154 FATHER AND CHILD. 



simple breakfast, ever and anon, in the midst of his occupa- 

 tion, going to listen at his daughter's chamber door. " How 

 soundly she is sleeping/' whispered he ; " but hark ! there's 

 the Annunciata striking six ; we're to be on board by seven ; 

 so wake her I must." 



He tapped gently louder more loudly. " Bianca ! Bi- 

 anca ! wilt thou never awake ?" 



A death-like silence answered, and something of dulling 

 augury smote upon the old man's heart, even before he opened 

 the door, and saw that the room was teuantless the bed 

 unruffled. 



Then he ran wildly forth calling as wildly on his child. 

 The early cliirp of the birds in the garden and the olive grove 

 was his sole response. 



But he soon found her, and he (poor miserable old man !) 

 was soon found with her, sitting under the half-dead olive 

 tree; her head supported on his knees, and he smiling in 

 cliildish vacuity, as he tried to disengage her luxuriant hair 

 from the clots of blood which confined it. 



The father and his child were thus discovered by two 

 mariners, sent by the master of the galley to summon his 

 expected passengers, and assist in taking on board their 

 luggage. 



Whilst one of the seamen remained with old Jacopo, who 

 would neither move from the body of his daughter, nor allow 

 it be touched, the other hastened to the palazzo, with tidings 



