Saracinesca

a slit for the insertion of letters, by a shabby green cord which, being pulled, rang a feeble bell, and adorned by a visiting-

d through chinks of the rusty door. A dark-green carpet in passably good condition covered the floor; three or four broad divans, spread with oriental rugs, and two very much dilapidated carved chairs with leathern seats, constituted the furniture; the walls were hung with sketches of heads and figures; half-finished portraits stood upon two easels, and others

tremities thereof rose short and perpendicular from the corners of his well-shaped mouth. His eyes were dark and singularly expressive, his forehead low and very broad; his hands were sufficient

e entered, his palette and mahl-stick in his hand, and made

said familiarly, "wha

upon which he was working. It was undeniably good-a striking figure in full-length, life-

erice, "you will never be succe

like," said Donna

erice. "There is the foundation of l

ist, she added in a more doubtful voice, "Perhaps, as Del Ferice says, y

f. A new comet visible only through a good glass causes a deal of talk and speculation in the world; but unless it comes near enough to brush the earth with its tail, it is very soon forgotten. But Gouache seemed to understand this

it in herself. But he had many reasons for not wishing to quarrel with Donna Tullia, and he swallowed his a

an to work without any further words. Del Ferice installed himself upon a divan whence he could see Donna Tullia and her portrait, and the sitting began

king about yesterday?" she asked s

e answered, a

Madame Mayer, r

as I," returned Del Ferice, rather g

surprise. "A little more towards me, Madam

ice!" exclaimed Donna Tu

judiced and stupid who d

cimen of the furious Conservative, who hates change and has a

"I am not sure that he is not more intelligent than you-in so

. It was not his business

justice to your charms. It must be a singular lack of intelligence which prevents h

asked the Frenchman, w

t of other men, and knew that she had not won it, and because she hated to feel that Del Ferice w

shed nothing at all. What is the good of our meeting here two or three times a-week, meeting in society, whispering

rned Del Ferice, with a sneer. "He says if a change comes he

. "A handful of students, a few paving-stones, 'Viv

m Gouache the painter was one, he had not really the slightest idea of accomplishing anything. He took advantage of the prevailing excitement in order to draw Donna Tullia into a closer confidence than he could otherwise have aspired to obtain. He wanted to marry her, and every new power he could obtain over her was a step towards his goal. Neither she nor her friends were of the stuff required for revolutionary work; but Del Ferice had hopes that, by means of the knot of malcontents he was gr

g-stones and screaming 'Vive la République!' I am not surprised that you ar

idea of a popular moveme

d brushes, and turning sharply upon the Italian-"yours wou

volunteered to perform that service to Italy, I would certainly n

" exclaimed Donna Tullia. "Go on with your

red Anastase in a meditative tone, as he resumed his work, and g

hich Del Ferice rejoices, but in which

ary and treacherous bloodshed," answered Del Ferice, sententiously. Again Gouache smile

especially and ridiculously mora

ked, in an i

l, and Rome the capital of a free Italy. Of course we would all like to see it accomplished

o be a woman of very commonplace intellect; he wondered why he was not able to deceive her more effectually. He was often able to direct her, he sometimes eli

should sound ridiculous when it comes from me. I

ays, it is not the fashion to utter moralities in a severe tone, with an air of conviction. A little dash of cynicism-you know, a sort of half sne

alette, "one should always sneer at what one cannot reach. The fox, you remember, cal

vanni had to say about those g

of government, and that he thought it his duty to fight against it. He talked a great deal about the level of the Tiber, and landed property, and the

hat you think of Don Gi

would like to hear wh

ing to sacrifice his convictions to his wealth or his wealth to his convictions, intelligent in regard to his own interests and b

nk of you?" asked Ana

ed Del Ferice, with a laugh. "H

nge! I should not

is a scoundrel?" asked

that our friend Del Ferice is a man of the most profound philanthropic convictio

" asked Donna Tullia, wi

oked uncomm

never permit myself to think

the compliment, my dear fellow; but I must infer that

be inscribed in letters of flame, in the most expensive Bengal lights if you please, over the porte cochère of every palace in Rome, not to mention the churches. I look forward to

is really dreadfully irreverent to jest about our most sacred convictions, or t

d caps, the terrible m?nad women urging the brawny ruffians on to shed more blood, the lurid light of burning churches, the pale and trembling victims dragged beneath the

sincere. Del Ferice, to whom the daily whispered talk of revolution in Donna Tullia's circle was mere child's play, was utterly indifferent, and suffered himself to be amused by the yo

for the good cause, you sit here in your studio dreaming of barricades and guillotines, merely as

ver disappear-you know people sometimes do in revolutions-or if by any unlucky accident your beautiful neck should chance beneath that

a Tullia, with a slight laugh. "Y

hen your expression changes so

to you this morning. I wish you would a

politics

But Gouache's ide

me?" inquired the painter, stepping back fro

ple," answered Donna T

, and a f

and popular education-not very interesting,

for you to paint, except p

every café in the north of Italy," interrupted the arti

to sit to you wh

ill make a restaurant of the Colosseum, and they will hoist the Italian flag on the cross of St. Pe

impossible to deal with them. If you like old cities, why do you not like old women?

re horses do likewise. The faculty of comparison is lacking in your mind, my dear Del Ferice, as it is generally lacking in the minds of true patriots. Great reforms and great revolutions are generally brought about by people of fierce and desperate convictions, li

ce, with Valdarno, with Casalverde, even with the melancholy and ironical Spicca, concerning conspiracies and deeds of darkness of all kinds, and she knew that she and they might go on talking for ever in the same strain without producing the smallest effect on events; but she never to the very end relinquished the illusion she cherished so dearly, that she was really and truly a conspirator, and that if any one of her light-headed acquaintance betrayed the rest, they might all be ordered out of Rome in four-and-twenty hours, or might even disappear into that long range of dark buildings to the left of the colonnade of St. Peter's, martyrs to the cause of their own self-importance and semi-theatrical vanity. The

raps of news. But even they were of small importance. The moment had not come, and all the talking and whispering and tale-bearing in the world could not hasten events, nor change their course. But Donna Tullia was puffe

l probability purely Italian, and he had inherited the common instinct in matters of art which is a part of the Italian birthright. He had recognised Gouache's wonderful talent, and had first brought Donna Tullia to his studio-a matter of little difficulty when she had learned that the young artist had already a reputation. It pleased her to fancy that by

, Anastase did not contradict her, but presently suffered her to depart in peace with her devoted adorer at her heels. And when they were gone, Anastase lighted a cigarette, and took a piece of charcoal and sketched a caricature of Donna Tullia in a liberty cap, in a fine