adrona said firmly that her niece was too young to be married. She
induced Junker Van Hoogstraten, whom she held as firmly as a farrier
holds a filly, to defer the wedding until Easter. The outfit was to be
provided during the winter. The condition that he must wait six months
was imposed on the marquis, and he went back to France with the ring on
his finger. His betrothed bride did not shed a single tear for him, and
as soon as he had gone, flung the engagement ring into the jewel-cup on
her dressing-table, before the eyes of the camariera, from whom I heard
the story. She did not venture to oppose her father, but did not hesitate
to express her opinion of the marquis to her excellenza, and her aunt,
though she had favored the Frenchman's suit, allowed it. Yet there had
often been fierce quarrels between the old and young lady, and if the
padrona had had reason to clip the wild falcon's wings and teach her what
is fitting for noble ladies, the signorina would have been justified in
complaining of many an exaction, by which the padrona had spoiled her
pleasure in life. I am sorry to destroy the confidence of your youth, but
whoever grows grey, with his eyes open, will meet persons who rejoice,
nay to whom it is a necessity to injure others. Yet it is a consolation,
that no one is wicked simply for the sake of wickedness, and I have often
found--how shall I express it?--that the worst impulses arise from the
perversion, or even the excess of the noblest virtues, whose reverse or
caricature they become. I have seen base envy proceed from beautiful
ambition, contemptible avarice from honest emulation, fierce hate from
tender love. My mistress, when she was young, knew how to love truly and
faithfully, but she was shamefully deceived, and now rancor, not against
an individual, but against life, has taken possession of her, and her
noble loyalty has become tenacious adherence to bad wishes. How this has
happened you will learn, if you will continue to listen.

"When winter came, I was ordered to go to Brussel, and establish the new
household in splendid style. The ladies were to follow me. It was four
years ago. The Duke of Alva then lived as viceroy in Brussels, and this
nobleman held my mistress in high esteem, nay had even twice paid us the
honor of a visit. His aristocratic officers also frequented our house,
among them Don Luis d'Avila, a nobleman of ancient family, who was one of
the duke's favorites. Like the Marquis d'