ing the
matter in the hands of the authorities, which would have brought about
awkward complications with the signory of Florence. In the meantime he
had invited the Dovizios to remain at the villa as his guests, an
invitation which was accepted with much content. The Chancellor gave
himself up to the delay with such resignation that I presently perceived
that he had business of his own at Cetinale other than procuring funds
for his patron, that in fact he had brought his niece in the hope of
securing for her husband the banker Chigi, a good match even then in
point of fortune. There was in Maria Dovizio such dewy freshness and
sweetness, such absolute simplicity and purity as could not fail to
appeal to any man with eyes to see; but Chigi was blind, being enamoured
of another woman and she of a very different type, the improvisatrice
Imperia, accounted the most talented singer in all Italy.

While the Dovizios lingered in this unavailing quest, of which the
gentle Maria was in utter ignorance, Raphael returned to the villa, and
Love, who is always sharpening his arrows for the unwary, was not idle.
It was the lady whom he first wounded, though we suspected it not at the
time. Later, in Rome, the Signora Giovanna de Rovere gave me a letter
written her by Maria Dovizio when at Cetinale, because forsooth I was
mentioned therein, though in no complimentary a wise; and as this letter
showeth forth the trend of affairs better than could any words of mine,
I enclose it with this memorial.

[Illustration: _Alinari_ Unknown Lady (probably Imperia), by Sebastian
del Piombo Uffizi]

[Illustration: _Alinari_

Virgin and Child, by Sodoma

Pinacoteca, Milan]

_Maria Dovizio to the Lady Giovanna Feltra de Rovere (Sister of the
Duke of Urbino), Duchess of Sora and Prefectissa of Rome at
Urbino._

"SIENA, October, 1504.

"_Most magnificent, most beloved, and most sweet Lady_:

"For whom my heart longs with true devotion. Truly Madam, since we
parted in Urbino most strange adventures have befallen me which I
will now relate. On our way to Siena we fell in with a bandit who
robbed us, and though my uncle is tarrying here in the hope of the
recovery of his property the matter is not altogether simple but
presents more complications than I can explain or indeed
understand.

"While we are thus delayed we are the guests of the banker Agostino
Chigi at his vil