Nor had he been otherwise than entirely sincere in all that he had just been saying to her.

Nevertheless he felt, somewhat more strongly and clearly, perhaps, than while he had been looking into Paolina's eyes, that he had undertaken rather a tremendous task in declaring that he would break off the projected marriage with the Lady Violante, the great-niece of the Cardinal,--a match which both families considered to be definitively arranged, and which was expected and looked forward to by all Ravenna, and that for the purpose and with the view of making so terrible a mesalliance as that he contemplated.

The Marchese Ludovico felt all the weight of the inheritance of a great name and a still greater social position, which devolved upon him from his uncle.

It was bad enough to contemplate the effect which would be produced, as regarded himself, by the step he contemplated.

But it was perfectly terrible to think of the effect it would produce on the Marchese Lamberto.