gentle
confessor.

Ay, she had loved him, with a holy reverence, for his goodness and
gentleness and faith; for his inflexible grasp of duty, according to his
views of right; for his teachings, which she could understand and which
she believed the Holy Mother had taught him--for his self-denial and
suffering.

And now, for a few moments, she forgot herself--forgot to watch for
Marco, her thoughts busied with the sad tale of Fra Francesco, which
Piero, always _in viaggio_ for business of the Senate, had told her but
a few days before--news that had reached him from the frontier. The
gentle confessor had indeed completed his pilgrimage, barefooted, to
Rome, but had gained no favor with the Holy Father; having at first been
welcomed as a deserter from the enemy's camp, flattered, and plied with
questions, to which Fra Francesco gave no answers--wishing no harm to
Venice nor to any who sat in the councils of the Republic. Whereupon his
lodgings had been changed and all communications with the brothers of
the Servite chapel in Rome had been forbidden. And again, and more than
once, he had been brought forth to be questioned; and again there had
been nothing told of that which they sought, for they asked him of his
friends, and his heart was true. But it was told that he had used
strange words. "Each man is answerable to his own soul and to God for
that which he believeth. He answereth not for the faith of another
man--nor shall he bring danger upon his friend--who hath also his
conscience and God for judge of his faith and actions."

"But what of Fra Paolo?" he had been asked; "How doth he defend himself
for leading thus the cause of Venice against Rome?"

"Am I my brother's keeper?" the gentle Fra Francesco had answered; and
had said no more.

"Thou shalt at least show us how one may obtain speech with him, for the
furtherance of his soul's salvation--apart from the vigilance of the
Senate, and without suspicion in t