There was a sort of
feeling that the whole affair was exceptional; that the higher
powers had visibly taken the management of it into their own hands;
that it was destined so to be, and must be, as such, accepted. Too
much of pity, of wonder, of congratulation, and of condolence, were
due from all his world to leave any space for censure on account of
his marriage.
Doubtless there were explanations between them as to that hapless
expedition to the Pineta; and doubtless they were satisfactory.
Assuredly Ludovico never in his moments of most severe self-
examination, sharpened, as such self-examination was, by the
terrible nature of the result which had seemed to grow out of his
conduct on that Ash Wednesday morning, could accuse himself of
having done aught that could reasonably be held to leave at his door
the responsibility of the events that had followed from it. Italian
men are not apt to bring into any prominence the idea that where
evil or misfortune is found there fault of some kind must exist
also. They are content, for the most part, to accept the notion that
all such matters are sufficiently accounted for by attributing them
to "disgrazia"--the absence of favour, that is to say--the want of
that favour at the Heavenly Court which it is on every occasion of
life seen to be so necessary to successful well-being to possess at
the Courts of Heaven's ecclesiastical, or lay vice-gerents.
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