"It is too soon--too soon," she murmured. "But how can I help it? I love you so that there is no counting of time. It seems years since we met last night, and I thought it would be years before I told you. Oh, Giovanni, I am so happy! Is it possible that you love me as I love you?" It is a marvellous thing to see how soon two people who love each other learn the gentle confidence that only love can bring. A few moments later Giovanni and Corona were slowly pacing the platform, and his arm was about her waist and her hand in his. "Do you know," she was saying, "I used to wonder whether you would keep your word, and never try to see me. The days were so long at Astrardente." "Not half so long as at Saracinesca," he answered. "I was going to call my aqueduct the Bridge of Sighs; I will christen it now the Spring of Love." "I must go and see it to-morrow," said she. "Or the next day--" "The next day!" she exclaimed, with a happy laugh. "Do you think I am going to stay--" "For ever," interrupted Giovanni. "We have a priest here, you know,--he can marry us to-morrow, and then you need never go away." Corona's face grew grave. "We must not talk of that yet," she said, gently, "even in jest." "No; you are right. Forgive me," he answered; "I forget many things--it seems to me I have forgotten everything, except that I love you." "Giovanni,"--she lingered on the name,--"Giovanni, we must tell your father at once." "Are you willing I should?" he asked, eagerly. "Of course--he ought to know; and Sister Gabrielle too. But no one else must be told. There must be no talk of this in Rome until--until next year." "We will stay in the country until then, shall we not?" asked Giovanni, anxiously. "It seems to me so much better. We can meet here, and nobody will talk. I will go and live in the town at Astrardente, and play the engineer, and build your roads for you." "I hardly know," said Corona, with a doubtful smile. "You could not do that. But you may come and spend the day once--in a week, perhaps." "We will arrange all that," answered Giovanni, laughing. "If you think I can exist by only seeing you once a week--well, you do not know me." "We shall see," returned Corona, laughing too. "By the bye, how long have we been here?" "I do not know," said Giovanni; "but the view is magnificent, is it not?" "Enchanting," she replied, looking into his eyes. Then suddenly the blood mounted to her cheeks. "Oh, Giovanni," she said, "how could I do it?" "I should have died if you had not," he answered, and clasped her once more in his arms. "Come," said she, "let us be going down. It is growing late." When they reached the foot of the tower, they found the Prince walking the rampart alone. Sister Gabrielle was afraid of the evening air, and had retired into the house. Old Saracinesca faced them suddenly. He looked like an old lion, his thick white hair and beard bristling about his dark features.