Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-09-30
PRINCE ...', :::!2: ::!;s ::::2: |
TIMOTEO|
master OF the terpslcnorean art. and

muster vi Tue teTpSiSuOISau al - oho
have reason to think that performed
the saraband on that night better than
the man who invented 1t. After the
music ceased led her into small al
covelike apartment at one side. where
they served such things. and there she
sat herself and partook Of an Ice while
| stood beside her and feasted my VI
sion upon her loveliness and gave ut
terance to many foolish and besotted
words. knowing not what ] was say
ing.
We strolled along the hallway of the
palace and entered Castruccio's library.
1t was wide and spacious apartment.
filled with shelves on every side. upon
which thousands of volumes. printed
and written. were arranged In most
perfect order. All about the room upon
pedestals or tables there were statues
of bronze and marble, some OF them
showing Florentine art Of the fifteenth
century. while others. and they were
for the most part defaced or wanting
heads and limbs. belonged to the an
tiouities Of Rome and Athens. There
was something about the dim and sof-
tened light of the chamber, the ghostly
appearance of the marbles, the grimy
velluA backs Of those ancient tones
and the pleasing silence of the place,
broken now and then by the sounds of
rcvelry from the festive banquet hall,
that subdued our thoughts and made
them more reverent and filled us with
romance and sentiment, so that we
fingered there side by side in delightful
compa rionship and spoke Of books and
chivalry and love.
She had read the simple and homely
poetry Of old Antonio Pucci, Villanis
history and the tales OF the Round
Table; she dotted on Petrarch and his
Laura and went into ecstasies over
Boiardo's Innamorata. Finally we be-
gan to speak of Dante, and was much
astonished to find that she held him not
at all in that esteem with which he is
now regarded by all the world.
But the 'Divina Commedia,' said l,
"is it not the most grand and noble
and beautiful poem in the languageT
Marry. that can | not say" she re-
piled. "The reason Of which Is that
there be many parts of it which l un-
derstand not"
Thou art not alone in this matter.
madonna. In sooth. do think that it
hath some verses which the poet him
self meant little by and the meaning of
which hath never since been discov-
cred. Nathless. for every such verse or
line there have arisen twenty erudite
and solemn commentators to explain II.
no two Of whom have ever agreed as to
its definition"
A female attendant now came into
the library and whispered to lppolita.
who at once prepared 10 leave me.
"Prithee. fair countess" said l.
"leave me not after this cold and alb
rupt fashion. or else tell me that may
see thee later, as would fain have
more of thy converse and companion
ship"
And II return within the half
hour" she replied, with u roguish look.
"and step with thee a measure OF the
courante wilt thou promise to do that
which shall ask Of thee"
Thou canst ask me nothing which |
will not do" said /.
The dukes daughter left me. and as
she went she gave Uncover her shoul-
der. like a Parthian shot, a smile or
mysterious meaning and glance that
was almost tender from the depths or
her great dark eyes.
Thereupon rejoined Brother Am
brose. Twice or thrice in the move
ment Of the saraband | had passed
him as he stood in converse, and each
time. it seemed to me. had heard him
utter the name of Prince Timoteo.
now charged him with revealing my
Identity, the very thing which he had
told me should avoid.
81 did indeed" said he, Inform
these gentlemen Of thy presence. but
would have thee to know that they are
all of thine own faction and all ana
every one of them stanch and rusty
Eleyationists. When ! impaired the
fact to them. without exception they
waxed Jealous in thine interest and
did swear each and all that they would
see thee placed upon the throne OF thy
fathers. AS to betraying thee. they
would suffer themselves first to be
torn asunder by wild horses. Cad
zooks, what wouldst thou? They are
honest men. and thou mayest put thy
trust in them"
| had noticed the individuals with
whom he had been in converse. and 1t
struck me that their appearance had
been anything but honest. In fact,
their faces, or what could see or
them, had seemed to me most villain
GUS and sinister. During the next
quarter of an hour, while ! was by the
side of Brother Ambrose. he greeted
several cavaliers who passed us. and
was enabled to Judge further and
more at mine ease Of the peculiar quail
lty of his associates. They all seemed
to have an underhanded and furtive
manner. their costumes were Ill fitting
and they glanced ever behind them
When they met they grasped each 9th
er by the hand with a peculiar grip
and If they saw each other from across
the hall they signaled by putting the
thumb in the ear and moving the. fin
gers up and down.
Truly" thought 1, these Elevation
lists. IL Elevationists they be. be
scurvy lot. and l will do well to avoid
them. AS to this Brother Ambrose.
who is with me. besides being the
smoothest of smooth shaven knaves. II
be is not also the veriest black hearted
cutthroat then am out In my reckon.
Ing"
CHAPTER vi.
= NOW perceived the Lady Ippolita
coming in my direction. For the
last ten minutes the orchestra
had been saving and scraping
away in a vain attempt to tune their
untunable instruments. They now
II