was　only　slightly　closed；　and　entered　the　hall；　at　the　same　moment　a　side　door　opened；　and　a　lady　sprang　forward；　with　extended　arms；　to　meet　the　count。
  〃Oh；　my　angel；〃　said　she；　in　that　soft　Italian　tongue；　so　well　suited　to　clothe　love's　trembling　sighs　in　words〃oh；　my　angel；　are　you　here　at　last？　I　saw　your　noble；　handsome　face；　from　my　window；　it　seemed　to　me　that　my　room　was　illuminated　with　glorious　sunshine；　and　my　heart　and　soul　were　warmed。〃
  Ranuzi　made　no　answer　to　these　glowing　words；　silently　he　suffered　himself　to　be　led　forward　by　the　lady；　then　replied　to　her　ardent　assurances　by　a　few　cool；　friendly　words。
  〃You　are　alone　to…day；　Marietta；〃　said　he；　〃and　your　husband　will　not　interrupt　our　conversation。〃
  〃My　husband！〃　said　she；　reproachfully；　〃Taliazuchi　is　not　my　husband。　I　despise　him；　I　know　nothing　of　him；　I　am　even　willing　that　he　should　know　I　adore　you。〃
  〃Oh　woman；　woman！〃　said　Ranuzi；　laughing；　〃how　treacherous；　how　dangerous　you　are！　When　you　love　happily；　you　are　like　the　anaconda；　whose　poisonous　bite　one　need　not　fear；　when　it　is　well　fed　and　tended；　but　when　you　have　ceased　to　love；　you　are　like　the　tigress　who；　rashly　awaked　from　sleep；　would　strangle　the　unfortunate　who　disturbed　her　repose。　Come；　my　anaconda；　come；　if　you　are　satisfied　with　my　love；　let　us　talk　and　dream。〃　He　drew　her　tenderly　toward　him；　and；　kissing　her　fondly；　seated　her　by　his　side；　but　Marietta　glided　softly　to　his　feet。
  〃Let　it　be　so；〃　she　said；　〃let　me　lie　at　your　feet；　let　me　adore　you；　and　read　in　your　face　the　history　of　these　last　three　terrible　days；　in　which　I　have　not　seen　you。　Where　were　you；　Carlo？　why　have　you　forgotten　me？〃
  〃Ah；〃　said　he；　laughing；　〃my　anaconda　begins　to　hunger　for　my　heart's　blood！　how　long　before　she　will　be　ready　to　devour　or　to　murder　me？〃
  〃Do　not　call　me　your　anaconda；〃　she　said；　shaking　her　head；　〃you　say　that；　when　we　are　satisfied　with　your　love；　we　are　like　the　sleeping　anaconda。　But；　Carlo；　when　I　look　upon　you；　I　thirst　for　your　glances；　your　sweet　words；　your　assurances　of　love。　And　has　it　not　been　thus　all　my　life　long？　Have　I　not　loved　you　since　I　was　capable　of　thought　and　feeling？　Oh；　do　you　remember　our　happy；　glorious　childhood；　Carlo？　those　days　of　sunshine；　of　fragrance；　of　flowers；　of　childish　innocence？　Do　you　remember　how　often　we　have　wandered　hand　in　hand　through　the　Campagna；　talking　of　God；　of　the　stars；　and　of　the　flowers？dreaming　of　the　time　in　which　the　angels　and　the　stars　would　float　down　into　our　hearts；　and　change　the　world　into　a　paradise　for　us？〃
  〃Ah！　we　had　a　bitter　awaking　from　these　fair　dreams；〃　said　Ranuzi；　thoughtfully。　〃My　father　placed　me　in　a　Jesuit　college；　your　mother　sent　you　to　a　cloister；　that　the　nuns　might　make　of　you　a　public　singer。　We　had　both　our　own　career　to　make；　Marietta；　you　upon　the　stage；　I　on　the　confessor's　stool。　We　were　the　poor　children　of　poor　parents；　and　every　path　was　closed　to　us　but　one；　the　church　and　the　stage；　our　wise　parents　knew　this。〃
  〃And　they　separated　us；〃　sighed　Marietta；　〃they　crushed　out　the　first　modest　flame　of　our　young；　pure　hearts；　and　made　us　an　example　of　their　greed！　Ah；　Carlo；　you　can　never　know　how　much　I　suffered；　how　bitterly　I　wept　on　your　account。　I　was　only　twelve　years　old；　but　I　loved　you　with　all　the　strength　and　ardor　of　a　woman；　and　longed　after　you　as　after　a　lost　paradise。　The　nuns　taught　me　to　sing；　and　when　my　clear；　rich　voice　pealed　through　the　church　halls；　no　one　knew　that　not　God's　image；　but　yours；　was　in　my　heart；　that　I　was　worshipping　you　with　my　hymns　of　praise　and　pious　fervor。　I　knew　that　we　were　forever　separated；　could　never　belong　to　each　other；　so　I　prayed　to　God　to　lend　swift　wings　to　time；　that　we　might　become　independent　and　free；　I　as　a　singer　and　you　as　my　honored　confessor。〃
  Ranuzi　laughed　merrily。　〃But　fate　was　unpropitious；〃　said　he。　〃The　pious　fathers　discovered　that　I　had　too　little　eloquence　to　make　a　good　priest；　in　short；　that　I　was　better　fitted　to　serve　holy　mother　Church　upon　the　battle…field。　When　I　was　a　man　and　sufficiently　learned；　they　obtained　a　commission　for　me　as　officer　in　the　Pope's　body…guard；　and　I　exchanged　the　black　robe　of　my　order　for　the　gold…　embroidered　uniform。〃
  〃And　you　forgot　me；　Carlo？　you　did　not　let　me　know　where　you　were？　Five　years　after；　when　I　was　engaged　in　Florence　as　a　singer；　I　learned　what　had　become　of　you。　I　loved　you　always；　Carlo；　but　what　hope　had　I　ever　to　tell　you　so？　we　were　so　far　away　from　each　other；　and　poverty　separated　us　so　widely。　I　must　first　become　rich；　you　must　make　your　career。　Only　then　might　we　hope　to　belong　to　each　other。　I　waited　and　was　silent。〃
  〃You　waited　and　were　silent　till　you　forgot　me；〃　said　Ranuzi；　playing　carelessly　with　her　long；　soft　curls；　〃and；　having　forgotten　me；　you　discovered　that　Signer　Taliazuchi　was　a　tolerably　pretty　fellow；　whom　it　was　quite　possible　to　love。〃
  〃Taliazuchi　understood　how　to　flatter　my　vanity；〃　said　she；　gloomily；　〃he　wrote　beautiful　and　glowing　poems　in　my　praise；　which　were　printed　and　read　not　only　in　Florence；　but　throughout　all　Italy。　When　he　declared　his　love　and　pleaded　for　my　hand；　I　thought；　if　I　refused　him；　he　would　persecute　me　and　hate　me；　that　mockery　and　ridicule　would　take　the　place　of　the　enthusiastic　hymns　in　my　praise；　with　which　Italy　then　resounded。　I　was　too　ambitious　to　submit　to　this；　and　had　not　the　courage　to　refuse　him；　so　I　became　his　wife；　and　in　becoming　so；　I　abhorred　him；　and　I　swore　to　make　him　atone　for　having　forced　me　to　become　so。〃
  〃But　this　force　consisted　only　in　hymns　of　praise　and　favorable　criticisms；〃　said　Ranuzi；　quietly。
  〃I　have　kept　my　oath；〃　said　Marietta；　〃I　have　made　him　atone　for　what　he　has　done；　and　I　have　often　thought　that；　when　afterward　compelled　to　write　poems　in　my　favor；　he　cursed　me　in　his　heart；　he　would　gladly　have　crushed　me　by　his　criticisms；　but　that　my　fame　was　a　fountain　of　gold　for　him；　which　he　dared　not　exhaust　or　dry　up。　But　my　voice　had　been　injured　by　too　much　straining；　and　a　veil　soon　fell　upon　it。　I　could　but　regard　it　as　great　good　fortune　when　Count　Algarotti　proposed　to　me　to　take　the　second　place　as　singer　in　Berlin；　this　promised　to　be　more　profitable；　as　the　count　carelessly　offered　Taliazuchi　a　place　in　the　opera　troupe　as　writer。　So　I　left　my　beautiful　Italy；　I　left　you　to　amass　gold　in　this　cold　north。　And　now；　I　no　longer　repent；　I　rejoice！　I　have　found　you　againyou；　the　beloved　of　my　youthyou；　my　youth　itself。　Oh；　Heaven！　never　will　I　forget　the　day　when　I　saw　you　passing。　I　knew　you　in　spite　of　the　uniform；　in　spite　of　the　many　years　which　had　passed　since　we　met。　I　knew　you；　and　not　my　lips　only；　but　my　heart；　uttered　that　loud　cry　which　caused　you　to　look　up；　my　Carlo。　And　now　you　recognized　me　and　stretched　your　hands　out　to　me；　and　I　would　have　sprung　to　you　from　the　window；　had　not　Taliazuchi　held　me　back。　I　cried　out；　'It　is　Ranuzi！　it　is　Carlo！　I　must；　I　will　fly　to　him；'　when　the　door　opened　and　you　entered　and　I　saw　you；　my　own　beloved；　I　heard　your　dear　voice；　and　never　did　one　of　God's　poor　creatures　fall　into　a　happier　insensibility　than　I　in　that　rapturous　moment。〃
  〃And　Taliazuchi　stood　by　and　smiled！〃　said　Ranuzi；　laughing；　〃it　was　truly　a　pretty　scene　for　an　opera　writer。　He；　no　doubt；　thought　so；　and　wished　to　take　note　of　it；　as　he　left　the　room　when　you　awaked　to　consciousness。〃
  〃Since　that　time；　I　am　only　awake　when　in　your　presence；〃　said　Marietta；　passionately。　〃When　you　are　not　near　me；　I　sleep。　You　are　the　sun　which　rouses　me　to　life。　When　you　leave　me；　it　is　night　dark　night；　and　dark；　gloomy　thoughts　steal　over　me。〃
  〃What　thoughts；　Marietta？〃　said　he；　placing　his　hand　under　her　chin；　and　raising　her　head　gently。
  She　looked　up　at　him　with　a　curious；　dreamy　smile；　but　was　silent。
  〃Well；　what　thoughts　have　you　when　I　am　not　with　you？〃　he　repeated。
  〃I　think　it　possible　a　day　may　come　in　which　you　will　cease　to　love　me。〃
  〃And　you　think　you　will　then　fly　to　Taliazuchi　for　consolation？〃　said　Ranuzi；　laughing。
  〃No；　I　think；　or　rather　I　fear　that　I　will　revenge　myself；　that　I　will　take　vengeance　on　you　for　your　unfaithfulness。〃
  〃Ah！　my　tigress　threatens！〃　cried　Ranuzi。　〃Now；　Marietta；　you　know　well　that　I　shall　never　cease　to　love　you；　but　a　day　will　come　when　we　will　be　forced　to　separate。〃　She　sprang　up　with　a　wild　cry；　and　clasped　him　stormily　in　her　arms。
  〃No；　no！〃　she　cried；　trembling　and　weeping；　〃no　man　shall　dare　to　tear　you　from　me！　We　will　never　be　separated！〃
  〃You　think；　then；　that　I　am　not　only　your　prisoner　for　life；　but　also　the　eternal　prisoner　of　the　King　of　Prussia？〃
  〃No；　no！　you　shall　be　freefree！　but　Marietta　will　also　be　free；　and　by　your　side。　When　you　leave　Berlin；　I　go　with　you；　no　power　can　bind　me　here。　Taliazuchi　will　not　seek　me；　if　I　leave　him　my　little　fortune。　I　will　do　that；　I　will　take　nothing　with　me。　Poor；　without　fortune　or　possessions；　I　will　follow　you；　Ranuzi。　I　desire　nothing；　I　hope　for　nothing；　but　to　be　by　your　side。〃
  She　clasped　him　in　her　arms；　and　did　not　remark　the　dark　cloud　which　shadowed　his　brow；　but　this　vanished　quickly；　and　his　countenance　assumed　a　kind　and　clear　expression。　〃It　shall　be　so；　Marietta！　Freedom　shall　unite　us　both