He had quite forgotten that one of the charms of Marina upon
which he had insisted in the days when he had made much of this maiden
to his patrician mother was that in capacity for thought and in force of
character she was far above the maidens of ancient lineage, from whom
the Lady Laura would have had him choose his bride.
Marina had named, among others, Fra Francesco, her own spiritual
director, a Servite friar of gentle and winning demeanor, who was much
beloved both in his convent and in other circles where his duties called
him. He was a man of simple habits and the most exemplary life, whose
whole force lay in his extreme devotion to duty and his passionate love
for the Church; his sole anxiety was for her glory, and he would have
been supremely happy in the life he had chosen, were it not for his
growing anxiety lest from her own sons she should receive dishonor. He
was always a welcome visitor at the palazzo Giustiniani, and already
the little prince of the household had a special smile for him.
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