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ARIADNE. 181and the apes away. IfIcould pray as the womenpray in the churches, that is allIwould ask;nothing else — nothing else."" My God! How can you forgive hke that ? ""Toloveat all,is that not always to forgive ?"Then a heavy sigh parted her beautiful lipsthat werenow so pale yet stiU so proud, and shewent away from my presence and left me alonewith the marble. Hadit not been her creationIthinkIshould have struck the statue,and cursedit, and cast it down headlong;as of old, theycast the false gods.That clayIwent and sought Maryx. Thefever had passed from him with the heats ofsummer, and the perilous rams of the autumn,and its agues and its fires had ceased to chiU andburn him turn by turn. But he was weakenedand aged,and never, so Giulio told me, touchedthe plane or the chisel; his workmen he paid asof yore, but the workrooms were locked.Iasked to see him, andItold him." Youbade me sayhow you could serve her,"Isaid,tohim. "You can serve her now.Iam anold man and poor,and obscure,Icando nothing;