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Agnes received this letter, sent an answer, and the

correspondence continued for some time, as we have related. When

her mother informed Lucy that Renzo was well and in safety, she

derived great relief from the intelligence, desiring but one

thing more, which was, that he should forget, or rather, that he

should endeavour to forget her. On her part she made a similar

resolution, with respect to him, a hundred times a day; and

employing every means of which she was mistress to accomplish so

desirable an end, she applied herself incessantly to labour,

endeavouring to give to it all the powers of her soul. When the

image of Renzo occurred to her mind, she tried to banish it by

prayer; but, while thinking of her mother, (and how could she

avoid thinking of her mother?) the image of Renzo intruded

himself as a third into the place so often occupied by the real

Renzo.