"My Lord," said Agnes, speaking with a touch of something even commanding in her tone, "you have me at advantage, it is true, but you ought not to use it in trying to ruin my soul by blaspheming holy things." And then she added, in a tone of indescribable sadness, "Alas, that so noble and beautiful a soul should be in rebellion against the only True Church! Have you forgotten that good mother you spoke of? What must she feel to know that her son is an infidel!" "I am not an infidel, Agnes; I am a true knight of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and a believer in the One True, Holy Church." "How can that be?" said Agnes. "Ah, seek not to deceive me! My Lord, such a poor little girl as I am is not worth the pains." "By the Holy Mother, Agnes, by the Holy Cross, I do not seek to deceive you! I speak on my honor as a knight and gentleman. I love you truly and honorably, and seek you among all women as my spotless wife, and would I lie to _you_?" "My Lord, you have spoken words which it is a sin for me to hear, a peril to your soul to say; and if you had not, you must not seek me as a wife. Holy vows are upon me. I must be the wife of no man here; it is a sin even to think of it." "Impossible, Agnes!" said Agostino, with a start. "You have not taken the veil already? If you had"-- "No, my Lord, I have not. I have only promised and vowed in my heart to do so when the Lord shall open the way." "But such vows, dear Agnes, are often dispensed; they may be loosed by the priest. Now hear me,--only hear me. I believe as your uncle believes,--your good, pious uncle, whom you love so much. I have taken the sacrament from his hand; he has blessed me as a son. I believe as Jerome Savonarola believes. He it is, that holy prophet, who has proclaimed this Pope and his crew to be vile usurpers, reigning in the name of Christ." "My Lord! my Lord! I must not hear more! I must not,--I cannot,--I will not!" said Agnes, becoming violently agitated, as she found herself listening with interest to the pleadings of her lover. "Oh, Agnes, what has turned your heart against me? I thought you promised to love me a little?" "Oh, hush! hush! don't plead with me!" she said, with a wild, affrighted look. He sought to come towards her, and she sprang forward and threw herself at his feet. "Oh, my Lord, for mercy's sake let me go! Let us go on our way! We will pray for you always,--yes, always!" And she looked up at him in an agony of earnestness. "Am I so hateful to you, then, Agnes?" "Hateful? Oh, no, no! God knows you are--I--I--yes, I love you too well, and you have too much power over me; but, oh, do not use it! If I hear you talk, I shall yield,--I surely shall, and we shall be lost, both of us! Oh, my God! I shall be the means of your damnation!" "Agnes!" "It is true! it is true! Oh, do not talk to me, but promise me, promise me, or I shall die! Have pity on me! have pity on yourself!"