. The sorceress of Rome. ot my return to-night. And kissing her brow, Crescentius hurriedly left his wifesapartment and ascended a spiral stairway, leading to thechamber of his astrologer. Suddenly he staggered, as if hehad seen his own ghost and turned sick at heart. What have I done! he gasped, grasping his foreheadwith both hands. What have I done! Was it a presentiment that suddeiily rushed over Him,prompting him to retrace his steps, prompting him to takeback his request? For a moment he wavered. His pride and 114 CASTEL SAN ANGELO his love struggled for supremacy, — but pride
. The sorceress of Rome. ot my return to-night. And kissing her brow, Crescentius hurriedly left his wifesapartment and ascended a spiral stairway, leading to thechamber of his astrologer. Suddenly he staggered, as if hehad seen his own ghost and turned sick at heart. What have I done! he gasped, grasping his foreheadwith both hands. What have I done! Was it a presentiment that suddeiily rushed over Him,prompting him to retrace his steps, prompting him to takeback his request? For a moment he wavered. His pride and 114 CASTEL SAN ANGELO his love struggled for supremacy, — but pride would not have Stephania think that he feared a rival onearth. He would not have her believe that he questionedher love. After Crescentius had departed from the chamber, Stephaniagazed long and wistfully into the starlit night without, socalm and so serene. Then a laugh, wild and shrill, broke from her lips, andsinking back among her cushions, a shower of tears came toher relief. S CHAPTER IX THE SERMON IN THE GHETTO. HE Contubemium Hebraeorum,as it is loftily styled in thepontifical edicts of the time,the Roman Ghetto, was a dis-trict of considerable extent,reclaimed originally from theswamps of the Tiber at the footof the Capitoline Hill, and sur-romided either by lofty walls,or houses which were not per-mitted to have even a loop-hole to the exterior. Five massivegates, guarded by the halberdiers of tbe Roman magistratewere opened at sim-rise and closed at sun-set to emit and toreceive back their jealously guarded inmates, objects of un-utterable contempt and loathing with the populace, into whoseheart the Catholic Church of the Middle Ages had infused aveneration and love for the person of the Redeemer ratherthan for his attributes, and whose passions and devotions wereas yet unalloyed by the skepticism and indifference whichbegan to pervade the higher ranks of society in the centuryof the Renaissance. Three or four times a year, a grand attempt at conversionwas made, t
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