The Winslow mail., 1900-02-01

| was too beaten to go another yard, and,
had my pursuers only followed UP, must
have become an easy prey. As it was heard
them reach the breach, where they came to
stop, all shouting and babbling at the
same time. One or two, bolder than the
others, attempted to descend the ledge of
rock, down which | escaped, but it's steep
ness damped their courage. They, however,
succeeded in loosening some of the debris
so that it fell over the cliff, and few of the
stones dropped very close to me; but by
GOOD hap escaped, or else this never would
have been written. One great block, indeed,
just passed over my head, and | vowed an
altar-piece to Our Lady of San Spirito,
who alone could have diverted that which
was coming straight to my destruction; and
| may add duly kept my word After
time the voices above began to grow fainter,
and to my delight found that the citizens,
thinking it impossible | should have escaped
like lizard amongst the rocks, were bark
ing back, and ranging to the right and left.
] waited until all sound died away, and eau.
tiously peeped out. The coast was clear.
had recovered my wind, and, without more
waste of time, | rose and pressed on in the
direction of the hills, determined to chance
no further adventures near the towns In
deed, | had crowded more incident into the
past few hours than into the previous five
and-thirty years of my life, and my sole OBJ,
ject, at present, was to reach Florence
without further let or hindrance.
Keeping the vineyards between me and
the town, | avoided all observation, and,
at small wayside inn, filed wallet which
l purchased with food and bottle of the
rough country wine, so that there might be
no necessity for my visiting human habita-
ton during the remainder of my Journey.
With the wallet swung over my shoulder, an
hour or so later / was ascending the slopes
of Mount st. Michele, cursing the fallen pine
needles, which made my foothold so slippery
that l. slid rather than walked.
1t was late in the evening before halted
and ate my dinner under an overhanging
rock, sheltered from the north wind by
clump of pines. When | finished | rolled
myself up in my cloak, and fatigue, to-
gether with good conscience, combined to
send me to a sleep as sound as it was re-
freshing | was up before the sun and con-
tinued my way, determined to reach Flor.
ence by evening. | took n6particular no.
tice of the view, where l could see to my
right the Prato Magno, and to my left all
the valleys of the Greve; but kept my eyes
before me, intent on my thoughts.
At length, when passing Inpruneta, where
the Black Virgin is, Florence came in sight
There was slight haze which prevented me
from seeing as clearly as | could wish; but
l plainly made out the houses on the banks
of the Arno, Arnolfo's tower, the palace
OF the Signory, the cathedral, the Bargelo
ond the unfinished Pitt palace, whilst be-
yond rose the convent-topped hill Of
Scenario, where the Servites have their mon
astery.
As looked there was little of admiration
in my heart, although the scene was fair
enough; but l could give no mind to any.
thing beyond the fact that l was at last
within measurable distance OLD Entrangues,
and that in few hours my hand was like
to be at his throat.
With these thoughts there somehow min.
gled up the face of madame, and the scens
of our last meeting. l put this aside, how.
ever, with strong hand, and determined
to think no more of her, although no such
recollection could be anything but pleasant
and sweet. Until | met her | had managed
well enough without womankind, and for
the future | would leave bright eyes alone.
Yet knew ] was the better man for holding
the privilege of her friendship. However,
she had passed out of my life, and across
the seas | would have other things to think
Of than the memory of my platonic friend
ship with Doris D 'Entrangues.
1t was close upon sunset when | entered
the San Piero gate, and found myself in
Florence, and in a difficulty at the same
time, in consequence of my wearing a sword.
l luckily, however, remembered that La
Palisse, the French leader, was then in the
city, and explaining that | was from the
army at Arezzo with message to him, in
quired particularly his abode, which | was
told was III the palace of the exiled Medici in
the Via Larga. 1t SO happened that La
Palisse was in constant communication with
Tremouille, and this and my confident bear
ing imposed upon the guards. | supple
mented my argument with a couple Of
crowns, and they let me pass without fur.
ther parley. 1t will thus be seen that, what
ever the regulations may have been, they
were easily broken. Indeed | found later on
that they were, even at that time, dead
letter, and that the zeal of the guards was
merely inspired by the prospect of making
something out of me, which they did on this
occasion. | knew Florence very well, having
been there under circumstances very differ
cnt to the present; but as | hurried along
the crowded streets, began to feel | was
somewhat uncertain as to whittier the roads
led. | judged it prudent, however, not to
make inquiries, but kept my eyes on the
sharp lookout for hostel suitable to my
purse, which was diminishing at fearful
rate | stopped for awhile at street stall
to satisfy my hunger with a cake of wheat
and a glass Of milk, wholesome but un-
palatabie beverage and entered into conver
station with Tie stal-keeper. 1t came out
that / was in a difficulty about lodging,
and the man promptly told me where one
could be procured, and added to his kind
ness, seeing | was apparently stranger to
the place, by directing his son, small bare
legged urchin, to guide me to the house,
which, he said, was an old palace of the
Albizzi, that had passed into the hands OF
the banker Nobili, and was rented out in ten
cmcnts.
Heaven only knows through what by.
lanes and alleys the imp led ne, chattering
like an ape the whilst; but at last we reached
the house which lay in the street di Pucci.
An arrangement was soon entered into with
the person in charge, and paid in advance
for two weeks the small rent asked for the
room | took. | selected the room, because
there was in it some furniture, such as
bed, table and a couple of chairs, which,
was informed with some emphasis, had
been seized from the last tenant in default OF
rent. sent the boy away rejoicing, and
was surprised to find the housekeeper did
not depart as well; but this worthy soon
made it clear to NE that further payment
was requisite on account Of the furniture. i
was too tired to haggle, so paid him the
three broad pieces he wanted and bid him
get ne some candles. lie returned after
- L IL ! [