PARENTAL POLICY. 147 



wise to banish their unworthy writer from her heart easy it 

 was not for the poor vine-dresser's daughter to banish her 

 young master at all times from her sight. And here was the 

 misery, if nothing worse, to live, as heretofore, within the 

 very shadow of the house, which was to be the future residence of 

 Marco and his bride, who were to abide at the Palazzo of the 

 former's father. How often had Bianca wished that she could 

 flee to some distant land, where, as she fondly but deceptively 

 believed, that if she could never quite forget him, she might 

 sometimes think of him without offence. 



Before the arrival of the present Midsummer, this, her 

 desire, seemed likely of fulfilment. Whether the old Marquis 

 had suspected something of the attachment, commenced almost 

 in childhood, between his son and Bianca, and thought that the 

 latter would now, therefore, be better at a distance ; or whether 

 it were mere accident that favoured her wish ; but so it was, 

 that the Marquis having recently (as was a common custom 

 with the Genoese nobility) purchased an estate in the more 

 fruitful territory of Naples, proposed to the old vine-dresser 

 that he should take the office of its superintendency. The 

 faithful servant, who would not for promotion have left his 

 " own people," but to whom his master's will was law, urged 

 moreover by his daughter, agreed to the proposal, and they 

 were to sail together for their new southern home in a galley 

 now at anchor in the bay. This was one of a little fleet, the poor 

 remainder of that mighty merchant squadron which had once 



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