se,
possessed of so broad a charity, that she could cover with its
mantle the faults and defects of all about her.

"We soon became acquainted with the young Marquis Ossoli, and
met him frequently at Margaret's rooms. He appeared to be of
a reserved and gentle nature, with quiet, gentleman-like
manners, and there was something melancholy in the expression
of his face, which made one desire to know more of him. In
figure, he was tall, and of slender frame, with dark hair
and eyes; we judged that he was about thirty years of age,
possibly younger. Margaret spoke of him most frankly, and soon
told us the history of her first acquaintance with him, which,
as nearly as I can recall, was as follows:--

"She went to hear vespers, the evening of 'Holy Thursday,'
soon after her first coming to Rome, in the spring of 1847, at
St. Peter's. She proposed to her companions that some place
in the church should be designated, where, after the services,
they should meet,--she being inclined, as was her custom
always in St. Peter's, to wander alone among the different
chapels. When, at length, she saw that the crowd was
dispersing, she returned to the place assigned, but could not
find her party. In some perplexity, she walked about, with her
glass carefully examining each group. Presently, a young man
of gentlemanly address came up to her, and begged, if she were
seeking any one, that he might be permitted to assist her; and
together they continued the search through all parts of the
church. At last, it became evident, beyond a doubt, that her
party could no longer be there, and, as it was then quite
late, the crowd all gone, they went out into the piazza to
find a carriage, in which she might go home. In the piazza, in
front of St. Peter's, generally may be found many carriages;
but, owing to the delay they had made, there were then none,
and Margaret was compelled to walk, with her stranger friend,
the long distance between the Vatican and the Corso. At
this time, she had little command of the language for
conversational purposes, and their words were few, though
enough to create in each a desire for further knowledge and
acquaintance. At her door, they parted, and Margaret, finding
her friends already at home, related the adventure."

This chance meeting at vesper service in St.