ido's behalf was unconsciously directed against himself.

"You will never know who he is," she said at last, very gently.

"We shall all know, when you marry him," Lamberti answered with
unnecessary roughness.

"No, I shall never marry him," she said. "I mean never to see him again.
I would not marry him, even if he should ever love me."

"Why not?"

"For Guido's sake. I have treated Guido very badly, though I did not
mean to do it. If I cannot marry Guido, I will never marry at all."

"That is like you," Lamberti answered, and his voice softened. "I
believe you are in earnest."

"With all my heart. But promise me one thing, please, on your word."

"Not till I know whether I may."

"For his sake, not for mine. Stay with him. Do not leave him alone for a
moment till you are sure that he is safe and will not try to kill
himself. Will you promise?"

"Not unless you will promise something, too."

"Do not ask me to pretend that I love him. I cannot do it."

"Very well. You need not pretend anything. Let me tell him that you will
let your engagement continue to all appearance, and that you will see
him, but that you put off the wedding for the reasons you gave in your
letter. Let me tell him that you hope you may yet care for him enough to
marry him. You do, do you not?"

"No!"

"At least let me say that you are willing to wait a few months, in order
to be sure of yourself. It is the only thing you can do for him. Perhaps
you can accustom him by slow degrees to the idea that you will never
marry him."

"Perhaps."

"In any case, you ought to do your best, and that is the best you can
do. See him a few times when he is well enough, and then leave Rome.
Tell him that it will be a good thing to be parted for a month or two,
and that you will write to him. Do not destroy what hope he may have,
but let it die out by degrees, if it will."

Cecilia hesitated. After what had passed between them she could hardly
refuse to follow such good advice, though it was hard to go back to
anything approaching the state of things with which she had broken by
her letter. But that was only obstinacy and pride.

"Let it be distinctly understood that I do not take back my letter at
all," she said. "If I consent to what you ask, it is only for Guido's
sake, and I will only admit that I may be more sure of myself in a few
months than I am now, though I cannot see how that is possible."

"It shall be understood most distinctly,"