The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1899-10-10

taken the French side, and, seeing that |
Tremoullle was between us and Casale, my |
lady must needs go down to visit her es
tates. The count, who is looking for a |
wife, buckles on his armor, mounts his !
mare, and with 200 lances at his back, |
gallops up the left bank of the Tiber,
lords the stream, swoops down on the dove
cote at Rossino, and brings back bride
to Perugia; ha! ha! 1t is superb"
''Ha! ha! Messer Passaro-diavolo! Are
they married yet?'
mot yet-ah! The wine is wine for the
gods, as your worship says-not married
yet, for my lady is half beside herself, they
say, and the count, receiving sudden mes
sage from Cesare, has had to leave Perugia
for few days"
"Cospitto! How he must curse the Bor
gia for putting off his happiness! And she
is handsome, eh?"
For the matter of that, excellency, one
does not squirt at a sour face set in
golden Golf. But they do say the lady is
very beautiful"
"You have not seen her then"
"Corpo di Bacco She is under lock and
key, and not for the likes of me to look
upon"
''In the citadel, suppose gloomy cage
for fair Bird
Maybe, but | have let my tongue wag
too freely, signore, and must be going"
Safe enough with me, Mcsser Passaro,
for l am on the right side-adieu!"
/ made no further attempt to detain him,
and he waddled off with the best part OF
the now empty flask under his belt. | was
sure he knew but little more, and what |
had got out of hlD did not amount to much.
At any rate | had discovered that Bagli0ni
was out of Perugia, and that she was still
here. This was better than nothing; but
worse than nothing if | could not discover
the place of her imprisonment threw my
self back in my chair, and racked my brains
to no purpose There was nothing definite
for me to get hoI! of, no cew of any kind.
Thought of getting the landlord to invite
the counts valet to drink bottle or so of
his Burgundy with me- but the mere whis-
per of such a thing would excite suspicion
of further object, and the slightest sus-
picion would ruin the business. Bandc
Mere appearing at this time, in accordance
with my orders. l resolved to hang about
the Palazzo Publico, and see if l could pick
up any information there. On second
thoughts | resolved to go alone, and, dis
missing Bande Mere, sailed forth by my
self. | went by way of the Piazza del
Ducmo, and here l stopped in an idle man
ner, and was for a moment struck by the
entrance to the palace, which lies here.
Over the gate was a splendid bronze of
lion and d griffin, set above a series OF chains
and bars of gates, trophies Of an old victory
gained over the Sienese. n crowd Of beg
CARS surrounded me, but / was In no mood
for charity, and drove them off with
rough oath. One of the number, however,
remained. He was lame in both feet, sup
ported himself on crutches, and wore Il
huge patch over one Of his eyes.
chat is right, excellency-drive them of
the scum, the Fostering every noble
gentleman 1t is only to the deserving your
eXcellency will give-a paul, eXcellency-
a brown copper for the poor cripple-a NIL
lion thanks, eXcellency-may this copper be
increased to you thousandfold in gold"
''Begone fool" | said, and walked on;
but ne hobbled along at great rate beside
me.
But favor, excellency. If your wo1
ship would but come with me, | would
show you wonderful sight. A bird-cage,
excellency; would your lordsnip be pleased
to buy bird"
| turned round in my anger, and raised
my hand to cuff the rascals ears, cripple
though he was, when he suddenly added:
Cor free bird, eXcellency-there is some
one coming-a paul, quck-thanks, excel
lcncy--may your lordship die prince"
As he spoke a couple Of gentlemen and
| their servants pushed by US, and l gave
them the road, the beggar hopping nimbly
to my side. Ny heart was beating rapidly,
and al my blood tingling. Was l on the
edge of a discovery?
No more riddles" l said; "who are
you?"
1T is not safe to talk here, signore," he
answered Follow me-" lie started off
across the square, hobbling along on his
| clutches and waling out "a copper for
| the poor cripple-a brown paula little
| copper"
BY Gcd!" | exclaimed to myself as
followed behind, what does this mean?'
| | had to find out for myself, however, and
| followed the man, who stumped along at
Il great pace, Notwithstanding the ups and
| downs of the side streets by which we went
| He never once looked behind him, but kept
up his cry of "a copper for the poor cripple
"a brown paula little "copper"" and once
or twice, when | lost him in the crowd, the
cry served as a signal to me, telling me where
he went Finally>he turned to the left, and
on reaching the Via della Conca, made
straight for the gate. Here toll YVES col
lccted, and, paying his paul, he went
/ straight out of the town. l kept him in
view now easily, and could have caught him
up as liked, for the speed at which he had
hobbled along had no doubt breathed him.
At last he left the road, and, toiling some
! what painfully over the very uneven ground,
vanished behind a spur of the hills on which
| Perugia is situated. | now put on my best
walking pace, and in minute or two turned
the elbow of the spur myself, and found
the mendicant seated on a stone hopping
his brow, his crutches lying beside him. tic
stood up with the greatest case as l ap-
| preached.
'Wen, fellow" 1 said, what does all
this mean? Beware if you have attempted
to trick me"
''Does not your excellency know me%'
''Never saw you before"
az am Clan, excellency."
"Gian! Clan! That throws no light on
the subject"
''The cavaliere remembers the garden OF
| c. NI;obool in Evoronoa2O