He walked out of the house, led his horse back onto the road and mounted it.  The night was gathering; there were purple shadows upon the Apennines.  Wogan rode away alone.

EPILOGUE

Sir Charles Wogan had opportunities enough to appreciate in later years the accuracy of Maria Vittoria’s prophecy.  “Here are two people cross-mated,” said she, and events bore her out.  The jealousies of courtiers no doubt had their share in the estrangement of that unhappy couple, but that was no consolation to Wogan, who saw, within so short a time of that journey into Italy, James separated from the chosen woman, and the chosen woman herself seeking the seclusion of a convent.  As his reward he was made Governor of La Mancha in Spain, and no place could have been found with associations more suitable to this Irishman who turned his back upon his fortunes at Peri.  At La Mancha he lived for many years, writing a deal of Latin verse, and corresponding with many distinguished men in England upon matters of the intellect.  Matters of the heart he left alone, and meddled with no more.  Nor did any woman ever ride on his black horse into his city of dreams.  He lived and died a bachelor.  The memory of that week when he had rescued his Princess and carried her through the snows was to the last too vivid in his thoughts.  The thunderous roll of the carriage down the slopes, the sparks striking from the wheels, the sound of Clementina’s voice singing softly in the darkness of the carriage, the walk under the stars to Ala, the coming of the dawn about that lonely hut, high-placed amongst the pines.  These recollections bore him company through many a solitary evening.  Somehow the world had gone awry.  Clementina, withdrawn into her convent, was, after all, “wasted,” as he had sworn she should not be.  James was fallen upon a deeper melancholy, and diminished hopes.  He himself was an exile alone in his white patio in Spain.  In only one point was Maria Vittoria’s prophecy at fault.  She had spoken of two who were to find no mates, and one of the two was herself.  She married five years later.

THE END