n gloom of my future; I could
not endure the changeful light of a delusive hope.'

'But it need not be such. It is for you to decide whether you will
accept of such a counsellor. First of all,' added she hastily, and ere
leaving him time to reply, 'I am more deeply versed in your interests
than you are perhaps aware. Intrusted by my uncle, the Cardinal, to deal
with questions not usually committed to a young girl's hands, I have
seen most parts of the correspondence which concerns you; nay, more,
I can and will show you copies of it. You shall see for yourself,
what they have never yet left you to judge, whether it is for your own
interest to await an eventuality that may never come, or boldly try to
create the crisis others would bid you wait for; or lastly, there is
another part to take, the boldest, perhaps, of all.'

'And what may that be?' broke in Gerald, with eagerness, for his
interest was now most warmly engaged.

'This must be for another time,' said she quickly; 'here comes his
Eminence to meet us.'

And as she spoke, the Cardinal came forward, and with a mingled
affection and respect embraced Gerald and kissed him on both cheeks.

CHAPTER XVIII. HOW THE TIME PASSED AT ORVIETO

Orvieto was a true villa palace (which only Italians understand how
to build), and the grounds were on a scale of extent that suited the
mansion. Ornamental terraces and gardens on every side, with tasteful
alleys of trellised vines to give noon-day shade, and farther off again
a dense pine forest, traversed by long alleys of grass, which even in
the heat of summer were cool and shaded. These narrow roads, barely
wide enough for two horsemen abreast, crossed and recrossed in the
dark forest, ever leading between walls of the same dusky foliage, with
scanty glimpses of a blue sky through the arched branches overhead.

If Guglia rode there for hours long with Gerald; if they strayed--often
silently--not even a foot-fall heard on the smooth turf, you perhaps,
know why; and if you do not, how am I, unskilled in such descriptions,
to make you wiser? Well, it was even as you suspect: the petted child of
fortune, the lovely niece of the great Cardinal, the beautiful Guglia,
whose hand was the greatest prize of Rome, had conceived such an
interest in Gerald, his fortunes and his fate, that she could not leave
Orvieto.

In vain came pressing invitations from Albano and Terni, where she had
promised to pass part of her autumn. In