ssible that he
should abandon in a moment the plan which he had announced with so much
resolution on the previous evening. It was certain that before declaring
his determination to marry his daughter to the lawyer he must have
ruminated and planned during many days, as it was his habit to do in all
the matters of his life, without consulting any one, or giving the
slightest hint of his intention. Some part of his remarkable talent
depended upon this faculty of thoroughly considering a resolution before
proceeding to carry it out; and it is a part of every really great
talent in every branch of creative art, for it is the result of a great
continuity in the action of the mind combined with the power of
concentration and the virtue of reticence. Many a work has appeared to
the world to be the spontaneous creation of transcendent genius, which
has, in reality, been conceived, studied, and elaborated during years of
silence. Reticence, concentration, and continuity, are characteristics
which cannot influence one part of a man's life without influencing the
rest as well. The habit of studying before proceeding is co-existent
with the necessity of considering before acting; and a man who is
reticent concerning one half of his thoughts is not communicative about
the other half. Nature does not do things by halves, and the nerves
which animate the gesture at the table are the same which guide the
chisel at the work-bench.

Gianbattista understood Marzio's character, and in his mind tried to
construct the future out of the present. He endeavoured to follow out
what he supposed to be the chiseller's train of thought to its
inevitable conclusion, and the more he reflected on the situation the
more certain he became that Lucia's hypothesis was untenable. It was not
conceivable, under any circumstances whatever, that Marzio should
suddenly turn into a gentle, forgiving creature, anxious only for the
welfare of others, and willing to sacrifice his own inclinations and
schemes to that laudable end.

At twelve o'clock, Marzio appeared, cold, silent, and preoccupied. His
manner did not encourage the idea entertained by Lucia, though the girl
explained it to herself on the ground that her father was ashamed of
having yielded so easily, and was unwilling to have it thought that he
was too good-natured. There was truth in her idea, and it showed a good
deal of common sense and appreciation of character. But it was not the
whole truth. Ma