f woven silk, were
closely fitted to his noble person, which, I have said before, was
fashioned in the choicest mould of manly beauty, and now, so worthily
adorned, displayed in all its high perfection that faultless union of
symmetry and strength, so rarely seen in life; equalling, indeed, the
Vatican Antinous in classic elegance of form, but far surpassing that
fine statue in stature and heroic character of look and bearing. A
mantle of the richest velvet hung from his well-formed shoulders,
while a nodding plume adorned his Spanish hat and shaded his dark
eyes, which lighted up as they beheld me with bright and eager flashes
of impatience.

"Thou art indeed the 'pearl and pride of Florence,' my Colonna!" I
exclaimed, in irrepressible admiration, applying, as I approached him,
the poetical simile of his Laura.

Regardless of the compliment, he grasped the unpretending weapon I
held out to him, and plucked it from the scabbard. Tracing at a glance
its Oriental pedigree, he doubled the strong blade with ease, until
the point touched and rebounded from the guard, and then severed with
its unyielding edge an iron nail projecting from the wall. "This plain
old weapon," said he, with an exulting smile, "is worth a dukedom.
'Twill pierce a panoply of Milan steel, and I pledge myself to make it
search the vitals of this ruffian governor. But these are words,
Pisani; and words, the Roman proverb says, are feminine, while deeds
alone are masculine. Farewell, then, till we meet in the defile. It is
essential to my purpose that I reach the ground some hours before
Barozzo."

He then embraced me cordially, concealed the axe beneath his mantle,
and departed for the mountains, intending to cross the lake to a point
not distant from the scene of action. At an early hour I mounted
my horse, and rode towards the Villa Foscari. In the vicinity of
Peschiera I descried the governor proceeding on his daily morning
excursion to the mountains. I had hitherto rarely seen him with
more than one attendant, but he was now closely followed by two
well-mounted Greeks of lofty stature, attired in the gorgeous costume
of the Levant, and armed with scimitar and dagger. The square and
athletic person of their chief was arrayed in the splendid garb of a
military commander of distinguished rank. His ample chest was covered
with a corselet of light scale-armour, which yielded to every motion
of his frame, and was partially concealed by a broad sash,