maestra, do you think that you will find every body equally disposed to risk his life and worldly goods in the defence of strangers, whom you yourself scarcely know, and towards whom you exercise none other hospitality than that of an inn-keeper?"

The old man looked angrily towards

her.

"Inn-keeper, forsooth!" murmured he, "the descendant of Ferruccio (and at the much revered name the father and the son inclined their heads, uncovering them)."

"Blessed be the memory of Ferruccio!" replied the housekeeper; "may may Heaven reward his merits, and may he reserve for all of us a place in Holy Paradise! but it is not of him there is question, let us think of our guests!" “Of our friends!” added Maria, in a soft voice.

"Be it so," they all responded; "my my advice is that they be not uselessly alarmed, let us keep our bad news to ourselves; a stroke of a lancet may save a sick man, whilst one of the tongue may kill him. Listen then to what I propose. Sanderino is not yet near this; let us leave to our guests their good night's rest; to-morrow at early dawn Giaccomo may be sent forwards as far as the road which conducts to Fiorenzuola is practicable for horsemen, there he will

inform himself, and will be enabled to warn us by taking a short cut across the valley. Should the danger disappear, we will let the sick man be cured at leisure, and the young woman will repay us by the good and cheerful humour which she says has returned to her since she has dwelt with us."

Maria thanked the housekeeper with a significant glance.

That if the peril approached them, they would not remain with their arms crossed or with their feet growing to the soil. Then, if needed, we must ring the alarm-bell in the ears of the poor sick man, and mark out for him his hour of departure, together with the road he must follow. "Are not you," she said, "of my way of thinking?"

All present approved, with the exception of Antonio, who, seeing his father relinquish thus easily his belligerent notions, had hastily taken leave of the family, and had, as stated, regained his chamber.

At daybreak the new-formed project was put into execution, and Giaccomo, the shepherd, was already ranging over and surveying the Apennines, stooping to the earth to listen for the trampling of horses, or climbing to the summit of the rocks to be enabled to distinguish from afar the cuirasses of the Florentines, as they glistened in the sun.

(To be concluded in our next.)

LOVE, PLEASURE, AND REASON.

BY MRS. CHARLES NEALDS.

As Love and Pleasure, side by side,
One summer morning wander'd,
"How many hours, alas!" Love cried,
"With thee, gay friend, I've squander'd !”

"Dost thou regret, then, silly you

Those hours, so bright and cheerly?"
Young Love replied, "I do, in truth,
For ah! I bought them dearly.”

Said Pleasure, "Gems my bowers adorn,
And sunny flowers enwreath them."
Sig'd Love, "Alas! I've found the thorn
Is thickly spread beneath them:

"So now farewell! ere youth is past
I'll seek the paths of Reason,

And there pluck flowers whose bloom will last
Through Age's wintry season.”

(21)

me

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