LE LUCCIOLE. 199 



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

 so with another look towards the spot where Bianca stood 

 concealed, and with inward maledictions on the noisy group 

 which was drawing near, he turned to meet it. Some of the 

 party had caught, a momentary glimpse of a retreating female 

 figure ; but the Lady Beatrice, as well as her betrothed, 

 having been missed from the ball-room, it was only supposed 

 that the lovers had stolen from the festive scene for half an 

 hour's converse beneath the gentle moon. Maidenly bashful- 

 ness might explain the lady's flight, and her preference for 

 returning to the palazzo alone rather than accompanied by 

 the merry maskers. 



Having seen them all re-enter the building, Bianca issued 

 from her covert. As she left the moon-lit terrace, and regained 

 the olive grove, a thrill of terror, sudden as the transition 

 from light to darkness, shot through her frame; her limbs 

 trembled, and she was glad to seek the support of an aged 

 olive, the trunk of which, partially decayed, showed white in 

 the surrounding gloom. Not once that night had she thought 

 of the dreadful Lucciole not one had flitted across her path ; 

 but at the moment she touched the olive tree, they fell around 

 her from amongst its foliage in a shower of living sparks. 



Well now might the maiden tremble ; well might the drops 

 of terror mingle with the night-dews on her marble brow ; not 

 for the harmless glitter of the Lucciole, but for a glimpse of 

 gleaming, and no fancied horrors, which their light revealed. 

 She saw (for an instant) the sparkling of diamonds amidst 

 raven tresses the flashing of dark eyes distended with vindic- 

 tive fury the glittering of jewels on a white uplifted arm 

 the gleaming of cold blue steel directed to her heart. In a 

 brief agony of fear she clung to the olive's trunk ; in an agony, 

 as brief, of supplication, she raised her mild blue eyes imploring 

 mercy : but mercy there was none in those dark orbs of ven- 

 geance which returned their glance. The bright stiletto did 

 not miss its aim, and, clear in the encircling radiance of the 



