The herald., 1898-10-23

|recklesoly about the apartment. theirs
Woro pools Of red wine upon the noors
the great table groaned beneath the
Weight OF half devoured pasties, roasts
ana utews. and altogether the place
looked a. though herd of swine had
been established there. I was raven
ousiy hungry. having eaten nothing
since the night before. and as IppolitA
was In the same condition we made
attempt to overlook these foul evil
oences OF wassail and, having cleared
away small space in one corner ana
having hunted out an untouched pie
OF venison. roasted pheasant and
mask OF heady. red wine which re-
sempied very fine Burgundy, We sat
oown ana made most excellent re-
past. Ippolita, however, was quite
light eater. She nibbled here and there,
ana TOOK q sip now and then, as II she
lived on air; and could not help con.
templating with satisfaction her ethe-
real and angelic appearance, which
seemed as II her food must have been
ambrosia and her drink nectar, for well
knew that she was not one Of those
girls who have q bird-like appetite in
public and gorge themselves in pri-
vate.
And now happening to cast my eyes
upon the life-size. full length portrait
OF fierce old knight in half-armor.
which was hung low down upon the
wall In front Of me, at the opposite
side Of the room, became, as 1t were.
fascinated with 1t, so that could hard
ly remove my eyes from it's wrinkled
and sinister features, and I asked Ip-
polita II she knew which Of my honored
ancestors the picture represented.
Marry that I do" she answered.
"as we'll as thou knowest 1t, thyself. It
is the face of Michelozzo de Pazzi, thy
great grandfather's father. commonly
called Michelozzo the Bad. Well indeed
should know 1t, for have not the car
feature of that malignant face del
diavolino. and the recital of his horrid
deeds. been used these hundred years
to frighten disobedient children withalf
Nay, I have still better reason for
knowing him, for It was commonly said
that he did most foully murder Messer
Ridolfo Albizzi. the father Of my great
grandfather Galeazzo. Messer Ridolfo
was last seen entering the castle Of
the Pazxi, to transact some business
with thy forebear, and 1t was thought
that MichelOzzo did away with him
by casting him into an underground
well which existed for such purposes,
and which Is even to this day supposed
to exist In this CASTILLO maladetto Of
thy race. All, Timoteo, thou dost
come of most desperately wicked an
cestry and l marvel much that I find
1t in my heart to trust my life and
happiness to thee"
"Oh, come. Ippolita," said I. "they
really weren't such a bad lot, after all.
as men go, and for the matter of that.
thou hast not much to brag Of thyself
In the line Of ancestors. Take, for in
stance, thy great grandfather, Galeaz-
20. From all can learn, he was the
most unscrupulous old cutthroat that
ever the principality produced"
1.-THE duchy thou dost mean." replied
the countess, with a toss of her pretty
head. "And as for my dear great
grandfather, he was an angel COM
pared with thy great great grandfath-
er. Michelozzo, who was, as all men
know. very Satan Of iniquity."
"1f," 1 retorted with some warmth,
''he was as satanic and perfldious
and cruel as thy grandfather. Domen-
leo. he was past all comparison and
redemption: but I do not believe that
he could have BEEN"
In the Deautl1ul SlTIS uark anU
flashing eyes there was a suspicious
moisture. and a heightened color was
upon her cheek. her voice shook with
agitation as she answered.
"Santlddio, 1t Is well that thou dost
come nearer to the present time in thy
comparisons, for it doth AFFORD me op-
portunity to instance thine own father.
Lodovico. And though 1t would i'll
befit me to say what think In thy
presence, yet 1 could say Of him that
which it would please thee little to
hear"
"And how about thine own father
my Bellissima?" rejoined I, in tone
of irony. ut beseemeth me. when
! all is said and done, that he could COM
pete with Michelozzo. and give him
Odds"
1 regretted instantly the having said
this, as l saw that the dear girl was
exceedingly provoked by it, so that
she trembled with vexation. while q
single tear coursed slowly down her
soft, rose tinted cheek. At that mo-
ment, I could have sworn that the
portrait Of old Michelozzo winked at