Naturally she and I have avoided the subject of the Cardinal. But to the tragedy of his death was joined one circumstance of such coarse and brutal unconcern that it had left me not only remorseful but resentful. As we sat together the other evening, after one of those silences that fall unregarded between us, I could no longer forbear to face an understanding. "Georgiana," I said, "do you know what became of the redbird?" Unwittingly the color of reproach must have lain upon my words, for she answered quickly with yet more in hers, "I had it buried!" It was my turn to be surprised. "Are you sure?" "I am sure. I told them where to bury it; I showed them the very spot--under the cedar. They told me they had. Why?" I thought it better that she should learn the truth. "You know we can't trust our negroes. They disobeyed you. They lied to you; they never buried it. They threw it on the ash-pile. The pigs tore it to pieces; I saw them; they were rooting at it and tearing it to pieces." She had clasped her hands, and turned towards me in acute distress. After a while, with her face aside, she said, slowly, "And you have believed that I knew of this--that I permitted it?" "I have believed nothing. I have waited to understand." A few minutes later she said, as if to herself, "Many a person would have been only too glad to believe it, and to blame me." Then folding her hands over one of mine, she said, with tears in her eyes: "Promise me--promise me, Adam, until we are married, and--yes, _after_ we are married--as long as I live, that you will never believe anything of me until you _know_ that it is true!" "I do promise, dear, dear, dearest one-!" I cried, trying to draw her to me, but she would not permit it. "And you?" "I shall never misunderstand," she replied, as with a flash of white inward light. "I know that you can never do anything that will make me think the less of you." Since the sad, sad day on which I caused the death of the Cardinal, I have paid little heed to the birds. The subject has been a sore one. Besides, my whole life is gradually changing under the influence of Georgiana, who draws me farther and farther away from nature, and nearer and nearer to my own kind.