ck to bring you here--a harmless trick, one
carriage for another, my brother's orderly for a servant. I found out
from Madame Bernard where you were going and I sent for you before the
hour. You are as safe here as if you were praying in your chapel; in a
few minutes the carriage will take you back, you will say you got into
the wrong one by mistake, which is quite true, and the right one will
take you where you are to go; you will be scarcely half-an-hour late
and no one will ever know anything more about it.'

Sister Giovanna had listened patiently to his explanation, and
believed what he said. He had always been impulsive to rashness, but
now that her first surprise had subsided she was less afraid. He had
evidently yielded to a strong temptation with the idea of forcing her
to listen to him, and in reality, if she had understood herself, she
was not able to believe that he would hurt her or bring any disgrace
upon her.

'If you are in earnest,' she said, when he had finished, 'then let me
go at once.'

'Presently,' he answered. 'This afternoon you made me promise to hear
quietly what you had to say, and I did my best. I could not help your
being frightened just now, I suppose--after all, I have carried you off
from the door of your Convent, and I meant you to understand that you
were helpless, and must listen. I ought to have put it differently,
but I am not clever at such things. All I ask is that you will hear
me. After all, that is what you asked of me to-day.'

He had begun to walk up and down before her, while he was speaking;
but he did not come near her, for the chair stood between her and the
line along which he was pacing backwards and forwards. Something in
his way of speaking reassured her, as he jerked out the rather
disconnected sentences. Women often make the mistake of thinking that
when we men begin to stumble away from the straight chalk-line of that
logic in which we are supposed by them to take such pride, our purpose
is wavering, whereas the opposite is often the case. Men capable of
sudden, direct, and strong action are often poor talkers, particularly
when they are just going to spring or strike. A little hesitation is
more often the sign of a near outbreak than of any inward weakening.
But Sister Giovanna was deceived.

'I shall be forced to listen, if you insist,' she said, moving half a
step forward from the curtain, 'but how can I trust you, while I am
your prisoner?'

'You can trus