but if my wife and I have sinned against you, let us make
forgiveness mutual."

This was a bitter pill, but the Marchesa swallowed it in silence.
Although she no longer saw death at her bedside, her heart still
trembled with the terror inspired by the apparition, and by certain
words the prefect had spoken on hearing her confession. "I shall make a
will," she said, "and I wish you to know that the whole Maironi property
will go to you."

Ah, Marchesa, Marchesa! Poor, icy creature! Did she believe she could
purchase peace at this price? In this the prefect also had blundered,
for it was he who had advised her to make this declaration to her
grandson, kind, honest man that he was, but entirely without tact, and
incapable of understanding Franco's lofty soul. The idea that she might
think he had been prompted by sordid motives to come to her, was
intolerable to Franco. "No, no!" he exclaimed, quivering, and fearing
his hot temper would get the better of him after all. "No, no! Don't
leave me anything. It will be quite enough if you will allow the
interest on my own money to be paid at Oria. Grandmother, you must leave
the Maironi property to the Ospitale Maggiore. I fear my ancestors did
very wrong to keep it."

His grandmother had not time to answer, for there came a knock at the
door. The prefect entered, and offering as an excuse that he would tire
the invalid, persuaded Franco to say good-bye. "You must make haste,"
said he, when they were outside. "You have done more than your duty
here. Too many people are now aware of your presence, and the gendarmes
may appear at any moment. I have arranged everything with Aliprandi. He
considers a consultation necessary for the Marchesa, and will take the
Villa Maironi gondola and go to Lugano for a doctor. The two boatmen
will be Carlo and yourself. There are those oil-cloth cloaks with hoods.
Put on one of those and remain in the stern. Now we must shave off that
pointed beard of yours, and then with the hood drawn over your head, no
one will possibly be able to recognise you. You will be perfectly safe.
Perhaps you may not even be obliged to put in at the customs-house. At
any rate, they will not recognise you. If there is any talking to be
done, Carlo can do it."

The idea was good. The Marchesa's gondola was always looked upon by the
agents of Austria with the greatest respect; as if it were carrying an
egg of the double-headed eagle. Even when returning from Lugano it wa