ITALIAN FIRE- FLIES. 



blue, and shining forth in regal splendour, there are stars of 

 the earth radiant galaxies of Italian fire-flies,, which, rising 

 from the low underwood, or falling from the lofty trees, shoot 

 through the air in scintillating streams of living light. 



Away from the glare of the city, and from its noisy revelry 

 which rose at intervals, on their unheeding ears, a youth and 

 maiden were wandering in the garden of one of those villa 

 palaces then numerous on the outskirts of Genoa. They were, 

 of course, lovers ; for none others, so near their scene, would have 

 been absent from that evening's festivities. The figure of the 

 young man was commanding, and correspondent with his dress, 

 which bespoke him to be of noble rank. His features also 

 were of uncommon beauty ; but an eye, well versed in the lines of 

 character, might have detected about them a certain expression 

 of weakness a wandering of the eye, and an effeminate soft- 

 ness of the mouth, which gave suspicion of the like defects of 

 disposition; and one, certainly, who should have so read his 

 countenance would not have very greatly wronged the cha- 

 racter of young Marco, only son to the Marchese Bassano, 

 owner of the stately villa, in the grounds of which he and his 

 companion wandered. The latter was a fair girl a fair 

 Italian with eyes deeply blue, like her native skies, and rich 

 brown hair which seemed to have stolen of its golden gleams. 

 She was this, and more ; but she was not, like her lover, of 

 patrician birth, and her lowly rank was indicated both by her 

 peasant's dress and the air of simplicity ; yet, withal, of gentle 



