Sisera,--or if you want profane examples, Catherine de Medicis,
Mademoiselle de Brinvilliers, Charlotte Corday. There are women who
have formed a purpose, and gone on steadily toward its accomplishment,
even though, like that Roman girl,--Tullia was her name?--they had to
drive over a father's corpse to do it."

"You have known such, perhaps," said Richard.

"Yes," I answered, with, a gentle smile, "I have. They wished no harm,
it might be, to any one, but people stood in their way. It is as if you
were going to the arbor after grapes, and there were a swarm of ants in
the path. You have no malice against the ants, but you want the
grapes,--so you walk on, and they are crushed."

I was thinking of John and of his love, but William did not know that.
"You are a strange being!" he said, looking at me with a mixture of
admiration and distrust.

"Ah! Well, you see my race is somewhat anomalous,--a blending of the
Spaniard and the Yankee. Come, I will be all Spanish for a time; bring
me the guitar. Now let me sing you a _romance_."

I struck the tinkling chords, and began a sweet love-ditty. Fixing my
eyes on his, I made every word speak to his heart from mine. I saw his
color change, his eyes melt;--when the song ended, he was at my feet.

I know not what he said; I only know it was passion, burning and
intense. Oh, but it was balm both to my love and hate to hear him! I
let him go on as long as he would,--then I said, gently caressing his
bright hair,--