By degrees the stormy passion within her gave place to calm reflection.  This day she was to go away; she was to dwell beneath another roof, to serve another mistress.  Humiliation! always humiliation!  But at least it would be some change in her life.  As she thought of this, she returned hastily to the palace that she might not, on the last day of her servitude, incur the anger of her young mistress.

Scarcely was Anielka attired in her prettiest dress, when Constantia came to her with a little box, from which she took several gay-colored ribbons, and decked her in them herself, that the serf might do her credit in the new family.  And when Anielka, bending down to her feet, thanked her, Constantia, with marvelous condescension, kissed her on her forehead.  Even Leon cast an admiring glance upon her.  His servant soon after came to conduct her to the carriage, and showing her where to seat herself, they rolled off quickly toward Radapol.

For the first time in her life Anielka rode in a carriage.  Her head turned quite giddy, she could not look at the trees and fields as they flew past her; but by degrees she became more accustomed to it, and the fresh air enlivening her spirits, she performed the rest of the journey in a tolerably happy state of mind.  At last they arrived in the spacious court-yard before the Palace of Radapol, the dwelling of a once rich and powerful Polish family, now partly in ruin.  It was evident, even to Anielka, that the marriage was one for money on the one side, and for rank on the other.

Among other renovations at the castle, occasioned by the approaching marriage, the owner of it, Prince Pelazia, had obtained singers for the chapel, and had engaged Signer Justiniani, an Italian, as chapel-master.  Immediately on Leon’s arrival, Anielka was presented to him.  He made her sing a scale, and pronounced her voice to be excellent.

Anielka found that, in Radapol, she was treated with a little more consideration than at Olgogrod, although she had often to submit to the caprices of her new mistress, and she found less time to read.  But to console herself, she gave all her attention to singing, which she practiced several hours a day.  Her naturally great capacity, under the guidance of the Italian, began to develop itself steadily.  Besides sacred, he taught her operatic music.  On one occasion Anielka sung an aria in so impassioned and masterly style, that the enraptured Justiniani clapped his hands for joy, skipped about the room, and not finding words enough to praise her, exclaimed several times, “Prima Donna!  Prima Donna!”

But the lessons were interrupted.  The Princess’s wedding-day was fixed upon, after which event she and Leon were to go to Florence, and Anielka was to accompany them.  Alas! feelings which gave her poignant misery still clung to her.  She despised herself for her weakness; but she loved Leon.  The sentiment was too deeply implanted in her bosom to be eradicated; too strong to be resisted.  It was the first love of a young and guileless heart, and had grown in silence and despair.