n another memoir, a narrative well calculated to inspire
doubt; and, further, he so turned and twisted the evidence of Benedetta's
own maid as to make that evidence also serve against her. Finally he
argued in a decisive way that, even supposing the marriage had not been
consummated, this could only be ascribed to the resistance of the
Countess, who had thus set at defiance one of the elementary laws of
married life, which was that a wife owed obedience to her husband.

Next had come a fourth memoir, drawn up by the reporter of the
Congregation, who analysed and discussed the three others, and
subsequently the Congregation itself had dealt with the matter, opining
in favour of the dissolution of the marriage by a majority of one
vote--such a bare majority, indeed, that Monsignor Palma, exercising his
rights, had hastened to demand further inquiry, a course which brought
the whole _procedure_ again into question, and rendered a fresh vote
necessary.

"Ah! the poor Contessina!" exclaimed Victorine, "she'll surely die of
grief, for, calm as she may seem, there's an inward fire consuming her.
It seems that Monsignor Palma is the master of the situation, and can
make the affair drag on as long as he likes. And then a deal of money had
already been spent, and one will have to spend a lot more. Abbe Pisoni,
whom you know, was very badly inspired when he helped on that marriage;
and though I certainly don't want to soil the memory of my good mistress,
Countess Ernesta, who was a real saint, it's none the less true that she
wrecked her daughter's life when she gave her to Count Prada."

The housekeeper paused. Then, impelled by an instinctive sense of
justice, she resumed. "It's only natural that Count Prada should be
annoyed, for he's really being made a fool of. And, for my part, as there
is no end to all the fuss, and this divorce is so hard to obtain, I
really don't see why the Contessina shouldn't live with her Dario without
troubling any further. Haven't they loved one another ever since they
were children? Aren't they both young and handsome, and wouldn't they be
happy together, whatever the world might say? Happiness, _mon Dieu_! one
finds it so seldom that one can't afford to let it pass."

Then, seeing how greatly surprised Pierre was at hearing such language,
she began to laugh with the quiet composure of one belonging to the
humble classes of France, whose only desire is a quiet and happy life,
irrespective of mat