attention. I then bowed, and hastened away, once more passed
through the thronged hall, and gained the marble steps of the palazzo.

"Have you given it?" said a low voice close to me.

"I have," replied I; "but, Signor----"

"Not a word, Carlo: hasten to the wood, if you love me." And the
violet-coloured domino forced his way into the crowd which filled the
hall.

"Now for my journey to Pisa," said I. "Here I am, implicated in high
treason, perhaps, in consequence of my putting on a sky-blue domino.
Well, there's no help for it."

In a few minutes I had gained the narrow avenue, and having pursued it
about fifty yards, perceived the glaring eyes of the crouched negro. By
the starlight, I could just distinguish that he had a basket, or
something like one, before him.

"What do you come for, Signor?" said the negro, rising on his feet.

"For what has been placed under your charge; here is the ring of your
master."

The negro put his fingers to the ring and felt it, that he might
recognise it by its size and shape.

"Here it is, Signor," said he, lifting up the basket gently, and putting
it into my arms. It was not heavy, although somewhat cumbrous from its
size.

"Hark! Signor, there is confusion in the palazzo. You must be quick, and
I must not be seen with you." And away darted the negro like lightning
through the bushes.

I also hastened away with the basket (contents unknown), for it appeared
to me that affairs were coming to a crisis. I heard people running
different ways, and voices approaching me. When I emerged from the
narrow avenue, I perceived several figures coming down the dark walk at
a rapid pace, and, seized with a sort of panic, I took to my heels. I
soon found that they were in pursuit, and I increased my speed. In the
gloom of the night, I unfortunately tripped over a stone, and fell with
the basket to the ground; and then the screams from within informed me
that the treasure intrusted to my safe keeping was a child. Fearful that
it was hurt, and forgetting, for the time, the danger of being captured,
I opened the lid, and examined its limbs, while I tried to pacify it;
and while I was sitting down in my sky-blue domino, thus occupied in
hushing a baby, I was seized by both shoulders, and found myself a
prisoner.

"What is the meaning of this rudeness, Signors?" said I, hardly knowing
what to say.

"You are arrested by order of the Grand Duke," was the reply.

"I am arrested!--why?--