he most picturesque scenery of this romantic district. His
rides were daily, and at the same hour. I proposed to join him as
usual, and to lead him into a narrow and unfrequented defile in the
mountains, which rise from the lake about three leagues from Peschiera.
Colonna might there await and force him into personal encounter, while
I would act as umpire, and prevent any interference from the Greek
escort of the wary chieftain. At this proposal Colonna eagerly
approached, and embraced me with grateful rapture. His dark eye
kindled with its wonted fire; his pallid cheeks were flushed; the
settled gloom, which had so long clouded his fine features, vanished
like mists before the sun, and was succeeded by a radiant and exulting
energy, eloquently expressive of his conviction that the hope on which
he had lived so long--the hope of just revenge--would now be realised.

I urged him to seek, in immediate repose, the restoration of his
exhausted strength, and undertook to provide him with a managed horse,
armour, and weapons, which should place him upon a level with his
mailed and well-mounted antagonist. Horse and armour, however, he
promptly declined. He would find an expedient, he said, to compel
Barozzo to fight him foot to foot, and he pledged himself to find a
way with a good weapon through the scaly corselet of his serpent foe.
He requested only a straight two-edged sword, of well-tried temper;
and a woodman's axe, the purpose of which he did not explain. He then
left me, to plunge into the lake, and to find in its pure and bracing
waters that refreshment which, he said, it would be a vain attempt
to obtain in sleep, while I proceeded to my father's armoury, and
selected from the numerous weapons which adorned it, a long and
powerful two-edged blade, which he had brought from the Levant. This
sword was black from hilt to point, and destitute of ornament, except
some golden hieroglyphics near the guard; but I knew that it had stood
the brunt of several stirring campaigns, without material injury to
its admirable edge and temper.

After a short and unrefreshing slumber, I arose with the sun, and
hastened, with the sword and woodman's axe, to the saloon of Colonna.
His garb was usually plain, almost to homeliness, and chosen probably
with a view to the better concealment of his rank; but for this day of
vengeance he had donned the princely costume of the Tuscan nobles. A
rich vest of embroidered scarlet, and pantaloons o