"But do you, can you love me,--you, you, Zicci,--even for an hour? Say
it again."

"Yes, Isabel; I am not dead to beauty, and yours is that rarely given to
the daughters of men. Yes, Isabel, I could love thee"

Isabel uttered a cry of joy, seized his hand, and kissed it through
burning and impassioned tears. Zicci raised her in his arms and
imprinted one kiss upon her forehead.

"Do not deceive thyself," he said; "consider well. I tell thee again
that my love is subjected to the certain curse of change. For my part,
I shall seek thee no more. Thy fate shall be thine own, and not mine.
For the rest, fear not the Prince di --. At present, I can save thee
from every harm." With these words he withdrew himself from her
embrace, and had gained the outer door just as Gionetta came from the
kitchen with her hands full of such cheer as she had managed to collect
together. Zicci laid his hand on the old woman's arm.

"Signor Glyndon," said he, "loves Isabel; he may wed her. You love your
mistress: plead for him. Disabuse her, if you can, of any caprice for
me. I am a bird ever on the wing." He dropped a purse, heavy with
gold, into Gionetta's bosom, and was gone.




CHAPTER IV.