. It
was easier to follow his impulses, and fortunately for him they were
brave and honourable. He never analysed his feelings, never troubled
himself about his motives, never examined his conscience. It told him
well enough whether he was doing right or wrong, and on general
principles he always meant to do right. It was not his fault if his
imagination made him fall in love in a dream with the young girl who was
probably to be his friend's wife. But it would be distinctly his fault
if he gave himself the chance of falling in love with her in reality.

Moreover, though he did not know how much further Cecilia's dream
coincided with his own, and believed it impossible that the coincidence
should be nearly as complete as it seemed, he felt that she would love
him if he chose that she should. The intuitions of very masculine men
about women are far keener and more trustworthy than women guess; and
when such a man is not devoured by fatuous vanity he is rarely mistaken
if he feels sure that a woman he meets will love him, provided that
circumstances favour him ever so little. There is not necessarily the
least particle of conceit in that certainty, which depends on the direct
attraction between any two beings who are natural complements to each
other.

Lamberti was a man who had the most profound respect for every woman who
deserved to be respected ever so little, and a good-natured contempt for
all the rest, together with a careless willingness to be amused by them.
And of all the women in the world, next to his own mother, the one whom
he would treat with something approaching to veneration would be Guido's
wife, if Guido married.

Without any reasoning, it was plain that he must see as little as
possible of Cecilia Palladio. But as this would not please Guido, the
best plan was to go away while there was time. In all probability, when
he next returned, say in two years, he would no longer feel the
dangerous attraction that was almost driving him out of his senses at
present.

He had been in Rome some time, expecting his promotion to the rank of
lieutenant-commander, which would certainly be accompanied by orders to
join another ship, possibly very far away. If he showed himself very
anxious to go at once, before his leave expired, the Admiralty would
probably oblige him, especially as he just now cared much less for the
promised step in the service than for getting away at short notice. The
best thing to be done wa