316 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



ceived became so vivid and absorbing, that at every 

 turn he thought he saw her gazing at him as if in 

 mockery, and lighting up the deep shadows beneath 

 the arches with her glowing orbs, which seemed to 

 his disordered fancy to emit sparks and flashes of 

 fire. No longer able to resist the impulse, forgetting 

 alike the paternal admonitions of the old painter, and 

 the promises so sincerely given, he quitted the piazza 

 and hastened to the palace of his father, the Pro- 

 veditore Marcello, then absent on state affairs in the 

 Levant. 



Retiring to his own apartment, he fixed an easel 

 with impetuous haste, and by lamplight again began 

 to sketch the Medusa head of the old woman. Yield- 

 ing himself up to this new frenzy, he succeeded be- 

 yond his hopes; a supernatural power seemed to 

 guide his hand, and soon after midnight he had 

 drawn to the life not only the appalling head, but 

 the commanding and beautiful person, of the myste- 

 rious personage in the gondola. After gazing a while 

 upon his work with triumphant delight, he retired to 

 bed ; but slept not until long after sunrise, and then 

 the extraordinary incidents of the past day haunted 

 his feverish dreams. A female form, youthful and 

 of surpassing beauty, hovered around his couch, but 

 ever changing in appearance. At first her head was 

 invisible and veiled in mist, from which, at intervals, 

 flashed features of resplendent loveliness, and eyes of 

 heavenly blue, which beamed upon him with thrilling 



