r himself when he comes, and when he knows all from you or
me. Meanwhile you may stay in my house if you choose. I offer you its
shelter because you are a woman alone and because my brother who loves
you put you under my protection. But I do not intend that my wife shall
have any further communication with you; and to prevent talk among the
servants which might spread outside, I suggest that if you remain you
keep your room, as an invalid, until Vanno returns."

"I thank you for your consideration," Mary said bitterly, "but I shall
not stay. I shall pack my things immediately myself; for I will not be
helped by one of your servants, or owe anything more to you. When Vanno
comes, as you say, he can decide for himself."

"You will write to him?" Angelo inquired.

"I will write to him. And you need have no further trouble with anything
that concerns me."

Without another word, or a look at him, she turned away and walked into
the house.

Almost mechanically she went upstairs to the pretty room that had been
hers. She was too intensely excited to think. She could only feel. And
throughout her whole life she had felt about her thoughts, rather than
thought about her feelings. Less than ever did she try to analyze them
now. She hastily gathered her things together, and piled them without
folding into trunks and dressing-bag. She had not made up her mind where
to go or what to do. The first thing and the most important thing was to
get away from this house. Once away, breathing freer air, it would be
time enough to plan.

As she packed furiously and unskilfully, she feared that Marie might
come in and beg her forgiveness or try to explain. She felt that she
could not bear this. And she shrank from the idea of seeing Marie again.
She was afraid that she might be tempted to say something terrible. The
one clear thought in her brain was the thought of Vanno; and he was in
her mind as an image rather than a thought. She said over and over to
herself almost stupidly as she prepared to leave Angelo's house: "If
only Vanno were here--if only Vanno were here!"

Before she was ready to go she suddenly remembered that she must have a
cab. Nothing would induce her to take Prince Della Robbia's car, even if
it were offered. She rang for a servant, gave a generous present of
money, and said that she had received news calling her away at once. A
carriage must be found quickly.

As it happened, the descendant of the great French fam