wish is to see thee placed with one who will nurture thy young years,
and save thee from a life of licence. That done, I may fulfil my vow,
and devote the desolate remnant of my years to God. I will think more
of this, my child. Not under such a plebeian's roof shouldst thou have
lodged, nor from a stranger's board been fed: but at Rome, my last
relative worthy of the trust is dead;--and at the worst, obscure honesty
is better than gaudy crime. Thy spirit troubles me already. Back, my
child; I must to my closet, and watch and pray."

Thus saying, the old woman, repelling the advance, and silencing the
muttered and confused words, of the boy--half affectionate as they were,
yet half tetchy and wayward--glided from the chamber.

The boy looked abstractedly at the closing door, and then said to
himself--"The dame is always talking riddles: I wonder if she know more
of me than she tells, or if she is any way akin to me. I hope not, for
I don't love her much; nor, for that matter, anything else. I wish she
would place me with the Tribune's lady, and then we'll see who among the
lads will call Angelo Villani bastard."

With that the boy fell to work again at his sword with redoubled vigour.
In fact, the cold manner of this female, his sole nurse, companion,
substitute for parent, had repelled his affections without subduing his
temper; and though not originally of evil disposition, Angelo Villani
was already insolent, cunning, and revengeful; but not, on the other
hand, without a quick susceptibility to kindness as to affront, a
natural acuteness of understanding, and a great indifference to fear.
Brought up in quiet affluence rather than luxury, and living much with
his protector, whom he knew but by the name of Ursula, his bearing was
graceful, and his air that of the well-born. And it was his carriage,