-as in that far land there may be need."

But for the Lady of the Bernardini--Venetian to her heart's core--the
island of Cyprus had little charm; she had dreamed of a brilliant career
for her only son which should open to him the best that Venice could
give--and she was not satisfied.

"There is no fault with that dear child," she said; "and as thy
bride--if this had been--I could have loved her well. But if thy
fortunes need be bound with hers--and all thine honors for which thou
art so meet, and with which thy Venice would fain endow thee, must be
surrendered for her sake,--'twere pity that this marriage which thy
Father willed, went not forward."

"Sweet Mother--the 'might-have-beens' make faincants of men. It is not
love--but duty that calleth me. _There is no choice._ Where is thine
honorable teaching?"

"Bethink thee, Aluisi, of this post of dignity in France--a place of
power--of service to thy country. How sayest thou 'there is no choice'?"

"Mother--when our stars have ordered otherwise--there is no more to it
than that--why then--if men lack strength to bend their wills to meet
their destiny,--it is not as they will,--it is not as their honor
wills--but far otherwise. And theirs the fault."

She looked up into his noble face as he bent over her--a face not often
yielded so fully to her gaze--dear as this widowed mother and her son
were to each other, and intimate in friendship; and as she looked a calm
fell upon her and she saw strength, truth, valor, judgment--the soul of
the man like a rock beneath the light play of his speech.

She no longer willed to oppose his choice. She put up her hand and drew
him down beside her on the couch.

"There will be much to think of," she said after a long silence; "thine
interests in Venice will be hard to leave. Why--if some of Caterina's
house must escort her and abide with her--why not her brother Zorzi? Who
should be fitter in her defense?"

"Zorzi is but a youth--less in years than her own. How should she lean
on such a boy?"

"Aluisi--thou hast some fear which thou hast not spoken."

He was silent though she waited. How might he declare the bitter need of
watchfulness, yet not betray the knowledge gotten in those secret
councils of the Republic!

"_Madre mia_," he said at last, when she had reminded him of her
question. "Without cause I had made no vow. Canst thou not trust thy
knight? And of my fealty, so solemnly sworn, Caterina knoweth naught. It
is