[Manasseh by Maurus Jokai]@TWC D-Link book
Manasseh

CHAPTER XI
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They intended to be married in Rome, she said, and then return to Hungary, whither the bridegroom's business called him.

It was clear to Blanka now why her lawyer had been so ready to renounce "the faith of his fathers." It was more for the sake of winning the hand of Madam Dormandy, who was a devout Catholic, and of marrying her then and there, in Rome, than on account of his client's interests.

Here let us take leave of the worthy man and let him depart with God's blessing, his newly married wife by his side, and his honorarium from Princess Blanka in his pocket.
Thus the divorced wife, who was yet hardly more than a girl, found herself left alone in Rome.

She shut herself off entirely from the world, never venturing into society lest people should whisper to one another as she passed,--"_la condannata!_" She received no one but her father confessor, who came to her once a week.

The sins which she had to confess to him were,--the doubting of providence, rebellion against human justice, forbidden dreams in waking hours, envy of others' happiness, aversion to prayer, and hatred of life--all sins for which she had to do penance.
Meanwhile quite a different sort of life was being led in the other wing of the palace.


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