im ended for ever, and
that of all men she could trust him the most, and that he would protect
her, if ever he might, even more effectually than Guido. His hand was
cool, and steady, and strong, and enfolding--the hand of a brave man.
But if she had looked she would have seen that his face was paler than
usual, and that his eyes seemed veiled.

She rose, and he followed her as she moved slowly forward.

"What a charming talent you have!" cried the Countess in an encouraging
tone, when Lamberti was near her.

"Have you made acquaintance at last?" Guido was asking of Cecilia, in an
undertone.

"Yes," she answered gravely. "I think we shall be good friends."

CHAPTER XVII

People said that Guido had ceased to be interesting since he had been
engaged to be married. Until that time, there had been an element of
romance about him, which many women thought attractive; and most men had
been willing to look upon him as a being slightly superior to
themselves, who cared only for books and engravings, though he never
thrust his tastes upon other people, nor made any show of knowing more
than others, and whose opinion on points of honour was the very best
that could be had. It was so good, indeed, that he was not often asked
to give it.

Now, however, they said that he was changed; that he was complacent and
pleased with himself; that this was no wonder, because he was marrying a
handsome fortune with a pretty and charming wife; that he had done
uncommonly well for himself; and much more to the same purpose. Also,
the mothers of impecunious marriageable sons of noble lineage said in
their maternal hearts that if they had only guessed that Countess
Fortiguerra would give her daughter to the first man who asked for her,
they would not have let Guido be the one.

The judgments of society are rarely quite at fault, but they are almost
always relative and liable to change. They are, indeed, appreciations of
an existing state of things, rather than verdicts from which there is no
appeal. The verdict comes after the state of things has ceased to exist.

Guido was happy, and nothing looks duller than the happiness of quiet
people. Nobody will go far to look at the sea when it is calm, if he is
used to seeing it at all; but those who live near it will walk a mile or
two to watch the breakers in a storm.

In the first place, Guido was in love, and more in love with Cecilia's
face and figure t