"Even of YOU, I say! He will weary of your beauty--that delicate
fine loveliness which makes me long to possess it!--me, a priest of
the Mother-Church, whose heart is supposed to beat only for two
things--Power and Revenge! Listen--listen yet a moment!" and he drew
a step nearer, while Sylvie held her ground where she stood,
unflinchingly, and like a queen, though she was pale to the very
lips--"What of the friend you love so well, Angela Sovrani, who has
dared to paint such a picture as should be burnt in the public
market-place for its vile heresy! Do you think SHE will escape the
wrath of the Church? Not she! We in our day use neither poison nor
cold steel--but we know how to poison a name and stab a reputation!
What! You shrink at that? Listen yet--listen a moment longer! And
remember that nothing escapes the vigilant eye of Rome! At this very
moment I can place my hand on Florian Varillo, concerning whom there
is a rumour that he attempted the assassination of his betrothed
wife,--an inhuman deed that no sane man could ever have
perpetrated"--here Sylvie uttered a slight exclamation, and he
paused, looking at her with a cold smile--"Yes, I repeat it!--a deed
WHICH NO SANE MAN COULD HAVE PERPETRATED! The unfortunate, the
deeply wronged Florian Varillo, is prepared to swear, and I AM
PREPARED TO SWEAR WITH HIM, that he is guiltless of any such vile
act or treachery--and also that he painted more than half of the
great picture this woman Sovrani claims as her own work! Whilst
strongly protesting against its heresy and begging her to alter
certain figures in the canvas, still he gave her for love's sake,
all his masculine ability.
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