“You must take me with you,” said the Princess, in a tremor of anxiety.

“Not for the world would I stay, if it be known you have taken refuge here.  For a long time their spies have been watching about me; they only wait for some occasion to seize upon my villa, as they have on the possessions of all my father’s house.  Let me flee with you.  I have a brother-in-law in Florence who hath often urged me to escape to him till times mend,—­for, surely, God will not allow the wicked to bear rule forever.”

“Willingly, noble lady, will we give you our escort,—­the more so that this poor child will then have a friend with her beseeming her father’s rank.  Believe me, lady, she will do no discredit to her lineage.  She was trained in a convent, and her soul is a flower of marvellous beauty.  I must declare to you here that I have wooed her honorably to be my wife, and she would willingly be so, had not some scruples of a religious vocation taken hold on her, to dispel which I look for the aid of the holy father, her uncle.”

“It would be a most fit and proper thing,” said the Princess, “thus to ally our houses, in hope of some good time to come which shall restore their former standing and possessions.  Of course some holy man must judge of the obstacle interposed by her vocation; but I doubt not the Church will be an indulgent mother in a case where the issue seems so desirable.”

“If I be married to her,” said Agostino, “I can take her out of all these strifes and confusions which now agitate our Italy to the court of France, where I have an uncle high in favor with the King, and who will use all his influence to compose these troubles in Italy, and bring about a better day.”

While this conversation was going on, bountiful refreshments had been provided for the whole party, and the attendants of the Princess received orders to pack all her jewels and valuable effects for a sudden journey.

As soon as preparations could be made, the whole party left the villa of the Princess for a retreat in the Alban Mountains, where Agostino and his band had one of their rendezvous.  Only the immediate female attendants of the Princess, and one or two men-servants, left with her.  The silver plate, and all objects of particular value, were buried in the garden.  This being done, the keys of the house were intrusted to a gray-headed servant, who with his wife had grown old in the family.

It was midnight before everything was ready for starting.  The moon cast silver gleams through the ilex-avenues, and caused the jet of the great fountain to look like a wavering pillar of cloudy brightness, when the Princess led forth Agnes upon the wide veranda.  Two gentle, yet spirited little animals from the Princess’s stables were there awaiting them, and they were lifted into their saddles by Agostino.

“Fear nothing, Madam,” he said, observing how the hands of the Princess trembled; “a few hours will put us in perfect safety, and I shall be at your side constantly.”