r all I ask, will you accept my offer?"

"And tempt that innocent soul to a life of perfidy and shame?--God send
me death quickly and spare me such villainy as that."

"Your prayer will not be answered," she sneered. "Death will come, but
not quickly,--unless you beat your brains out against the bars of your
cage, and before that you will shriek and call for me, but I will not
come. You have known how the women of the Medici love. Learn now how
they hate."

Her footsteps died away and despair settled upon his heart. How long,
how long, he asked himself, must he endure this agony before death would
come to his release.

The dwarf had left food and water on the window-sill in plain sight but
beyond his reach. He closed his eyes but the odour of the viands reached
him and increased his faintness. The hours lagged on, and toward evening
a light breeze sprang up and he fell into a troubled sleep which
somewhat dulled his suffering. From this he was rudely awakened by the
swaying and jolting of his cage, and he realised that it was being
hauled hastily and not too gently into the tower.

Men dragged him from it, a physician gave him a reviving draught and
assisted him down the staircase at whose foot he fell into the arms of
the faithful Malespini.

"Is it she, who has rescued me?" he asked as the secretary seated him in
a row-boat which shot toward the palace.

"Nay, you are released by the Grand Duke's orders," Malespini replied.
"I bring you great news, Signor. A gentleman has arrived from England
who demands your safe return in the Queen's name. Even the Medici could
not gainsay a summons signed 'Elizabeth' and emphasised by one of her
Majesty's ships of war. Say naught of the hospitality just accorded you,
I beseech you, until well out of Italy, else you may excite the English
admiral who is the bearer of the Queen's message to some rash act, for
he seems to me a man of short temper, and it were well that the Grand
Duke in his chagrin were not tried too far."

"The English Admiral!" repeated the astonished Brandilancia,--"sent for
me by Queen Elizabeth. It is not possible!" But, as the torchlight fell
upon the gallant figure impatiently pacing the landing which they were
approaching, he cried "Miracle of God! it is indeed Essex!"

"It is I, Will, of a surety," replied the other. "Did you think I would
suffer you to die in the trap into which you had ventured for love of
me? I have been consumed with anxiety, es