"Think not, my lord," said Wagner, "that I should be so ungenerous as to reproach you for a deed in which you had no concern, and over which you exercised no control. Nor should I inflict so deep an injury upon you, as to speak in disrespectful terms of him who was the author of your being, but who is now no more." "Your kind language has already made me your friend," exclaimed Francisco. "And now point out to me in what manner I can in any way repair--or mitigate--the wrong done to that fair creature in whom you express yourself interested." "That young lady is my sister," said Wagner, emphatically. "Your sister, signor! And yet, meseems, she recognized you not----" "Long years have passed since we saw each other," interrupted Fernand; "for we were separated in our childhood." "And did you not both speak of some relative--an old man who once dwelt on the confines of the Black Forest of Germany, but who is now in Florence?" asked Francisco. "Alas! that old man is no more," returned Wagner. "I did but use his name to induce Agnes to place confidence in me, and allow me to withdraw her from a scene which her wild grief so unpleasantly interrupted; for I thought that were I then and there to announce myself as her brother, she might not believe me--she might suspect some treachery or snare in a city so notoriously profligate as Florence. But the subsequent explanations which took place between us cleared up all doubts on that subject." "I am well pleased to hear that the poor girl has found so near a relative and so dear a friend, signor," said Francisco. "And now acquaint me, I pray thee, with the means whereby I may, to some extent, repair the injury your sister has sustained at the hands of him whose memory I implore you to spare!" "Wealth I possess in abundance--oh! far greater abundance than is necessary to satisfy all my wants!" exclaimed Wagner, with something of bitterness and regret in his tone; "but, even were I poor, gold would not restore my sister's honor. No--let that subject, however, pass. I would only ask you, count, whether there be any scion of your family--any lady connected with you--who answers this description?" And Wagner proceeded to delineate, in minute terms, the portraiture of the mysterious lady who had inspired Agnes on three occasions with so much terror, and whom Agnes herself had depicted in such glowing language. "Signor! you are describing the Lady Nisida, my sister!" exclaimed Francisco, struck with astonishment at the fidelity of the portrait thus verbally drawn. "Your sister, my lord!" cried Wagner. "Then has Dame Margaretha deceived Agnes in representing the Lady Nisida to be rather a beauty of the cold north than of the sunny south." "Dame Margaretha!" said Francisco; "do you allude, signor, to the mother of my late father's confidential dependent, Antonio?"