"

Those small fields where the little cemetery of Castello is situated go
by the name of Looch.

"But I had intended to speak to you of another matter," Signora Teresa
went on, without giving Franco time to protest. He took her hands and
pressed them, with difficulty restraining his tears.

"I must speak to you of Luisa," she said. "You must know your wife
well."

"I do know her, Mamma! I know her as well as you do, and perhaps even
better."

As he pronounced these words his whole being glowed and quivered in his
passionate love for her who was the life of his life, the soul of his
soul.

"Poor Franco!" said Signora Teresa, smiling tenderly. "No, listen to me,
for there is something you do not know, of which you should be informed.
Wait a moment."

She needed to rest. Her emotion made her breathing more laboured, and
she spoke with greater difficulty than usual. She motioned to Franco not
to move, for she saw he was about to rise, that he might do something to
relieve her. Only a little repose was necessary, and she took it,
resting her head against the chair-back.

Presently she roused herself. "You have probably heard many evil
accounts of my poor husband, at your own home. You will have heard that
he was an unprincipled man, and that I did very wrong to marry him. It
is true he was not religious, and for that reason I hesitated some time
before deciding to accept him. I was advised to do so because it was
thought I might have a good influence over this man, who had a most
noble soul. He died a Christian, and I have every hope of meeting him in
Heaven, if the Lord, in His mercy, shall see fit to receive me there.
But up to the very last hour it seemed as if I were not to accomplish
anything. Now, I fear my Luisa has her father's tendencies in her heart.
She hides them from me, but I feel they are there. I commend her to you;
study her, advise her; she is gifted and has a great heart, and if I
have not known how to do well by her, you must do better. You are a good
Christian: see that, with all her heart, she also becomes one. Promise
me this, Franco."

He promised, smiling, as if he considered her fears groundless, and were
making this superfluous promise simply to satisfy her.

The invalid gazed sadly at him. "Believe me," she added, "these are not
fancies. I cannot die in peace if you do not take this matter
seriously." And when the young man had repeated his promise, this time
without smiling, she sa