THE LADY BEATRICE.*
BY MRS . MARY. V. SPENCER.
CHAPTER III.
At the hour of midnight, two individuals, closely muffled in large cloaks, might have been seen stealing down the huge staircase of the palace occupied by the Duke Vivaldo. One of the two walked with a hurried and trembling step, and was so agitated that she was forced to lean on her companion for support. The other appeared to be more firm, and, as they walked, cheered her companion by her words.
66 Courage, courage, dear lady," she whispered, " the man whom I have bribed to let us out will not betray us, for he has golden ducats enough to place him far beyond the reach of the Duke's rage, and to support him for many a year in the country to which he will go. Courage then, courage-there is no danger of detection -we are now almost at the gateway- the Signor is waiting without, and in five minutes we shall be on the canal, skimming away from Venice." The Lady Beatrice, for our readers have by this time guessed that she was the companion of the garrulous nurse, made no reply to these words, except by hurrying on still faster, through the great hall at which they had now arrived. Her step was still trembling, and became more so as they advanced into the hall. At length she whispered tremulously, "What if my uncle should be coming home." "Fear not, lady," said her nurse, " he has gone to the ball at the Ducal Palace, and will not return until four in the morning. His servants are asleep or out on the canal, and the palace, as you see, is almost deserted. It will be daybreak, aye ! high noon, before our absence will be discovered ; and by that time we shall be far on our journey to Rome. Courage, now, dear lady, we are at the portal. Play your part, and fear not I will play mine." "Ah, Mistress Japona," said the sleepy porter, arousing himself as the nurse shook him, and demanded to be let out, "whither so late at night, and who have you here ? -a fair wench, I dare swear, and for no good are you going forth. Prythee, pretty mistress," he continued, addressing Beatrice, " are you of the household or not ? for, if you be, I must e'en have a kiss for toll. By St. Mark you must be a sweet morsel, else you would not muffle your face so closely. Mistress Japona may go free, but you must pay for both," and, laughing at what he thought his wit, he advanced to Beatrice. 66 Stop, Master Mark," said the nurse, interposing betwixt the two, "this damsel is a visiter of mine and wants none of your gallantry. You know how the
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Duke sent for me to-day, and I will leave to-morrow if my acquaintance are to be subjected to your insults. I trow your place would not be worth a fig if I were to report this to the Duke. Back, I say, and let us pass." Awed by her manner, and by the tone of authority in which she spoke, the porter hesitated ; and then, bursting into a laugh, he said, " Tut—Mistress Japona, you take my jest in earnest. I am here to watch the gate, and have a lonely task of it as you know. It were some comfort if I might be cheered by the sight of a pretty face, but since you choose to refuse, I must submit," and he shrugged his shoulders, " so, in God's name, pass." During this colloquy Beatrice had been so agitated as scarcely to be able to stand, and had she not leaned on the nurse must have fallen. When, therefore, the porter opened the gate, her strength would scarcely permit her to pass. The nurse, however, hurried her forward, supporting her so as to attract as little notice as possible, and in a minute they stood without the building, and heard the heavy portal clanging to behind them. "Thank heaven," was the exclamation of the nurse, for, bold as had been the front she assumed, she had not been without a portion of the fear of discovery which had infected Beatrice. Her companion's heart was too full to speak ; but she lifted her eyes to heaven in mute thanksgiving. “ This way—this way, dear lady," said the nurse, after the pause of a moment had partially recruited the strength of Beatrice, "I see a gondola awaiting us, a few doors distant. The Signor is there awaiting us." With hurried steps the two females hastened onward, and were soon beside the gondola. But the lover of Beatrice did not, as they expected, spring forward to meet them. The nurse paused, looked around, and then again advanced to the gondola. Still the Signor did not appear. At the same moment a gay party emerged from a door beside them, and they had just time to shrink back into the shadow of a wall, before the group passed laughingly to the gondola, took their seats, and were propelled in the light fabric down the canal. Their mistake was now evident to the nurse and Beatrice. The Signor was not at the appointed rendezvous. For a moment each thought they had mistaken the time, but the loud chime of the cathedral clock, striking the hour of midnight, soon dispelled this belief. As the chimes died on the air, Beatrice and her companion looked into each others faces, with feelings of disappointment, agony, and terror, such as no pen can describe. "This is singular," at length said the nurse, " I cannot believe that the Signor is not here. What can have happened ?" " Oh!" said Beatrice, "he has been waylaid -you know that assassins swarm in Venice. Holy mother !"
