welled into active sympathy and a firm resolve to second, at all
hazards, the just vengeance of this noble and deeply-injured youth. I
felt also the necessity of immediate interference to save his life.
The governor was evidently fearful of the retribution so justly due to
his unparalleled atrocity, and he had, moreover, been galled to the
quick by the taunting deportment of the young artist while sitting for
his portrait. He would soon suspect the failure of his first attempt
upon the life of Colonna, and would inevitably follow up his base
design by employing the numerous daggers in his pay. The hatred of the
young Florentine was deadly and implacable, and his determination to
sacrifice this mortal foe of his family spurned all control, and raged
like a tempest; but his impetuosity would prevent the accomplishment
of his object, and too probably betray him into the toils of his cool
and crafty enemy, who never quitted the Villa Foscari without one or
more well-armed attendants. From an affectation, too, of military
display, or probably from a consciousness that he had many personal
enemies, the governor wore at all times a corselet of scaled armour,
composed of the light, well-tempered Spanish steel, which resists the
point of sword or dagger. Had I wished to save the life of this
lawless pander to the cruelty of Cosmo, I saw no expedient which
would not expose my valued friend to imminent and deadly peril; and
could I for a moment hesitate between the chivalrous, the princely
Colonna, so unrivalled in form and feature, so elevated and pure in
sentiment, so eminently fitted, by his high intelligence, his glowing
diction, and his kindling, all-impelling energies, to rouse a better,
higher, nobler spirit, in all who came within the sphere of his
activity--could I pause an instant between this first of nature's
nobles and the base Barozzo, who, inaccessible to pity, and fortified
against all compunction by years of crime, had, unprovoked, and with
the malice of a demon, destroyed the best and bravest of the sons of
Florence?

With prompt and ardent enthusiasm, I assured him of my devotion to
his cause, and unfolded to him a stratagem, which my knowledge
of the surrounding country, and of the habits of Barozzo, had
readily suggested. During the frequent absence of Colonna, I had
occasionally joined the governor in his equestrian excursions, and,
from neighbourly feeling to the senator Foscari, had escorted his
guest to t