her, he
would hold out his hand to me, and tell them, 'This shall be my wife.'
He said love knew no difference of rank; and that if he was a nobleman
and rich, it was all the more reason why he should please himself. He
was so kind, that I thought my heart would burst while he was speaking;
and my little sister liked him so, that she got upon his knee and kissed
him. Even our dog, who growls at other strangers, stole to his side and
licked his hand. Oh, Father Rocco! Father Rocco!" The tears burst out
afresh, and the lovely head dropped once more, wearily, on the priest's
knee.

Father Rocco smiled to himself, and waited to speak again till she was
calmer.

"Supposing," he resumed, after some minutes of silence, "supposing
Signor Fabio really meant all he said to you--"

Nanina started up, and confronted the priest boldly for the first time
since he had entered the room.

"Supposing!" she exclaimed, her cheeks beginning to redden, and her dark
blue eyes flashing suddenly through her tears "Supposing! Father Rocco,
Fabio would never deceive me. I would die here at your feet, rather than
doubt the least word he said to me!"

The priest signed to her quietly to return to the stool. "I never
suspected the child had so much spirit in her," he thought to himself.

"I would die," repeated Nanina, in a voice that began to falter now. "I
would die rather than doubt him."

"I will not ask you to doubt him," said Father Rocco, gently; "and
I will believe in him myself as firmly as you do. Let us suppose, my
child, that you have learned patiently all the many things of which you
are now ignorant, and which it is necessary for a lady to know. Let us
suppose that Signor Fabio has really violated all the laws that govern
people in his high station and has taken you to him publicly as his
wife. You would be happy then, Nanina; but would he? He has no father or
mother to control him, it is true; but he has friends--many friends and
intimates in his own rank--proud, heartless people, who know nothing of
your worth and goodness; who, hearing of your low birth, would look on
you, and on your husband too, my child, with contempt. He has not your
patience and fortitude. Think how bitter it would be for him to bear
that contempt--to see you shunned by proud women, and carelessly pitied
or patronized by insolent men. Yet all this, and more, he would have to
endure, or else to quit the world he has lived in from his boyhood--the
world