for generations--there has not been such good news told in these old
walls since they have stood here. We will illuminate the castle, the
whole town, in your honour--we will ring the bells and have a Te Deum
sung--we will have such a festival as was never seen before--we will go
to Rome to-morrow and celebrate the espousal--we will--"

"Softly, _padre mio_," interrupted Giovanni. "No one must know as yet.
You must consider--"

"Consider what? consider the marriage? Of course we will consider it, as
soon as you please. You shall have such a wedding as was never heard of--
you shall be married by the Cardinal Archpriest of Saint Peter's, by the
Holy Father himself. The whole country shall ring with it."

It was with difficulty Giovanni succeeded in calming his father's
excitement, and in recalling to his mind the circumstances which made it
necessary to conceal the engagement for the present. But at last the old
man reluctantly consented, and returned to a quieter humour. For some
time the three continued to pace the stone rampart.

"This is a case of arrant cruelty to a man of my temper," said the
Prince. "To be expected to behave like an ordinary creature, with grins
and smiles and decent paces, when I have just heard what I have longed to
hear for years. But I will revenge myself by making a noise about
it by-and-by. I will concoct schemes for your wedding, and dream of
nothing but illuminations and decorations. You shall be Prince of Sant'
Ilario, Giovanni, as I was before my father died; and I will give you
that estate outright, and the palace in the Corso to live in."

"Perhaps we might live in my palace," suggested Corona. It seemed strange
to her to be discussing her own marriage, but it was necessary to humour
the old Prince. "Of course," he said. "I forgot all about it. You have
places enough to live in. One forgets that you will in the end be the
richest couple in Italy. Ha!" he cried, in sudden enthusiasm, "the
Saracinesca are not dead yet! They are greater than ever--and our lands
here so near together, too. We will build a new road to Astrardente,
and when you are married you shall be the first to drive over it from
Astrardente here. We will do all kinds of things--we will tunnel the
mountain!"

"I am sure you will do that in the end," said Giovanni, laughing.

"Well--let us go to dinner," answered his father. "It has grown quite
dark since we have been talking, and we shall be falling over the edge if