without hesitation the new life which this accident had imposed on her.  She re-ascended to her lover, related what had happened, demanded of him if he was ready to sacrifice all for her as she was for him, and proposed to take advantage of the two hours of the night which still remained to them, to quit Venice and conceal themselves from the pursuit of her parents.  Pietro was true—­he adopted immediately the proposal; they stepped into a gondola, and fled towards Florence.

“Arrived at Florence, they took refuge with the father of Pietro—­Bonaventuri the elder, who with his wife had a small lodging in the second floor in the place of St Mark.  Strange! it is with poor parents that the children are so especially welcome.  They received their son and their new daughter with open arms.  Their servant was dismissed, both for economy and the better preservation of their secret.  The good mother charged herself with the care of the little household.  Bianca, whose white hands had been taught no such useful duties, set about working the most charming embroidery.  The father, who earned his living as a copyist for public offices, gave out that he had retained a clerk, and took home a double portion of papers.  All were employed, and the little family contrived to live.

“Meanwhile, it will be easily imagined how great a commotion the flight of Bianca occasioned in the palace of the noble Capello.  During the whole of the first day they made no pursuit, for they still, though with much anxiety, expected her return.  The day passed, however, without any news of the fugitive; the flight, on the same morning, of Pietro Bonaventuri was next reported; a thousand little incidents which attracted no notice at the time were now brought back to recollection, and the result of the whole was the clear conviction that they had fled together.  The influence of the Capelli was such that the case was brought immediately before the Council of Ten; and Pietro Bonaventuri was placed under the ban of the Republic.  The sentence of this tribunal was made known to the government of Florence; and this government authorized the Capelli, or the officers of the Venetian Republic, to make all necessary search, not only in Florence, but throughout all Tuscany.  The search, however was unavailing.  Each one of the parties felt too great an interest in keeping their secret, and Bianca herself never stirred from the apartment.

“Three months passed in this melancholy concealment, yet she who had been habituated from infancy to all the indulgences of wealth, never once breathed a word of complaint.  Her only recreation was to look down into the street through the sloping blind.  Now, amongst those who frequently passed across the Place of St Mark was the young grand-duke, who went every other day to see his father at his castle of Petraja.  Francesco was young, gallant, and handsome; but it was not his youth or