enced
youth looked in vain for Ludovico's residence. Finally he asked
a jolly fellow, who showed him the house after a long roundabout
conversation. Pio went upstairs, where he saw the gray-haired chaperon
sitting alone in the spacious hall, which was decorated to vie in
magnificence with the most gorgeously furnished apartment of the
king. The accomplished Pio doffed his bonnet to the old woman, and
politely asked for her mistress.

"Nobody but her husband and me is allowed to see her," said the ugly
old hag.

Pio then sat down and began to talk to her. By his persuasive language
and the magnetic touch of his hands he easily insinuated himself into
her confidence. Then, dropping a piece of gold on her palm, he said,
"Will you tell me the secrets of your mistress?"

The old woman looked at him suspiciously, but the brilliant coin
proved too great a temptation for her. "Clotilde," she said, "has
three golden [88] locks of hair under her left armpit. I know this
fact, because I bathe her every day."

Pio heaved a deep groan and turned his face aside. After recovering
himself, he dropped another gold-piece into the hand of the chaperon,
and said, "Will you get one of those locks for me?"

She hesitated, but his eloquence was irresistible. "I'll give you
the lock to-morrow," she said. Pio then departed, and she returned
to her mistress.

Early the next morning, while the old woman was bathing Clotilde as
usual, she pulled out one of Clotilde's golden locks. "Aray!" exclaimed
Clotilde, "what's the matter with you?"

"Never mind, never mind!" said the old woman with many caresses. "This
is the only reward I want for my many faithful services to you."

Ignorant of the treasonable intrigues of her chaperon, Clotilde
said nothing more. Before noon Pio arrived. With trembling hands and
pale cheeks, the old woman gave him the golden lock. She was amply
rewarded with a purse of gold. Ignorant of the fatal consequences of
her treacherous act, she gayly went back to Clotilde's private chamber.

Pio left the town late in the afternoon, and soon arrived at the
capital. Ludovico was struck aghast at the sight of the golden lock. He
at once wrote a letter to his wife which ran in part as follows:--

"I have spent ten years of my life in perfect happiness with you. I
expected to enjoy such blissful days for a much longer period. But now
everything is hopeless. My life shall be ended by violence, because
of your faithlessness.