It was love of her and the overmastering passion of my grief at her so sudden death that led me, in a madness, to desire once more to look upon her face ere they delivered it to earth's keeping.

Thus was it that I came to discover that she lived; thus was it that I anticipated Ramiro del' Orca.

He came upon us almost before I had raised her from the coffin, yet love lent me strength and craft to delude him.

We hid awhile in the sacristy, and it was there, after Madonna had revived, that the pent-up passion of years burst the bond with which reason had bidden me restrain it." "By the Host!" cried Cesare, his brows drawn down in a frown.

"You are a bold man to tell me this.