hild: Bardo _was_ fierce, you can't deny it. But
if you had only told me the truth, that there was a young hussey and
children, I should have understood it all. Anything seen or said of
her? No; and the less the better. They say enough of ill about him
without that. But since that was the reason you went--"

"No, dear cousin," said Romola, interrupting her earnestly, "pray do not
talk so. I wish above all things to find that young woman and her
children, and to take care of them. They are quite helpless. Say
nothing against it; that is the thing I shall do first of all."

"Well," said Monna Brigida, shrugging her shoulders and lowering her
voice with an air of puzzled discomfiture, "if that's being a Piagnone,
I've been taking peas for paternosters. Why, Fra Girolamo said as good
as that widows ought not to marry again. Step in at the door and it's a
sin and a shame, it seems; but come down the chimney and you're welcome.
_Two_ children--Santiddio!"

"Cousin, the poor thing has done no conscious wrong: she is ignorant of
everything. I will tell you--but not now."

Early the next morning Romola's steps were directed to the house beyond
San Ambrogio where she had once found Tessa; but it was as she had
feared: Tessa was gone. Romola conjectured that Tito had sent her away
beforehand to some spot where he had intended to join her, for she did
not believe that he would willingly part with those children. It was a
painful conjecture, because, if Tessa were out of Florence, there was
hardly a chance of finding her, and Romola pictured the childish
creature waiting and waiting at some wayside spot in wondering, helpless
misery. Those who lived near could tell her nothing except that old
deaf Lisa had gone away a week ago with her goods, but no one knew where
Tessa had gone. Romola saw no further active search open to her; for
she had no knowledge that could serve as a starting-point for inquiry,
and not only her innate reserve but a more noble sensitiveness made her
shrink from assuming an attitude of generosity in the eyes of others by
publishing Tessa's relation to Tito, along with her own desire to find
her. Many days passed in anxious inaction. Even under strong
solicitation from other thoughts Romola found her heart palpitating if
she caught sight of a pair of round brown legs, or of a short woman in
the contadina dress.

She never for a moment told herself that it was heroism or exalted
charity in h