e
had cleared from weeds and fallen leaves; the flowers he had grouped
in certain beds; the walks he had trimly raked; the rustic seats he had
disposed beneath shady trees; all rose to his mind and distracted him
by the difficulty of explaining them. As he walked up the great marble
stairs and entered the spacious hall of audience, a whole scene of the
past seemed to fill the space. The lovely girl--a mere child as she was,
with golden hair and deep blue eyes--rose again before his memory, and
his heart sank as he bethought him that the whole vision must have had
no reality.

The rapid tramp of horses' feet suddenly led him to the window, and
he now saw the outriders, as they dashed up at speed, followed quickly
after by three travelling carriages, each drawn by six horses, and
escorted by mounted dragoons. Gerald did not wait to see his Eminence
descend, but hastened to his room to dress, and compose his thoughts for
the approaching interview.

The Chevalier had grown to be somewhat vain of his personal appearance.
It was a Stuart trait, and sat not ungracefully upon him; and he now
costumed himself with more than ordinary care. His dress was of a dark
maroon velvet, over which he wore a scarf of his own tartan; the collar
and decoration presented by the Cardinal York ornamenting the front
of the dress, as well as the splendidly embossed dagger which once had
graced the belt of the Prince Charles Edward. Though his toilet occupied
him a considerable time, no summons came from his Eminence, either to
announce his arrival or request a meeting; and Gerald, half pained by
the neglect, and half puzzled lest the fault might possibly be ascribed
to some defect of observance on his own part, at length took his hat and
left the house for a stroll through the gardens.

As he wandered along listlessly, he at last gained a little grassy
eminence, from which a wide view extended over a vast olive plain,
traversed by a tiny stream. It was the very wood through which, years
before, he had journeyed when he had fled from the villa to seek his
fortune. Some indistinct, flitting thoughts of the event, the zigzag
path along the river, the far-away mountains of the Maremma, were yet
puzzling him, when he heard a light step on the gravel-walk near. He
turned, and saw a young girl coming toward him, smiling, and with an
extended hand. One glance showed him that she was singularly beautiful,
and of a demeanour that announced high station.