is of him I would speak. Has the messenger
returned from Casa Canacci, I ask?"

"I know not, your ladyship; I will go and
see," replied Francesca, glad of an excuse to leave
the presence of her mistress.

"A premature return of that man would spoil
all!" muttered the duchess to herself, as soon as
she was left alone. "But he will not return
yet," she continued, musingly; "there will be
confusion and much talking over the nine days'
wonder. The gadding Tuscan will never resist
the temptation of hearing everything that every
wiseacre has to say on the matter, and adding
his own contribution to the heap of lies no doubt
already current. No, no! he will not return yet
awhile. It is no use, Jacopo, to be in such a
hurry for your messenger's report—he will come
time enough! Anxious to know how his pretty
present was received! Faith, 'twas a nobly
chosen gift! My offering, Jacopo, shall be as
rare, ay, and as costly a gift as thine to thy
love—thy dainty- featured, bright-eyed love!
Sure all that loveliness is mirrored in thy fancy
at this moment. So would I have it, Jacopo, my
husband! I would have thy warm imagination
filled with picturings of that exquisitely tinted
cheek—how full of youth and health is the
delicate peach-bloom! Is it not, Jacopo?—of
that laughing eye! is it not in every beam eloquent
of passionate love, as it answers glance for glance
to thine own!—of the beautifully rounded spotless
marble of that delicate neck! Does the circlet
of pearls become it well, my husband?"

As she spoke, she extended both hands, as in
imagination tendering some present for
acceptance—her body bent a little forward in
humble attitude the while, and the face a little
upraised. Ah! that face! surely a face to
stamp its image on the brain of whoso looked on
it, almost indelibly! The fierce ominous scowl on
the lowering brow, and the lurid light in the
bloodshot eyes, made such terrible contrast with
the writhed sneering smile on the cold thin bloodless
lips!

The girl Francesca returned to the room as
the duchess was still standing in the attitude
described. She was on the point of giving her
answer respecting the errand on which she had
been sent, but remained in speechless astonishment
at the sight before her, thinking that the
moody humours of her mistress had at length
culminated in unmistakable insanity. Presently,
the duchess turned towards Francesca, and said,
after a moment of reflection,

"Ah! the man! the messenger to my lord's
. . . .friends in Casa Canacci? Has he
returned?"

"He has not, so please your excellency."

"Well, so far! Is my lord yet stirring?"

"He is, my lady. Luigi has just come from
his chamber. And, so please your ladyship, he
says my lord is asking for his linen."

"Well again! My lord shall be punctually
served. Collar and sleeves, ruffles and
wristbands, Holland linen and Flanders lace are all
ready. Go thou, Francesca, and bring hither the
silver basket to lay them in."

The silver basket or dish, or large basin
rather, which the duchess sent for, was a beautifully
chiselled piece of plate, the work of a
former century, much prized by several generations
of the Salviati, and frequently used by the
Lady Veronica for its present purpose.

"Am I not punctual," she muttered, as once
more left alone, she proceeded to take the fine
linen and rich laces from their repository—"am
I not punctual in each point of a good wife's
duty? Lie lightly, snowy folds, and keep the
secret of my New Year's offering, till Jacopo
Salviati's own hand shall unveil the gift Veronica
Cybo sends him!"

"Put the basin there, Francesca," she
continued to the girl, who entered bringing it; "and
go thou and bid Luigi ask if it be my lord's
pleasure that I send his things forthwith."

Francesca again left the room more mystified
than ever by the strangeness of her mistress's
manner, and by the unnecessary message she was
bidden to carry. Had she not already told the
duchess that my lord was waiting to complete
his toilette? She met Luigi returning from his
second mission to ascertain if Tonino could be
seen coming up the hill on his return from Casa
Canacci.

"I wish," said he, "that rogue Tonino would
make better speed when he is sent to the city.
If he don't mind what he is about, he will get
dog's allowance from my lord when he does
come. I never saw his excellency in such an
impatience!"

"Ay!" returned Fraucesca, "one can understand
his impatience for an answer from his
inamorata; but what can one make of my
mistress? She seems as anxious about Tonino's
return as he is!"

"Why upon earth did you tell her anything
about his going? Ah! women's tongues!"

"I never told her anything! What do you
take me for? Do you think I don't know my
place better than that?"

"How in the name of wonder did she find it
out, then?"

"The saints only know how she found it out!
But, I'll tell you what, Signor Liugi, I do believe
that my lady is not in her right mind. You mark
my words. The duchess will go mad one of
these blessed days, if she is not mad at this
moment, as I believe she is. I don't believe
she has been in bed all night. She has not
dressed for court, and no signs of her going to
do it. Then she is all in black this morning, of
all the days of the year! And now she has sent
me to ask if my lord is ready for his linen, I
have told her once that he is waiting for it!"

"Then go back to her ladyship, and tell her
so again," rejoined Luigi. "Her excellency may
go to Bonifazio,* instead of going to court, if
she thinks proper. But we must not be late at
the Pitti this morning. Run along, Cecchina