224 PICCOLETTA. 



in the world ; but under the alarming visitation of which we 

 are telling, even the care of these faithful guardians began to 

 relax with their courage, and they would sometimes allow their 

 charges as well as themselves to die nearly of starvation, for 

 fear lest, in collecting food, they might become food in their own 

 persons for the gaping pitfalls or their mysterious fabricators. 



It was usual also in fine weather to carry the nurselings, 

 for air and sunshine, beyond the city walls; but since the 

 reign of the panic, they had been nearly all, as in time of 

 siege, immured within their close apartments. But it had 

 never so fared with the infant charges under the keeping of 

 one youthful nurse, who, rather than they should lack any- 

 thing, had continued to encounter all extraordinary as well as 

 ordinary dangers, and that, hitherto, with the most perfect 

 impunity. This kind and brave-hearted creature we shall call 

 Piccoletta, because she was but a very little personage, and 

 because, as before noticed, she and her compatriots were of 

 Italian birth. 



Well, this Piccoletta, who, according to her deserts, was a 

 general favourite in the city, left it as usual one fine morning, 

 in order to seek provision in the adjacent country ; but night 

 came and passed, and so did also the next day, without her 

 re-appearance, and then everybody thought she must have 

 fallen a victim to their newly besetting enemies ; but on the 

 second night, the sentinels on guard perceived in the moon- 

 light a limping object approach the city, which, though mag- 



