y knows all about
Giovanni; if he did not altogether approve of his character and conduct,
he would never have consented to admit him as a suitor for my hand!"

"A suitor for your hand, Zuleika! My God! has he then dared----"

"He has done nothing that an upright and honorable man should not do!"
interrupted Zuleika, warmly. "He did not even call here until he had
written to papa and obtained his full permission to do so."

"Zuleika," said Esperance, approaching his sister and taking her hand,
"no doubt Giovanni Massetti has conducted himself in all respects
toward you like a perfect gentleman, but, nevertheless, he is not fit to
be my sister's husband."

"But papa----"

"Has been deceived, as have many others, in regard to the true character
and standing of this so-called Roman nobleman."

"And is he not a nobleman?"

"Once more I must refuse to answer any question in regard to him. I can
only tell you to beware and shun him as you would a venomous serpent."

"Esperance, I love him!"

"Love him!--you love him, Zuleika! Oh! this is, indeed, torture!"

The young man dropped his sister's hand and flung himself upon a divan.
He was a prey to the most intense excitement.

Zuleika, deeply affected to see him thus, and remembering Giovanni's
mysterious behavior, together with his strange and ominous words, when
she had questioned him in regard to his quarrel with Esperance, felt for
a moment shaken and uncertain. She also recollected that, at the time of
the inexplicable difficulty between the two young men, she had heard
rumors to the effect that a youthful member of the Roman aristocracy had
abducted a beautiful peasant girl, in which affair he had been assisted
by the notorious brigand Luigi Vampa; the matter, however, had almost
immediately been hushed up and she had learned none of the
circumstances. Could it be possible that Giovanni Massetti was the
youthful aristocrat alluded to by the gossips and scandalmongers of the
Eternal City--that he was the abductor of the unfortunate peasant girl?
She could not entertain such an idea, and yet that abduction, in spite
of all her efforts, would associate itself with her Italian lover in her
mind.

She arose from her chair and, going to the divan, seated herself beside
Esperance, determined to make a final attempt to draw his secret from
him. Throwing her arms tenderly about his neck she said, in a coaxing
tone:

"If any sound reason exists why I should not love