My reply, I fancy, somewhat sobered the heart of Sir John.  I said that I preferred the Republican form of government as I had seen it in Venice and Lucca, and that I should certainly have nothing to question in the authority of King George, seeing that that authority had been conferred upon him by Parliament.  I added that my plans were very uncertain, and did not at present include hunting the county of Oxford.  “I have done much hunting since I have been in Italy,” I said ruefully, “I have been as often quarry as huntsman.  At present I am hunting for my——.”  But there I stopped.  Wife I could not say—­mistress I would not.

Sir John saved me the trouble.  He was a man of the world.

“Young blood!” he cried.  “I envy you that.  At your age, my dear sir, that too was my game.”  He took snuff, then said in an undertone, “I am not too old but I can feel for you, and not so young neither that I shall pretend more ignorance of your troubles than you could believe me to have.  For reasons of your own, you chose not to seek my good offices when you were last in Florence, and it was not for me to thrust myself upon you.  There was a lady, I believe—­pooh, man, never blush for that; there is always a lady at your happy age.  Well, I can give you news.  That lady is still here in Florence—­a charming creature, Mr. Strelley!  Upon my soul, if I were younger by a decade—­tut, tut! what am I saying?”

What was he saying, indeed!  He was reminding me of one I desired extremely to forget; he was diverting my mind from another whom I must by all means remember.  Honestly, I did not wish to see Donna Aurelia—­ but Sir John must have out his news.

He told me that Donna Aurelia and her husband were established in Florence.  Count Giraldi, said Sir John, had used his great authority with the Sovereign to obtain a fine position for the professor.  Dr. Lanfranchi had been made a Judge of the Court of Cassation, and had been in residence some six months or more.  Fine as this position was, however, it was nothing, said Sir John, to the position of the judge’s lady.  “She’s a leader of the mode, I can assure you,” said he, “and any little difficulty you may have had in that quarter, you may be sure, will be none now.  Count Giraldi will, no doubt, be enchanted to present you there.  I recommend you to keep in with the count.”

I felt that I could not love Count Giraldi any more.  I told Sir John that my duties towards Donna Aurelia and her husband were of a peculiar kind, not to be assisted or made more difficult by Count Giraldi.  “There was a moment,” I added, “when his Excellency could have served me—­when, having played the part of an honest man, I called for the help of one who had pretended himself my friend.  He failed me then, I know not why; and he might fail me now.  If you will pardon me for saying so, what I now have to do in the case of this lady—­if there is anything for me to do—­is by no means the business of his Excellency.”