blooming market-women, inspecting the
filigree-ornaments from Genoa, and watching a little yellow bitch in a
hooped petticoat and lappets dance the furlana to the music of an
armless fiddler who held the bow in his teeth. As he turned from this
show Odo's eye was caught by a handsome girl who, on the arm of a
dashing cavalier in somewhat shabby velvet, was cheapening a pair of
gloves at a neighbouring stall. The girl, who was masked, shot a dark
glance at Odo from under her three-cornered Venetian hat; then, tossing
down a coin, she gathered up the gloves and drew her companion away. The
manoeuvre was almost a challenge, and Odo was about to take it up when a
pretty boy in a Scaramouch habit, waylaying him with various graceful
antics, thrust a play-bill in his hand; and on looking round he found
the girl and her gallant had disappeared. The play-bill, with a wealth
of theatrical rhetoric, invited Odo to attend the Performance to be
given that evening at the Philodramatic Academy by the celebrated Capo
Comico Tartaglia of Rimini and his world-renowned company of Comedians,
who, in the presence of the aristocracy of Vercelli, were to present a
new comedy entitled "Le Gelosie di Milord Zambo," with an Intermezzo of
singing and dancing by the best Performers of their kind.

Dusk was already falling, and Odo, who had brought no letters to the
gentry of Vercelli, where he intended to stay but a night, began to
wonder how he should employ his evening. He had hoped to spend it in
Vivaldi's company, but the Professor not having invited him, he saw no
prospect but to return to the inn and sup alone with Cantapresto. In the
doorway of the Three Crowns he found the soprano awaiting him.
Cantapresto, who had been as mute as a fish during the afternoon's
drive, now bustled forward with a great show of eagerness.

"What poet was it," he cried, "that paragoned youth to the Easter
sunshine, which, wherever it touches, causes a flower to spring up? Here
we are scarce alit in a strange city, and already a messenger finds the
way to our inn with a most particular word from his lady to the
Cavaliere Odo Valsecca." And he held out a perfumed billet sealed with a
flaming dart.

Odo's heart gave a leap at the thought that the letter might be from
Fulvia; but on breaking the seal he read these words, scrawled in an
unformed hand:--

"Will the Cavaliere Valsecca accept from an old friend, who desires to
renew her acquaintance with him, the