he wonderful opportunities he had
given her."

"But, John," said the Mistress of the House, "I do not believe the Pope
could have separated them. The Roman Catholic Church does not sanction
divorce."

"Not as a rule, madam," replied the gardener; "but I will touch on this
point again. There was a good deal to be said on her side, it is true;
but I am not going to take sides with any of the persons in my story.
She had driven away the poor doctor, and declared she would have nothing
to do with him; and so the unhappy man told Jaqui he was going back to
Milan, where he had been living, and would trouble his wife no more.
Then up jumped Jaqui in a terrible state of mind. Was he never to get
rid of this lady? He declared to Paltravi he could not accept the
responsibility. When she had been in the box it had been bad enough, but
now it was impossible. He would go away to some place unknown. He would
depart utterly and leave everything behind him.

"But on his knees Dr. Paltravi implored Jaqui to stay where he was, and
to protect his wife for a time at least. He would send money, he would
do everything he could, and perhaps, after a time, some arrangement
could be made; but now he must go. He had been ordered to leave, and he
must do so. It had not been two days since Paltravi and Jaqui had met,
but already it seemed to them that they were old friends. Strange
circumstances had bound them together, and Jaqui now found he could not
refuse the charge which was thrust upon him; and Dr. Paltravi departed.

"Donna Paltravi did not allow her anger to deprive her of her
opportunities. There were so many new things she wanted to see that she
set about seeing them with great earnestness and industry, and she
enjoyed her new world very much indeed. The news of her revivification
spread abroad rapidly, for such a thing could not be concealed; and many
people came to see her. She was beautiful and popular, and adopted new
fashions as soon as she learned them. Jaqui had nothing to say to all
this; he had no right now to keep people from seeing her.

"Very soon there came to her the fool-poet. Now Jaqui began to hope. He
had been assured by his priest that, under the circumstances, the church
would dissolve this young lady's marriage with Paltravi, and if Florino
would marry her Jaqui might look forward to a peaceful life. Now whether
the priest had a right to say this I will not take it on myself to say;
but he did say it: and so Jaq