The Valley Of Decision

d glad to be rid of him, andVanna packing him off early, with the warning that he was not to fallinto the fish

cream-coloured hackney saddled for her ride in the chase;and at length, after much lingering and gazing, going on to theharness-rooms and coach-house. The state-car

sudden condescension. "When I'm aman I shall ride in these carriages," he said; whereat the other laughedand returned good-humouredly: "Eh, that's not so much to boast of,cavaliere;

duke's gentlemenmanaged their horses and took their exercise in bad weather. Severalrode there that morning; and a

hback's sleeve, as thegentleman, just below th

had no such scruples. "They do say,though," he went on, "that her Highness has her eye on him, and in thatcase I'll wager your illustrious mamma has no more chance than a sparrowagainst a hawk."The boy's words we

ing to try on hiscourt dress. He found his mother propped against her pillows, drinkingchocolate, feeding her pet monkey and giving agitated directions to themaidservants on their knees before the open carriage-trunks. Herexcellency informed Odo that she had that moment received an expressfrom his grandfather, the old Marquess di Donnaz; that they were tostart next morning for the castle of Donnaz, a

with more concern than shehad before shown, it went hard with him to put his weapon aside, and hecast longing eyes at the corner where it lay. At length a chamberlainsummoned them and they set out down the corridors, attended by twoservants. Odo held his head high, with one hand leading Donna Laura (forhe wo

a tall room, with gods and goddesses in the clouds overheadand personages as supra-terrestrial seated in gilt armchairs about asmoking brazier. Before one of these, to whom Donna Laura sweptsuccessive curtsies in advancing, the frightened cavaliere found himselfdragged with his sword betwee

was scant fourteenand looked a mere child in her great hoop and jewelled stomacher. Herwonderful fair hair, drawn over a cushion and lightly powdered, wastwisted with pearls and roses, and her cheeks excessively rouged, in theFrench fashion; so that as she arose on the approach of the visitors shelooked to Odo for all the world like the wooden Virgin hung with votiveofferings in the par

with black veils and a high coif. Whatthese alarming personages said and did, the child could never recall;nor were his own actions clear to him, except for a furtive caress thathe remembered giving the spaniel as he kissed the Duchess's hand;wher

ng something in the hand of Odo's mother, who brokeinto fresh compliments and curts

s, the asses ladenwith milk and vegetables, the servant-girls bargaining at theprovision-stalls, the shop-keepers' wives going to mass in pattens andhoods, with scaldini in their muffs, the dark recessed openings in thepalace basements, where fruit sellers, wine-merchants and coppersmithsdisplayed their wares, the pedlars hawking books and toys, and here andthere a gentleman in a sedan chair retur

hey must not expose themselves to thepestilent air; and though Odo was not yet addicted to generalreflections, he could not but wonder that she should display such dreadof an atmosphere she had let him breathe since his birth. He knew ofcourse that the sunset vapours on the marsh were unhealthy: everybody

ngforward he strained his eyes for a glimpse of Pontesordo. They werepassing through a patch of oaks; but where these ended the countryopened, and beyond a belt of osiers and the mottled faded stretch

thepebbles of the yard, perpetually running across the damp stone floors,with Filomena crying after her : "Hasten then, child of iniquity! Youare slower than a day without bread!" He had almost resolved to speak ofthe foundling to his mother, who still seemed in a condescending humour;but his attention was unexpectedly distracted by a troop of Egyptians,who came along the road

olite; and both, as it seemed, easier when thebusiness was despatched and the Count's foot in the stirrup. He had sofar taken little notice of Odo, but he