him by seeming to suppose that his severity to me has been more than justice.  I have confined myself simply to a supplication for—­his forgiveness of what he called, in his own words, the only fault of my life towards him, and an expression of the love which even I must feel I for him, whether he forgives me or not.  This has been done in letter after letter, and they are not sent back—­it is all.  In my last letter, I ventured to ask him to let it be an understood thing that he should before the world, and to every practical purpose, act out his idea of justice by excluding me formally, me and mine, from every advantage he intended his other children—­that, having so been just, he might afford to be merciful by giving me his forgiveness and affection—­all I asked and desired.  My husband and I had talked this over again and again; only it was a difficult thing to say, you see.  At last I took courage and said it, because, doing it, papa might seem to himself to reconcile his notion of strict justice, and whatever remains of pity and tenderness might still be in his heart towards me, if there are any such.  I know he has strong feelings at bottom—­otherwise, should I love him so?—­but he has adopted a bad system, and he (as well as I) is crushed by it....  If I were to write to you the political rumours we hear every day, you would scarcely think our situation improved in safety by the horrible Austrian army.  Florence bristles with cannon on all sides, and at the first movement we are promised to be bombarded.  On the other hand, if the red republicans get uppermost there will be a universal massacre; not a priest, according to their own profession, will be left alive in Italy.  The constitutional party hope they are gaining strength, but the progress which depends on intellectual growth must necessarily be slow.  That the Papacy has for ever lost its prestige and power over souls is the only evident truth; bright and strong enough to cling to.  I hear even devout women say:  ’This cursed Pope! it’s all his fault.’  Protestant places of worship are thronged with Italian faces, and the minister of the Scotch church at Leghorn has been threatened with exclusion from the country if he admits Tuscans to the church communion.  Politically speaking, much will depend upon France, and I have strong hope for France, though it is so strictly the fashion to despair of her.  Tell me dear Mr. Martin’s impression and your own—­everything is good that comes from you.  But most particularly, tell me how you both are—­tell me whether you are strong again, dearest Mrs. Martin, for indeed I do not like to hear of your being in the least like an invalid.  Do speak of yourself a little more.  Do you know, you are very unsatisfactory as a letter-writer when you write about yourself—­the reason being that you never do write about yourself except by the suddenest snatches, when you can’t possibly help the reference....

Robert sends his true regards with those of your
Gratefully affectionate
BA.