ng they parted.

"At what hour is the Prince's carriage ordered?" said the Abbe, as he
passed through the hall.

"For two o'clock precisely, Monsignore. He is to have an audience at the
Pitti."

"To Florence----and with speed!" said D'Esmonde to his coachman; and
away they drove.

CHAPTER XXVI. THE "MOSKOVA."

The Abbe D'Esmonde passed a busy morning. Twice was he closeted with
the President of the Ministry, and once was he received in a lengthy
audience at the "Pitti;" after which he repaired to the house of
Morlache, where he remained till after two o'clock.

"There goes Midchekoff to the Palace," said the Jew, as a handsome
equipage drove past.

"Then it is time for me to be away," said D'Esmonde, rising. "I have
received orders to meet him there. Remember, Morlache, I must have this
sum in gold, ready by the evening; the bills on London can reach me by
post."

"All shall be attended to," said Morlache; and the Abbe entered his
carriage once more, giving orders for the Pitti.

When the carriage had passed the first turning, however, D'Esmonde
appeared to have remembered something that till then had escaped him,
and he desired the man to drive round to the San Gallo gate; thence he
directed his way to the narrow road which traverses the valley of the
Mugello, and winds along for miles at the foot of the hill of Fiesole.
Once outside the city, D'Esmonde urged the man to speed, and they drove
for nigh an hour at a rapid pace.

"There is a footpath somewhere hereabouts leads to Fiesole," said
D'Esmonde, springing out, and casting his eyes around. "I have it Remain
here till I come down. I may be absent for an hour or more; but be sure
to wait for me." And so saying, he passed into a vineyard beside the
road, and was soon lost to view.

The pathway was steep and rugged; but D'Esmonde traversed it with an
active step, scarcely seeming to bestow a thought upon its difficulties,
in the deeper preoccupation of his mind. As little did he notice the
peasant greetings that met him, or hear the kindly accents that bade him
"good-day" as he went. If at intervals he stopped in his career, it was
rather to take breath and to recruit vigor for new efforts, than to look
down upon the gorgeous scene that now lay beneath him. For an instant,
however, his thoughts did stray to the objects in view; and as he beheld
the dark towers of a gloomy castellated building, half hid amongst tall
yew-trees, he muttered,----

"