figure him. The Marquis di Sangrido sits inscrutable, wrapped in a cloud, and the lumbering state-carriage thunders out of the staring, wondering town, and rolls across the Campagna toward Rome, where the Marquis has another palace. Rieti is then very cheerful, for the Marquis di Sangrido has gone to Rome.
Once again during the year the grim gates open, and the heavy carriage, and the little group of servants, and the flaring chasseur leading the way, are absorbed within the mysterious yellow walls; and the little town of Rieti is chilled and trembles because the Marquis di Sangrido has returned from Rome.
It was a pleasant summer-day when I came to Rieti, and after eating the frittata and prosciutto crudo at the albergo, I looked id'y out of the window into the great square of the town. The sun blazed upon the open place, and there was perfect silence in the air. My eyes were dazzled, as I gazed, by the yellow wall of the palace; and I called the landlord and asked the name of the owner.
"The Marquis di Sangrido," replied the padrone, with a shudder.
"Is he here?" I inquired.
"Excellency, no," returned the host as he moved away.
"But tell me, can I get into the house? there may be pictures—or into the grounds?"
"Excellency, God forgive us our sins! I know nothing," answered the padrone, with such undisguised fear that I pressed him no farther, and he withdrew.
Of course I sauntered out immediately toward the Sangrido palace. I was sure that I had struck the trail of a romance; for what are anguish, doubts, despairs, years of life lost in misery, all the acutest forms of human woe, but romances to the traveller who saunters out on warm summer mornings, when they are the tears and the woes of other people and other years?
I paused before the great gate, sheltered from the sun by the shade of the heavily-projecting mouldings, and almost feared to rattle with my stick upon the massive panels. After a few moments the slide was slipped, and a curious restless glance danced over my face and figure, while a sharp low female voice inquired my business. I answered that I was a stranger passing through Rieti, and wished to
