" It is the same thing. My life is as valuable as
Paolo's. I only suggested that you should transfer
your tender attentions from me to my brother."

" It is one thing to threaten a man to his face. It
is quite another to offer a man a serious inducement
to commit murder. Since you have been so very
frank with me, Sor Marzio, I will confess that if the
choice lay between killing you, or killing Don Paolo,

I



114 MARZIO'S CRUCIFIX CHAP, v

under the present circumstances I would not hesitate
a moment."

" And which woidd you "

" Neither," replied the young man, with a cool laugh.
" Don Paolo is too good to be killed, and you are not
good enough. Come and look at the cherub's head I
have made."



CHAPTEE VI

Lucia's cheerfulness was not genuine, and any one
possessing greater penetration than her mother would
have understood that she was, in reality, more fright-
ened than she was willing to show. The girl had a
large proportion of common sense, combined with a
quicker perception than the stout Signora Pandolfi.
She did not think that she knew anything about logic,
and she had always shown a certain inconsistency in
her affection for Gianbattista, but she had nevertheless
a very clear idea of what was reasonable, a quality
which is of immense value in difficulties, though it is
very often despised in every-day life by people who
believe themselves blessed by the inspirations of
genius.
