natural golden hue of her hair was an amazement and
a delight to the Italians; indeed many a black-haired lady and common
hussy would sit on her roof vainly striving to take the color out of her
own locks. It was the same with her velvet skin, which even at Nuremberg
had many a time brought to men's minds the maid in the tale of
"Snow-white and Rose-red."

Thus it fell that Anselmo Guistiniani had heard of her during the
lifetime of his cousin the Marchesa Zorzi, while he was absent from
Venice on state matters. And when he beheld her with his own eyes among
the mourners, there was an end to his peace of heart; he forthwith set
himself to win her for his own. Howbeit Ursula met her noble suitor with
icy coldness, and when he and Herdegen came together at the Palazzo
Polani, where she was lodging, she made as though she saw my lord not at
all, and had no eyes nor ears save for my brother; till it was more than
Guistinani would bear, and he abruptly departed. Herdegen's letter, which
told us all these things, was full of kindly pity for the fair and
hapless damsel who had demeaned herself so basely towards him, by reason
that her fiery love had turned her brain, and that she still was pining
for him to whom she had ever been faithful from her childhood up. She had
freely confessed as much even under the very eyes of so lordly a suitor
as Anselmo Giustiniani; and albeit Ann might be sure of his constancy,
even in despite of Ursula, yet would he not deny that he could forgive
Ursula much in that she had loved much, as the Scripture saith. Every
shadow of danger for him was gone and overpast; he had already bid Ursula
farewell, and was to ride forth next morning to Genoa, leaving the
plague-stricken city behind him, and would take ship there. It was well
indeed that he should be departing, inasmuch as yestereve, when he bid
Ursula good night, Giustiniani had given him to understand that he,
Herdegen, was in his way; at home he would have shown his teeth, and with
good right, to any man who had dared to speak to him, but in Venice every
man who lodged in the Fondaco was forbid the use of weapons, and he had
heard tell of Anselmo Giustiniani that he, unlike the rest of his noble
race, who were benevolent men and patrons of learning, albeit he was a
prudent statesman and serviceable to the city, was a stern and violent
man. This much in truth a man might read in his gloomy black eyes; and
many a stranger, for all he were noble a