"
She spread out her hands before her and half-turned away her head, as if
in deprecation of some sacrilege, growing very white.
"Is _this_ the answer, my Father?"
"It is the reason for the answer which hath come by unanimous conviction
into the soul of every man of the ruling body of Venice, and hath been
voiced by each, in his vote, with a fullness of consent which is of
God's sending. Thus are they nerved to declare the censure void--and
Venice is unharmed."
"Madre Beatissima! _thus_ hast thou answered me?"
"My daughter, may it not comfort thee to know that that which thou, in
faith and love, hast prayed for Venice--that in this struggle she should
hold God's favor unharmed--hath come to her, though the manner of the
benefit accord not with the manner of the grace which thou hast asked?"
"If my reason is clouded with terror," she said very slowly, as if her
strength were spent, "God hath vouchsafed me no other reason--but only
that which trembles at this broken law of obedience.
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