THE PIRATES OF SEGXA. 355 



She remained before her mirror, loading her white 

 neck and arms with chains and jewels, and inter- 

 weaving diamonds and pearls in her tresses, regard- 

 less of the grief of Strasolda, who sat in tears and 

 sadness, deploring her father's increasing peril, and 

 the cloud that menaced the future fortunes of her 

 people. 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE BALL. 



The ancient burg, or castle, of Gradiska had been 

 originally on a larger scale, but at this period con- 

 sisted only of a centre, flanked at right angles by 

 two wings ending in square towers, large, grey, and 

 massive, and embattled, with overhanging galleries 

 for sentinels to pace along ; while similar galleries, 

 on a smaller scale, extended along the entire front 

 and wings of the castle. The central edifice con- 

 tained on the ground-floor numerous apartments and 

 offices for menials, above which arose a spacious 

 saloon and other lofty apartments, lighted by win- 

 dows high above the flooring, and terminating in the 

 round-headed arches so commonly seen in the cas- 

 tellated mansions of northern Italy. In this palatial 

 hall preparation had been busy for the ball, to which 

 the wife of the archducal counsellor so impatiently 

 looked forward as an opportunity to eclipse all rivals 



