〃It does not depend on me to love； or not to love；〃 replied Ginevra；
still gently。
〃I flattered myself；〃 continued her father； 〃that my Ginevra would be
faithful to me until I died； and that my love and that of her mother
would suffice her till then； I did not expect that our tenderness
would find a rival in her soul； and〃
〃Did I ever reproach you for your fanaticism for Napoleon？〃 said
Ginevra。 〃Have you never loved any one but me？ Did you not leave me
for months together when you went on missions。 I bore your absence
courageously。 Life has necessities to which we must all submit。〃
〃Ginevra！〃
〃No； you don't love me for myself； your reproaches betray your
intolerable egotism。〃
〃You dare to blame your father's love！〃 exclaimed Piombo； his eyes
flashing。
〃Father； I don't blame you；〃 replied Ginevra； with more gentleness
than her trembling mother expected。 〃You have grounds for your
egotism； as I have for my love。 Heaven is my witness that no girl has
ever fulfilled her duty to her parents better than I have done to you。
I have never felt anything but love and happiness where others often
see obligation。 It is now fifteen years that I have never left your
protecting wing； and it has been a most dear pleasure to me to charm
your life。 But am I ungrateful for all this in giving myself up to the
joy of loving； is it ingratitude to desire a husband who will protect
me hereafter？〃
〃What！ do you reckon benefits with your father； Ginevra？〃 said Piombo；
in a dangerous tone。
A dreadful pause then followed； during which no one dared to speak。
Bartolomeo at last broke the silence by crying out in a heart…rending
tone：
〃Oh！ stay with us！ stay with your father； your old father！ I cannot
have you love another man。 Ginevra； you will not have long to await
your liberty。〃
〃But； father； remember that I need not leave you； we shall be two to
love you； you will learn to know the man to whose care you bequeath
me。 You will be doubly cherished by me and by him；by him who is my
other self； by me who am all his。〃
〃Oh！ Ginevra； Ginevra！〃 cried the Corsican； clenching his fists； 〃why
did you not marry when Napoleon brought me to accept the idea？ Why did
you not take the counts and dukes he presented to you？〃
〃They loved me to order；〃 said the girl。 〃Besides； they would have
made me live with them； and I did not wish to leave you alone。〃
〃You don't wish to leave me alone；〃 said Piombo； 〃and yet you marry！
that is leaving me alone。 I know you； my daughter； in that case； you
would cease to love us。 Elisa；〃 he added； looking at his wife； who
remained motionless； and as if stupefied； 〃we have no longer a
daughter； she wishes to marry。〃
The old man sat down； after raising his hands to heaven with a gesture
of invoking the Divine power； then he bowed himself over as if weighed
down with sorrow。
Ginevra saw his agitation； and the restraint which he put upon his
anger touched her to the heart； she expected some violent crisis； some
ungovernable fury； she had not armed her soul against paternal
gentleness。
〃Father；〃 she said； in a tender voice； 〃no； you shall never be
abandoned by your Ginevra。 But love her a little for her own sake。 If
you know how he loves me！ Ah！ HE would never make me unhappy！〃
〃Comparisons already！〃 cried Piombo； in a terrible voice。 〃No； I can
never endure the idea of your marriage。 If he loved you as you deserve
to be loved he would kill me； if he did not love you； I should put a
dagger through him。〃
The hands of the old man trembled； his lips trembled； his body
trembled； but his eyes flashed lightnings。 Ginevra alone was able to
endure his glance； for her eyes flamed also； and the daughter was
worthy of the sire。
〃Oh！ to love you！ What man is worthy of such a life？〃 continued
Piombo。 〃To love you as a father is paradise on earth； who is there
worthy to be your husband？〃
〃HE；〃 said Ginevra； 〃he of whom I am not worthy。〃
〃He？〃 repeated Piombo； mechanically； 〃who is HE？〃
〃He whom I love。〃
〃How can he know you enough to love you？〃
〃Father；〃 said Ginevra； with a gesture of impatience； 〃whether he
loves me or not； if I love him〃
〃You love him？〃 cried Piombo。
Ginevra bent her head softly。
〃You love him more than you love us？〃
〃The two feelings cannot be compared；〃 she replied。
〃Is one stronger than the other？〃
〃I think it is；〃 said Ginevra。
〃You shall not marry him；〃 cried the Corsican； his voice shaking the
window…panes。
〃I shall marry him；〃 replied Ginevra； tranquilly。
〃Oh； God！〃 cried the mother； 〃how will this quarrel end？ Santa
Virgina！ place thyself between them！〃
The baron； who had been striding up and down the room； now seated
himself； an icy sternness darkened his face； he looked fixedly at his
daughter； and said to her； in a gentle； weakened voice；
〃Ginevra； no！ you will not marry him。 Oh！ say nothing more to…night
let me think the contrary。 Do you wish to see your father on his
knees； his white hairs prostrate before you？ I supplicate you〃
〃Ginevra Piombo does not pass her word and break it；〃 she replied。 〃I
am your daughter。〃
〃She is right；〃 said the baroness。 〃We are sent into the world to
marry。〃
〃Do you encourage her in disobedience？〃 said the baron to his wife；
who； terrified by the word； now changed to marble。
〃Refusing to obey an unjust order is not disobedience；〃 said Ginevra。
〃No order can be unjust from the lips of your father； my daughter。 Why
do you judge my action？ The repugnance that I feel is counsel from on
high； sent； it may be； to protect you from some great evil。〃
〃The only evil could be that he did not love me。〃
〃Always HE！〃
〃Yes； always；〃 she answered。 〃He is my life； my good； my thought。 Even
if I obeyed you he would be ever in my soul。 To forbid me to marry him
is to make me hate you。〃
〃You love us not！〃 cried Piombo。
〃Oh！〃 said Ginevra； shaking her head。
〃Well； then； forget him； be faithful to us。 After we are goneyou
understand？〃
〃Father； do you wish me to long for your death？〃 cried Ginevra。
〃I shall outlive you。 Children who do not honor their parents die
early；〃 said the father； driven to exasperation。
〃All the more reason why I should marry and be happy；〃 she replied。
This coolness and power of argument increased Piombo's trouble； the
blood rushed violently to his head； and his face turned purple。
Ginevra shuddered； she sprang like a bird on her father's knee； threw
her arms around his neck； and caressed his white hair； exclaiming；
tenderly：
〃Oh； yes； yes； let me die first！ I could never survive you； my father；
my kind father！〃
〃Oh！ my Ginevra； my own Ginevra！〃 replied Piombo； whose anger melted
under this caress like snow beneath the rays of the sun。
〃It was time you ceased；〃 said the baroness； in a trembling voice。
〃Poor mother！〃
〃Ah！ Ginevretta！ mia bella Ginevra！〃
And the father played with his daughter as though she were a child of
six。 He amused himself by releasing the waving volume of her hair； by
dandling her on his knee； there was something of madness in these
expressions of his love。 Presently his daughter scolded while kissing
him； and tried； by jesting； to obtain admission for Luigi； but her
father； also jesting； refused。 She sulked； then returned to coax once
more； and sulked again； until； by the end of the evening； she was
forced to be content with having impressed upon her father's mind both
her love for Luigi and the idea of an approaching marriage。
The next day she said no more about her love； she was more caressing
to her father than she had ever been； and testified the utmost
gratitude； as if to thank him for the consent he seemed to have given
by his silence。 That evening she sang and played to him for a long
time； exclaiming now and then： 〃We want a man's voice for this
nocturne。〃 Ginevra was an Italian； and that says all。
At the end of a week her mother signed to her。 She went； and Elisa
Piombo whispered in her ear：
〃I have persuaded your father to receive him。〃
〃Oh！ mother； how happy you have made me！〃
That day Ginevra had the joy of coming home on the arm of her Luigi。
The officer came out of his hiding…place for the second time only。 The
earnest appeals which Ginevra made to the Duc de Feltre； then minister
of war； had been crowned with complete success。 Luigi's name was
replaced upon the roll of officers awaiting orders。 This was the first
great step toward better things。 Warned by Ginevra of the difficulties
he would encounter with her father； the young man dared not express
his fear of finding it impossible to please the old man。 Courageous
under adversity； brave on a battlefield； he trembled at the thought of
entering Piombo's salon。 Ginevra felt him tremble； and this emotion；
the source of whic