"I had never seen Donna Roma Volonna until to-day."
"Forgive me for coming to you," she said.
"I thank you for doing so," he replied, "and if I have sinned against you, from this hour onward I am your friend and champion. Let me try to right the wrong I have done you. What I said was the result of a mistake—let me ask your forgiveness."
"You mean publicly?"
"Yes!"
"You are very good, very brave," she said; "but no, I will not ask you to do that."
"Ah! I understand. I know it is impossible to overtake a lie. Once started it goes on and on, like a stone rolling down-hill, and even the man who started can never stop it. Tell me what better I can do—tell me, tell me."
Her face was still down, but it had now a new expression of joy.
"There is one thing you can do, but it is difficult."
"No matter! Tell me what it is."