ITALIAN GARDENS OF THE RENAISSANCE 
it is looking its best. I envy you not a little. But 
keep well and enjoy yourselves.” 1 
It was the last summer which this joyous party were 
to spend at Villa Bozza. For Cola—good, faithful 
Cola—fell suddenly ill that winter and died. Elena 
begged in vain to be allowed to go to the Villa as 
usual with her brother in August, but was told that at 
her age this was impossible, and that she must stay 
in the convent until the time came for her to leave 
it for good. 
The Cardinal was already looking out for a suitable 
match for his daughter, and in the summer of 1543 
he obtained the Pope’s leave to go to Venice, that 
he might arrange a marriage “ for the child whom my 
human frailty gave me.” In July, Elena was married 
at Padua, in her father’s presence, to Pietro Gradenigo, 
a young Venetian “ of good family and excellent 
appearance.” The Cardinal paid a last visit to the Villa, 
which he had not seen for many years, and returned 
to his new diocese at Gubbio, not without a sigh for 
the old days when he was a free man and could live 
where he chose. After the birth of Elena’s son in 
1544, she and her husband went to Villa Bozza for 
the autumn, leaving the little Paolino, by her father’s 
orders, with her cousins. Bembo took the keenest 
interest in his grandson, and gave Elena minute 
1 Leitere , iii. 374-6. 
162 
