procession who found it hard to conceal their anger and annoyance,
one being the bridegroom himself, who would rather have touched a
snake than his bride, and the other, Signor Lorenzaccio, his future
brother-in-law, who secretly gnashed his teeth when he reflected that
he had to play a quite secondary part to his young rival's, and would
have gladly strangled, rather than embraced, him and his kindred. And
yet a third heart there was, firmly closed against the rejoicings of
the day, and that heart beat in the bosom of the fair Gianna, for she
knew that the night that followed would be the last of her bliss.
Accordingly she had not as on the former occasion exerted herself to
procure a seat in the tribune in front of the town hall, but had kept
at home while Attilio rode by the stranger's side through the streets,
and a very rain of flowers rustled down about the pair. Even in the
afternoon, while all the people were flocking out to the meadow before
the town, where within splendidly decorated lists a tournament was to
be held, she sat still at home lost in gloomy thoughts, and her tears
falling so fast she saw nothing of the brightness of the day. 'O my
poor heart!' she sighed, 'Now is the time to prove thyself strong
enough to renounce thy own happiness; and thou art so weak, thou
meltest away in tears. Thou hast undertaken more than thou art able to
perform. True thou knewest not that love is a wine of which every
draught but increases the thirst of those who drink. Now the cup of thy
bliss is turned to poison that will slowly consume thee, and no leech
on earth, nor help of all the Saints in heaven, will avail to heal
thee!' At this moment in came Catalina, and persuaded her to go out
with her, that at least if she really were resolved to part from her
beloved, she might behold him once more in the full splendour of his
knightly prowess and beauty, and as conqueror of all assembled. For the
kind soul secretly hoped that a miracle would yet take place, and her
mistress's mind change. Accordingly she dressed out the mourner (who
was passive as a child) with the utmost case, and led her to the
tilting-field, which was already swarming with people, and resonant
with the neighing of horses and blare of trumpets. There then Gianna,
standing amongst the crowd, saw the bride sitting on a raised dais
between the father and uncle of her bridegroom, and heard what people
thought of her, some admiring her to the utmost, and oth