alone, "I rejoice that my uncle, whom of all men I dread the most, has at length unmasked himself. One of us two must fall; but he who first enters the lists has the best chance of victory. To-morrow I must pass within sight of Milan. It would be madness to place myself in his power. But how excuse myself for not visiting him?-My health! it is as good as his his ;-time! he knows not its value."

He stood for upwards of a minute in deep thought, and then continued, more rapidly ;"The sacred purpose of my journey, my pilgrim's habit, the largeness of my retinue, must furnish one; then to invite him to a conference without the walls-seize and bear him off to yonder lone Castle of Trezzo, at the foot of the lake. Immure him in a prison of his own building-ha! The fancy pleases me.Rodolph!"

A Swiss man-at-arms opened the main door of the apartment as he spoke, and stood awaiting his orders.

"Go instantly to your captain," said Visconti, in German, at that time the military language

throughout Europe, "and tell him to be in readiness to attend me at sunrise with five hundred lances."

"Who is your comrade on the watch tonight?" he asked, as the guardsman was leaving the room.

"Hubert, please your Excellency."

"Let him remain within call."

The soldier retired, and his master paced the chamber thoughtfully, until, in the course of a few minutes, a gentle tap was given at the door, and a Dominican friar entered. He was a middle-aged man, with intelligent features, and piercing dark eyes; and advanced with a profusion of bows towards his master. The latter quietly motioned him to take a seat.

"Well, Antonio," said Visconti, in a tone of affected indifference, although he carefully watched each movement of his secretary, for such he was," have you heard the news?" "What news, my lord?"

"That my uncle has conspired against me."

"Indeed! I thought that ever since the death

of

your honoured father he had shown you the utmost regard."

"True, Antonio; but the friendships of the great are not so lasting as their enmities."

"And what precautions, may I ask, does your highness mean to take against the intrigues of the Lord of Milan ?"

"At present, none. To-morrow I have to fulfil my long projected pilgrimage to our Lady of Varese; you will attend me at daybreak.”

"But will not such a journey be attended with danger to your highness at a time like this?"

"I think not. Jacopo will accompany me with five hundred lances, picked men, on whom we may depend."

"I shall hold myself in readiness;—but the extraordinary intelligence I have just heard, has almost made me forget the purport of my visit at this unseasonable hour. Your Excellency will observe, from these letters, that war has again broken out betwixt the houses of Padua and Verona."

He laid a packet on the table as he spoke. Visconti glanced eagerly at its contents in silence.

"You did right, Antonio," he said at length, "to acquaint me of this. At present, it may prove of the utmost consequence; but I will detain you no longer now. Good night."

His secretary rose, and retired. Visconti watched him narrowly until the door was closed behind him, and then muttered to himself:

to

my

"A supple, pliant, dexterous knave is this Dominican-serves me faithfully, too;-but a fig for untempted honesty; he must not know the secret object of my journey, for its betrayal uncle would make his fortune. All now is favourable for the attempt. This quarrel betwixt the Lords of Padua and Verona happens most opportunely. It must be carefully fomented; and when both are sufficiently exhausted, we can safely step as mediator betwixt them; and then farewell to the houses of La Scala and Carrara! Yet still I dread the jealousy of Venice-what will the Doge say when he sees my standard flaunting in sight of his palace

the

windows? But then I have the people on my side, whom I have won by some few acts of justice, and my reputation for sanctity cheapest mask I could devise to blind the world, and veil my projects of ambition. Now to Velasco."

He lighted a wax taper which stood on the table, as he spoke, and opening the tapestry by which his wife had entered, ascended a narrow winding staircase, which conducted to the roof of the palace. When he reached the landingplace at the top, he knocked twice at a small door, which was immediately opened by a person habited as a physician, and he entered the chamber.

It was a small circular room, being the interior of one of the turrets of the castle. In the midst of it stood a round black table, on which scrolls of parchment and a number of astrological instruments lay heaped confusedly together. A window, which opened upon a balcony on the outside, admitted the rays of a full moon, which lighted up the whole chamber; while the stillness of the palace, and of the city beneath, the