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entering Piombo's salon。 Ginevra felt him tremble； and this emotion；
the source of which lay in her； was； to her eyes； another proof of
love。
〃How pale you are！〃 she said to him when they reached the door of the
house。
〃Oh！ Ginevra； if it concerned my life only！〃
Though Bartolomeo had been notified by his wife of the formal
presentation Ginevra was to make of her lover； he would not advance to
meet him； but remained seated in his usual arm…chair； and the
sternness of his brow was awful。
〃Father；〃 said Ginevra； 〃I bring you a person you will no doubt be
pleased to see；a soldier who fought beside the Emperor at Mont…
Saint…Jean。〃
The baron rose； cast a sidelong glance at Luigi； and said； in a
sardonic tone：
〃Monsieur is not decorated。〃
〃I no longer wear the Legion of honor；〃 replied Luigi； timidly； still
standing。
Ginevra； mortified by her father's incivility； dragged forward a
chair。 The officer's answer seemed to satisfy the old servant of
Napoleon。 Madame Piombo； observing that her husband's eyebrows were
resuming their natural position； said； by way of conversation：
〃Monsieur's resemblance to a person we knew in Corsica； Nina Porta； is
really surprising。〃
〃Nothing could be more natural；〃 replied the young man； on whose face
Piombo's flaming eyes now rested。 〃Nina was my sister。〃
〃Are you Luigi Porta？〃 asked the old man。
〃Yes。〃
Bartolomeo rose； tottered； was forced to lean against a chair and
beckon to his wife。 Elisa Piombo came to him。 Then the two old people；
silently； each supporting the other； left the room； abandoning their
daughter with a sort of horror。
Luigi Porta； bewildered； looked at Ginevra； who had turned as white as
a marble statue； and stood gazing at the door through which her father
and mother had disappeared。 This departure and this silence seemed to
her so solemn that； for the first time； in her whole life； a feeling
of fear entered her soul。 She struck her hands together with great
force； and said； in a voice so shaken that none but a lover could have
heard the words：
〃What misery in a word！〃
〃In the name of our love； what have I said？〃 asked Luigi Porta。
〃My father；〃 she replied； 〃never spoke to me of our deplorable
history； and I was too young when we left Corsica to know anything
about it。〃
〃Are we in vendetta？〃 asked Luigi； trembling。
〃Yes。 I have heard my mother say that the Portas killed my brother and
burned our house。 My father then massacred the whole family。 How is it
that you survived？for you were tied to the posts of the bed before
they set fire to the house。〃
〃I do not know；〃 replied Luigi。 〃I was taken to Genoa when six years
old； and given in charge of an old man named Colonna。 No detail about
my family was told to me。 I knew only that I was an orphan； and
without property。 Old Colonna was a father to me； and I bore his name
until I entered the army。 In order to do that； I had to show my
certificate of birth in order to prove my identity。 Colonna then told
me； still a mere child； that I had enemies。 And he advised me to take
Luigi as my surname； and so evade them。〃
〃Go； go； Luigi！〃 cried Ginevra。 〃No； stay； I must go with you。 So long
as you are in my father's house you have nothing to fear； but the
moment you leave it； take care！ you will go from danger to danger。 My
father has two Corsicans in his service； and if he does not lie in
wait to kill you； they will。〃
〃Ginevra；〃 he said； 〃this feud； does it exist between you and me？〃
The girl smiled sadly and bowed her head。 Presently she raised it； and
said； with a sort of pride：
〃Oh； Luigi； our love must be pure and sincere； indeed； to give me
strength to tread the path I am about to enter。 But it involves a
happiness that will last throughout our lives； will it not？〃
Luigi answered by a smile； and pressed her hand。
Ginevra comprehended that true love could despise all vulgar
protestations at such a moment。 This calm and restrained expression of
his feelings foreshadowed； in some sense； their strength and their
duration。
The destiny of the pair was then and there decided。 Ginevra foresaw a
cruel struggle； but the idea of abandoning Luigian idea which may
have floated in her soulvanished completely。 His forever； she
dragged him suddenly； with a desperate sort of energy； from her
father's house； and did not leave him till she saw him reach the house
where Servin had engaged a modest lodging。
By the time she reached home； Ginevra had attained to that serenity
which is caused by a firm resolution； no sign in her manner betrayed
uneasiness。 She turned on her father and mother； whom she found in the
act of sitting down to dinner； a glance of exceeding gentleness devoid
of hardihood。 She saw that her mother had been weeping； the redness of
those withered eyelids shook her heart； but she hid her emotion。 No
one touched the dinner which was served to them。 A horror of food is
one of the chief symptoms which reveal a great crisis in life。 All
three rose from table without having addressed a single word to one
another。
When Ginevra had placed herself between her father and mother in the
great and gloomy salon； Piombo tried to speak； but his voice failed
him； he tried to walk； but he had no strength in his legs。 He returned
to his seat and rang the bell。
〃Pietro；〃 he said； at last； to the footman； 〃light the fire； I am
cold。〃
Ginevra trembled； and looked at her father anxiously。 The struggle
within him must have been horrible； for his face was distorted。
Ginevra knew the extent of the peril before her； but she did not
flinch。 Bartolomeo； meanwhile； cast furtive glances at his daughter；
as if he feared a character whose violence was the work of his own
hands。
Between such natures all things must be extreme。 The certainty of some
impending change in the feelings of father and daughter gave to the
worn and weary face of the baroness an expression of terror。
〃Ginevra； you love the enemy of your family；〃 said Piombo； at last；
not daring to look at his daughter。
〃That is true；〃 she replied。
〃You must choose between us。 Our vendetta is a part of our being。
Whoso does not share my vengeance is not a member of my family。〃
〃My choice is made；〃 replied Ginevra； calmly。
His daughter's tranquillity misled Bartolomeo。
〃Oh！ my dear child！〃 he cried； letting her see his eyes moistened with
tears； the first and only tears he ever shed in life。
〃I shall be his wife；〃 said Ginevra； abruptly。
Bartolomeo seemed dazed for a moment； but he recovered his coolness
instantly； and replied：
〃The marriage will not take place in my lifetime； I will never consent
to it。〃
Ginevra kept silence。
〃Ginevra；〃 continued the baron； 〃have you reflected that Luigi is the
son of the man who killed your brother？〃
〃He was six years old when that crime was committed； he was；
therefore； not guilty of it；〃 she replied。
〃He is a Porta！〃 cried Bartolomeo。
〃I have never shared that hatred；〃 said Ginevra； eagerly。 〃You did not
bring me up to think a Porta must be a monster。 How could I know that
one of those whom you thought you had killed survived？ Is it not
natural that you should now yield your vendetta to my feelings？〃
〃A Porta！〃 repeated Piombo。 〃If his father had found you in your bed
you would not be living now； he would have taken your life a hundred
times。〃
〃It may be so；〃 she answered； 〃but his son has given me life； and more
than life。 To see Luigi is a happiness without which I cannot live。
Luigi has revealed to me the world of sentiments。 I may； perhaps； have
seen faces more beautiful than his； but none has ever charmed me thus；
I may have heard voicesno； no； never any so melodious！ Luigi loves
me； he will be my husband。〃
〃Never；〃 said Piombo。 〃I would rather see you in your coffin；
Ginevra。〃
The old Corsican rose and began to stride up and down the salon；
dropping the following sentences； one by one； after pauses which
betrayed his agitation。
〃You think you can bend my will。 Undeceive yourself。 A Porta shall
never be my son； that is my decree。 Let there be no further question
of this between us。 I am Bartolomeo di Piombo； do you hear me；
Ginevra？〃
〃Do you attach some mysterious meaning to those words？〃 she asked；
coldly。
〃They mean that I have a dagger； and that I do not fear man's justice。
Corsicans explain themselves to God。〃
〃And I；〃 said the daughter； rising； 〃am Ginevra Piombo； and I declare
that within six months I shall be the wife of Luigi Porta。 You are a
tyrant； my father；〃 she added； after a terrifying pause。
Bartolomeo clenched his fists and struck them on the marble of the
chimneypiece。
〃Ah！ we are in Paris！〃 he muttered。
Then he was silent； crossed his arms； bowed his head on his breast；
and said not a