“And may God bless the love he sanctions!” said Mr. Carlisle solemnly. After a silence—for where hearts understand each other there is no need of many words—Assunta said in her own sweet tones:
“Do you regret now the decision of that night in Rome? Was I a true prophetess?”
“But we have lost so many years,” said Mr. Carlisle.
“Yes, lost for time, but gained for eternity.”
When Mrs. Lee returned, she greeted the guest with surprise, as well as pleasure; but both those emotions were lost in a still greater joy when Mr. Carlisle, drawing Assunta towards him, said:
“Mrs. Lee, this is my Christmas gift—a precious treasure, is it not, to be entrusted to one so undeserving?”
“Indeed it is a precious treasure,” echoed Mary enthusiastically; “but, Mr. Carlisle, there is not a man in the world in whose possession I would like to see it so well as in yours.”
“Bless you, Mrs. Lee, for your kind words! Petite, perhaps your taste is not so much in fault after all.”
“And, Mary,” said Assunta archly, “he may yet recover his good looks, you know.”
“Yes,” said Mr. Carlisle, “love and happiness are said to be great beautifiers. I have no objection to trying the experiment.”