ose costly furniture amazed the youth,
they reached a small chamber, where two narrow windows opened upon a
little terrace. A single picture occupied the wall in front of these, to
either side of whose frame two small lamps were attached, with shades so
ingeniously contrived as to throw the light at will on any part of the
painting. The Duchess had seated herself immediately on entering, with
the air of one wearied and exhausted, and the Count occupied himself in
disposing the lamps to most advantage.

'Stand yonder, boy, and hold your cap in your hand, as you see it in
the portrait,' and Gerald turned his eyes to the picture, and actually
started at the marvellous resemblance to himself. The figure was that
of a youth somewhat older, perhaps, than himself, dressed in a suit of
velvet, with a deep lace collar and hanging ruffles; the long ringlets,
which fell in profusion on his neck, the expression of the eyes, a look
of sadness not unmixed with something stern, and a haughty gathering of
the lower lip, were all that a painter might have given to Gerald, if
endeavouring to impart to his likeness some few additional traits of
vigour and determination.

'It is wonderful!' said the Duchess, after a long pause.

'So, indeed, it strikes me,' said the Count. 'Mark, even to the
flattening of the upper lip, how the resemblance holds.'

'What age are you--are you a Roman--what is your name?' asked the
Duchess, in a hurried but careless manner.

'My name is Fitzgerald. They call me here Gherardi, for some of the race
took that name in Italy.'

'So that you talk of blood and lineage, boy?' asked she haughtily.

'I am of the Geraldines, lady, and they were princes!' said the boy, as
proudly.

'Came they from Scotland?' she asked eagerly. 'No, madam, they were
Irish.'

'Irish! Irish!' muttered she twice or thrice, below her breath; then,
as her eyes caught sight of his features suddenly, she started and
exclaimed: 'It is nigh incredible! And how came you to Italy?'

With that brevity which distinguished Gerald when speaking of himself,
he told of his having been a scholar with the Jesuits, where some--he
knew not exactly which--of his relatives had placed him.

'And you left them; how, and wherefore?' inquired the Duchess.

'I know not by what right, madam, I am thus questioned. Is it because I
wear such tinsel rags as these?'

'Bethink you in whose presence you stand, boy?' said the Count sternly;
'that lady is one