hen your bodies are as false as your heads and your cheeks, and
your hearts I trow. Look at your padded bosoms, and your wooden heeled
chopines to raise your little stunted limbs up and deceive the world.
Skinny dwarfs ye are, cushioned and stultified into great fat giants.
Aha, mesdames, well is it said of you, grande--di legni: grosse--di
straci: rosse--di bettito: bianche--di calcina."

This drew out a rejoinder. "Avaunt, vulgar toad, telling the men
everything. Your coarse, ruddy cheeks are your own, and your little
handful of African hair. But who is padded more? Why, you are shaped
like a fire-shovel."

"Ye lie, malapert."

"Oh, the well-educated young person! Where didst pick her up, Ser
Gerard?"

"Hold thy peace, Marcia," said Gerard, awakened by the raised trebles
from a gloomy reverie. "Be not so insolent! The grave shall close over
thy beauty as it hath over fairer than thee."

"They began," said Marcia petulantly.

"Then be thou the first to leave off."

"At thy request, my friend." She then whispered Gerard, "It was only to
make you laugh; you are distraught, you are sad. Judge whether I care
for the quips of these little fools, or the admiration of these big
fools. Dear Signor Gerard, would I were what they take me for? You
should not be so sad."

Gerard sighed deeply; and shook his head. But touched by the earnest
young tones, caressed the jet black locks, much as one strokes the head
of an affectionate dog.

At this moment a galley drifting slowly down stream got entangled for an
instant in their ropes: for, the river turning suddenly, they had shot
out into the stream; and this galley came between them and the bank. In
it a lady of great beauty was seated under a canopy with gallants and
dependents standing behind her.

Gerard looked up at the interruption. It was the Princess Claelia.

He coloured and withdrew his hand from Marcia's head.

Marcia was all admiration. "Aha! ladies," said she, "here is a rival an
ye will. Those cheeks were coloured by Nature-like mine."

"Peace, child! peace!" said Gerard. "Make not too free with the great."

"Why, she heard me not. Oh, Ser Gerard, what a lovely creature!"

Two of the females had been for some time past putting their heads
together and casting glances at Marcia.

One of them now addressed her.

"Signorina, do you love almonds?"

The speaker had a lapful of them.

"Yes, I love them; when I can get them," said Marcia pettishly, and