TEMPTATION. 151 



disguise, stood beside her. What could he, the young patri- 

 cian, the affianced, well nigh the wedded husband of a fitting 

 bride, have now to say to her, the foolish maiden of low degree, 

 who had too long listed to his beguiling tales? Why, even at this 

 eleventh hour, he had yet another for her ear a tale of love 

 and seeming madness. He had stolen away, he said, from 

 yonder brilliant company, from Beatrice, the brightest of 

 them all, to seek his Bianca, as he had purposed, at her 

 home. They, she and her old father, should still sail on the 

 morrow, at early dawn ; but lie would be the companion of 

 their voyage. The captain of the galley should be bribed to 

 convey them not to the Neapolitan estate but a port of 

 France, and there, without a thought of rank, of home, or 

 even of honour forfeited, he would make her his lawful bride. 



The maiden heard only to reject the dazzling, dangerous 

 proffer ; but Marco still urged ; when distant voices were heard 

 shouting out his name, and turning towards the villa they saw 

 several persons issuing from under the piazza, and advancing 

 towards them. " Go, go, Marco ! May blessings ever attend 

 thee !" and Bianca, as she spoke, burst from her lover's 

 detaining grasp, and retreated from the terrace, behind the 

 screen of a tall adjacent shrub. The young man followed for 

 a pace or two, then stopped and hesitated. He distinguished, 

 amongst the approaching voices, that of Pietro Doria, Beatrice's 

 brother. Do what he might it was as well to save appearances ; 

 so with another look towards the spot where Bianca stood 



