he again
expressed his regret that in spite of everything he must adhere to his
purpose; and when Martina asked him: "What, even if my reward is one that
would especially delight you?" he nodded regretfully. "Yes, even then."

So she merely added, "Well, we shall see," and went on impressively:
"Every one has some peculiarity which stamps his individuality and
becomes him well: in you it is amiability, my son. Such obstinacy does
not suit you; it is quite foreign to you, and is the very opposite to
what I call amiability. Be yourself, even in this instance."

"That is to say weak and yielding, especially when a kind woman. . . ."

"When old friends ask it," she hastily put in; but almost before she had
finished she turned to her husband, exclaiming: "Good Heavens! come to
the window. Did you ever see such a glorious mingling of purple and gold
in the sky? It is as though the old pyramids and the whole land of Egypt
were in flames. But now, great Sesostris,"--the name she gave to Orion
when she was in a good humor with him, "it is time that you should see
what I have brought you. In the first place this trinket," and she gave
him a costly bracelet of old Greek workmanship set with precious stones,
"and then--nay, no Thanks--and then--Well the object is rather large, and
besides--come with me."

As she spoke she went from the reception-room into the anteroom, led the
way to the door of the room which had once been Paula's, and then his
own, opened it a little way, peeped in, and then pushed Orion forward,
saying hastily: "There--do you see--there it is!"

By the window stood Heliodora. The bright radiance of the sinking sun
bathed her slender but round and graceful form, her "imploring" eyes
looked up at him with rapturous delight, and her white arms folded across
her bosom gave her the aspect of a saint, waiting with humble longing for
some miracle, in expectation of unutterable joys.

Martina's eyes, too, were fixed on Orion; she saw how pale he turned at
seeing the young widow, she saw him start as though suddenly overcome by
some emotion--what, she could not guess--and shrink back from the sunlit
vision in the window. These were effects which the worthy matron had not
anticipated.

Never off the stage, thought she, had she seen a man so stricken by love;
for she could not suspect that to him it was as though a gulf had
suddenly yawned at his feet.

With a swiftness which no one could have looked for from her