"She is right," said the baroness. "We are sent into the world to
marry."

"Do you encourage her in disobedience?" said the baron to his wife,
who, terrified by the word, now changed to marble.

"Refusing to obey an unjust order is not disobedience," said Ginevra.

"No order can be unjust from the lips of your father, my daughter. Why
do you judge my action? The repugnance that I feel is counsel from on
high, sent, it may be, to protect you from some great evil."

"The only evil could be that he did not love me."

"Always _he_!"

"Yes, always," she answered. "He is my life, my good, my thought. Even
if I obeyed you he would be ever in my soul. To forbid me to marry him
is to make me hate you."

"You love us not!" cried Piombo.

"Oh!" said Ginevra, shaking her head.

"Well, then, forget him; be faithful to us. After we are gone--you
understand?"

"Father, do you wish me to long for your death?" cried Ginevra.