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baroness； 〃hoping or expecting that she will follow their wishes
Paternal resistance being nullby reason of this factin the first
placeand also from its being nullified by law； it is customaryfor
every sensible manafter making a final remonstrance to his child
and before she proceeds to the respectful summonsto leave her at
liberty to〃
Monsieur Roguin stopped； perceiving that he might talk on for two
hours without obtaining any answer； he felt； moreover； a singular
emotion at the aspect of the man he was attempting to convert。 An
extraordinary revolution had taken place on Piombo's face； his
wrinkles； contracting into narrow lines； gave him a look of
indescribable cruelty； and he cast upon the notary the glance of a
tiger。 The baroness was mute and passive。 Ginevra； calm and resolute；
waited silently； she knew that the notary's voice was more potent than
hers； and she seemed to have decided to say nothing。 At the moment
when Roguin ceased speaking； the scene had become so terrifying that
the men who were there as witnesses trembled； never； perhaps； had they
known so awful a silence。 The notaries looked at each other； as if in
consultation； and finally rose and walked to the window。
〃Did you ever meet people born into the world like that？〃 asked Roguin
of his brother notary。
〃You can't get anything out of him；〃 replied the younger man。 〃In your
place； I should simply read the summons。 That old fellow isn't a
comfortable person； he is furious； and you'll gain nothing whatever by
arguing with him。〃
Monsieur Roguin then read a stamped paper； containing the 〃respectful
summons；〃 prepared for the occasion； after which he proceeded to ask
Bartolomeo what answer he made to it。
〃Are there laws in France which destroy paternal authority？〃
demanded the Corsican。
〃Monsieur〃 said Roguin； in his honeyed tones。
〃Which tear a daughter from her father？〃
〃Monsieur〃
〃Which deprive an old man of his last consolation？〃
〃Monsieur； your daughter only belongs to you if〃
〃And kill him？〃
〃Monsieur； permit me〃
There is nothing more horrible than the coolness and precise reasoning
of notaries amid the many passionate scenes in which they are
accustomed to take part。
The forms that Piombo saw about him seemed； to his eyes； escaped from
hell； his repressed and concentrated rage knew no longer any bounds as
the calm and fluted voice of the little notary uttered the words：
〃permit me。〃 By a sudden movement he sprang to a dagger that was
hanging to a nail above the fireplace； and rushed toward his daughter。
The younger of the two notaries and one of the witnesses threw
themselves before Ginevra； but Piombo knocked them violently down； his
face on fire； and his eyes casting flames more terrifying than the
glitter of the dagger。 When Ginevra saw him approach her she looked at
him with an air of triumph； and advancing slowly； knelt down。 〃No； no！
I cannot！〃 he cried； flinging away the weapon； which buried itself in
the wainscot。
〃Well； then！ have mercy！ have pity！〃 she said。 〃You hesitate to be my
death； and you refuse me life！ Oh！ father； never have I loved you as I
do at this moment； give me Luigi！ I ask for your consent upon my
knees： a daughter can humiliate herself before her father。 My Luigi；
give me my Luigi； or I die！〃
The violent excitement which suffocated her stopped her words； for she
had no voice； her convulsive movements showed plainly that she lay； as
it were； between life and death。 Bartolomeo roughly pushed her from
him。
〃Go；〃 he said。 〃The wife of Luigi Porta cannot be a Piombo。 I have no
daughter。 I have not the strength to curse you； but I cast you off；
you have no father。 My Ginevra Piombo is buried here；〃 he said； in a
deep voice； pressing violently on his heart。 〃Go； leave my house；
unhappy girl；〃 he added； after a moment's silence。 〃Go； and never come
into my sight again。〃
So saying； he took Ginevra by the arm to the gate of the house and
silently put her out。
〃Luigi！〃 cried Ginevra； entering the humble lodging of her lover；〃my
Luigi； we have no other fortune than our love。〃
〃Then am I richer than the kings of the earth！〃 he cried。
〃My father and my mother have cast me off；〃 she said； in deepest
sadness。
〃I will love you in place of them。〃
〃Then let us be happy；we WILL be happy！〃 she cried； with a gayety in
which there was something dreadful。
CHAPTER V
MARRIAGE
The day after Ginevra was driven from her father's house she went to
ask Madame Servin for asylum and protection until the period fixed by
law for her marriage to Luigi。
Here began for her that apprenticeship to trouble which the world
strews about the path of those who do not follow its conventions。
Madame Servin received her very coldly； being much annoyed by the harm
which Ginevra's affair had inflicted on her husband； and told her； in
politely cautious words； that she must not count on her help in
future。 Too proud to persist； but amazed at a selfishness hitherto
unknown to her； the girl took a room in the lodging…house that was
nearest to that of Luigi。 The son of the Portas passed all his days at
the feet of his future wife； and his youthful love； the purity of his
words； dispersed the clouds from the mind of the banished daughter；
the future was so beautiful as he painted it that she ended by smiling
joyfully； though without forgetting her father's severity。
One morning the servant of the lodging house brought to Ginevra's room
a number of trunks and packages containing stuffs； linen； clothes； and
a great quantity of other articles necessary for a young wife in
setting up a home of her own。 In this welcome provision she recognized
her mother's foresight； and； on examining the gifts； she found a
purse； in which the baroness had put the money belonging to her
daughter； adding to it the amount of her own savings。 The purse was
accompanied by a letter； in which the mother implored the daughter to
forego the fatal marriage if it were still possible to do so。 It had
cost her； she said； untold difficulty to send these few things to her
daughter； she entreated her not to think her hard if； henceforth； she
were forced to abandon her to want； she feared she could never again
assist her； but she blessed her and prayed for her happiness in this
fatal marriage； if； indeed； she persisted in making it； assuring her
that she should never cease to think of her darling child。 Here the
falling tears had effaced some words of the letter。
〃Oh； mother！〃 cried Ginevra； deeply moved。
She felt the impulse to rush home； to breathe the blessed air of her
father's house； to fling herself at his feet； to see her mother。 She
was springing forward to accomplish this wish； when Luigi entered。 At
the mere sight of him her filial emotion vanished； her tears were
stopped； and she no longer had the strength to abandon that loving and
unfortunate