childish souls out of
the dulness of the days. And when we hear the champing of horses in the
great court of the palace--but there is already a tumult below--fly
then!"

She had dashed out under the arcades and was leaning between the
columns, making her quick eager comments to the bevy of maidens who had
followed her, as the little train of slaves bearing the royal gifts
passed through the court-yard of the palace.

"A regal mantle of cloth of gold, with its gleam of jewels for her lorn
Majesty--who will never again wear aught but trappings of woe, if she
might have her will--it is a waste of treasure!"

"For shame, Ecciva!"

"Nay; for we are only _we_--not the Dama Margherita; nor the Lady of the
Bernardini.--Will the mourning bring back the child?--One may weep one's
life away in vain."

"Thou hast no heart, Ecciva: how should we not grieve with her!"

"So it pleaseth one to grieve, I am well content. But the way of weeping
is strange to me. Methinks it would be kinder to cheer her soul with
some revelry--or a race on that splendid Arab steed, stepping so
daintily, with its great dark eyes and quivering nostrils, where the red
color comes! The Sultan himself hath chosen this beauty for Her
Majesty--she who perchance will never mount him, scorning to do aught
that would make the blood flow warmer through the veins;--going daily to
San Nicolo with her taper and knowing naught of pleasure in life;
unless it verily pleaseth her to grieve! What availeth it to her that
she is Queen!"

"What availeth it to her to win the love of the people as none hath ever
done before!" Eloisa cried hotly, moved from her timidity by her
indignation. "That wilt thou never know, Ecciva, who dost so belie thy
heart with thy unkind speech. But verily"--she pursued, relenting--"thou
art far gentler than thy speech--not untrue, as thou wouldst have us
believe!"

"What is '_untrue_'?" Dama Ecciva asked, undisturbed. "How may one know?
Shall one ask Carlotta?--Or Queen Caterina? Or--if he might but answer
us now--the charming Janus?--My brain is too little to unravel the
mystery."

XXX

Naples also found the moment propitious for re-asserting her baseless
claims to this much-disputed crown; since the death of the infant King
had left the Queen without a successor in her own line, and might
dispose her to look with favor on the proffer of the hand of Don Alfonso
of Naples who would graciously consent to accept the position of