preferred the Republican form of government as I had seen it in Venice
and Lucca, and that I should certainly have nothing to question in the
authority of King George, seeing that that authority had been conferred
upon him by Parliament. I added that my plans were very uncertain, and
did not at present include hunting the county of Oxford. "I have done
much hunting since I have been in Italy," I said ruefully, "I have been
as often quarry as huntsman. At present I am hunting for my----." But
there I stopped. Wife I could not say--mistress I would not.

Sir John saved me the trouble. He was a man of the world.

"Young blood!" he cried. "I envy you that. At your age, my dear sir,
that too was my game." He took snuff, then said in an undertone, "I am
not too old but I can feel for you, and not so young neither that I
shall pretend more ignorance of your troubles than you could believe me
to have. For reasons of your own, you chose not to seek my good offices
when you were last in Florence, and it was not for me to thrust myself
upon you. There was a lady, I believe--pooh, man, never blush for that;
there is always a lady at your happy age. Well, I can give you news.
That lady is still here in Florence--a charming creature, Mr. Strelley!
Upon my soul, if I were younger by a decade--tut, tut! what am I
saying?"

What was he saying, indeed! He was reminding me of one I desired
extremely to forget; he was diverting my mind from another whom I must
by all means remember. Honestly, I did not wish to see Donna Aurelia--
but Sir John must have out his news.

He told me that Donna Aurelia and her husband were established in
Florence. Count Giraldi, said Sir John, had used his great authority