Where another woman would have shown disdain, she needed but to look grave, and her silence did the rest.

She wielded magnificent weapons, and wielded them nobly, as she did all things.

She needed all her strength, too, for her position from the first was not easy.

She had few troubles, but they were great ones, and she bore them bravely.
One may well ask why Corona del Carmine had married the old man who was her husband--the broken-down and worn-out dandy of sixty, whose career was so well known, and whose doings had been as scandalous as his ancient name was famous in the history of his country.

Her marriage was in itself almost a tragedy.