soul, and she no longer felt it a dreadful duty to wear the ring with
its glorious stone so full of light, an object that was to her intensely
repugnant. She would put it away, and with it all dark and morbid
thoughts. She had a life to lead, thoughts to think, actions to do, and
all that was in her own control must escape from the shadow of the past
into a working daylight.




CHAPTER IV

THE WICKED WOMAN IN FLORENCE


Edmund Grosse's friend was delighted to put the flat in the Palazzo at
his disposal. The weather was unusually warm for the autumn when Edmund
arrived in Florence. He was glad to get there, and glad to get away from
the gay group he had left in a beautiful villa on Lake Como; and
probably they were glad to see him go.

Edmund had indeed only stayed with them long enough to leave a very
marked impression of low spirits and irritation. "What's come to
Grosse?" was asked by more than one guest of the hostess.

"I don't know, but he really is impossible. It's partly because of
Billy--but I won't condescend to explain that Billy proposed himself and
I could not well refuse."

Billy is the only one of this gay, quarrelsome little group that need be