scene in Siena with the rest of the company, I was resolved, and had
fortified myself with a solemn vow to the Madonna of Provenzano, to
return to Virginia's side and act, if I did not feel, the part of her
faithful and assiduous husband. Never mind whether I believed this to be
due to Aurelia, and that it was the strongest testimony I could give her
of my love--this did not, in my opinion, make me disloyal to my wife,
because the very act of pleasing her involved the putting out of mind
that dear mistress of my heart. My resolution was indeed my final
offering at the shrine of mystical love; it was to be an act comparable
with Dante's--who, loving Beatrice, married Germma Donati, and proved
the reality of his tie by making her the mother of many children. It
will readily be believed, I suppose, that so fine a proposition made me
enthusiastic, that I was impatient for the moment when I could put it
into practice, recover Virginia, press her to my bosom and cherish her
as so beautiful and loving a girl deserved to be cherished; but it must
be almost incredible to every reader of my book that in one moment I
could not only quench my own fire, but make it impossible to light it
again. This, however, is the plain state of the case.

In honour of the Grand Duke's birthday a great many festivities were
preparing in Siena. The city was full of visitors, for a Palio was to be
run in the Campo, the Cardinal Archbishop of Florence was to celebrate
pontifically in the cathedral, and our company of actors--not because it
was the best, but as being the only one available--was commanded to
perform in the theatre before the Podesta, the Gonfalonier and Senate,
and all the representatives of Government, of the university, and of the
garrison. The whole of the boxes was bespoken, and our manager was given
to understand that his expenses for this night were guaranteed. As we
had so far had very indifferent houses, it may be gathered that he
looked upon this as the occasion of his lifetime. We were put into