The girl pauses, and the great tears rise to her eyes. Speranza raises herself suddenly, and, confronting the child, lays both hands upon her shoulders. “Until what, child?” “Until I’ve won, mother,” cries Gloria, as she raises her glorious eyes, in which the tears still tremble, to her mother’s face. “Ah, Gloria! the odds are against you, my darling.” “Don’t I know that, mother; don’t I know that well? But I am not afraid. I made a vow, mother, to-day, I made it to those waves; and something tells me that I shall keep that vow and win, though in doing so I may die.” “Hush, Gloria, hush, child; don’t talk like that.” “And don’t you want me to win, mother? After all you have suffered, after all you have taught me, would you have your child turn back from the path she has set herself to follow, because perhaps at that path’s end lies death?” “Child, it is a cause I would gladly lay down my life for, but how can I bring myself to wish you to sacrifice yourself?” “What is sacrifice in a great cause, mother? I fear no sacrifice, no pain, no consequence, so long as victory crowns me in the end.” The mother’s arms are round her child’s neck now, her head is bending down and the bright gold of Speranza’s lovely hair is close beside the glossy, wandering dark gold curls of Gloria. In the heart of the former a new-born hope is rising, vague, undefinable, yet still there, and which fills it with a happiness she has not known for many and many a day. “My child,” she exclaims softly, “can it be, that after all these years of weary, lonely suffering, I am awaking to find in you, you, the offspring of a forbidden love, the messenger that shall awake the world to woman’s wrongs, and make suffering such as I have endured _no longer possible_?” “Yes, mother, I feel it,” answers Gloria earnestly; “and that is why I have made my plans to-day. Everything must have a beginning you know, mother, and therefore I must begin, and begin at once. You must help me, mother darling. I can do nothing without your co-operation.” “Tell me your plans, Gloria, and mother will help you if she can.” “My plans are many, but the first must have a premier consideration. Mother, I must go to school.” “To school, child! I thought you always have begged me not to send you to school.” “It must be to a boy’s school, mother. You must send me to Eton.” “To Eton?” “Yes, mother; don’t you understand?” * * * * * Here a retrospect is necessary to enable the reader to comprehend the above conversation.