the　discomforts　of　the　town　he　took　rooms　in　a　house　at　Eaux…Vives；
  outside　the　walls。　As　soon　as　he　was　settled；　his　first　care　was　to
  ask　his　landlord；　a　retired　jeweler；　whether　some　Italian　refugees
  from　Milan　had　not　lately　come　to　reside　at　Geneva。
  〃Not　so　far　as　I　know；〃　replied　the　man。　〃Prince　and　Princess　Colonna
  of　Rome　have　taken　Monsieur　Jeanrenaud's　place　for　three　years；　it　is
  one　of　the　finest　on　the　lake。　It　is　situated　between　the　Villa
  Diodati　and　that　of　Monsieur　Lafin…de…Dieu；　let　to　the　Vicomtesse　de
  Beauseant。　Prince　Colonna　has　come　to　see　his　daughter　and　his　son…in…
  law　Prince　Gandolphini；　a　Neopolitan；　or　if　you　like；　a　Sicilian；　an
  old　adherent　of　King　Murat's；　and　a　victim　of　the　last　revolution。
  These　are　the　last　arrivals　at　Geneva；　and　they　are　not　Milanese。
  Serious　steps　had　to　be　taken；　and　the　Pope's　interest　in　the　Colonna
  family　was　invoked；　to　obtain　permission　from　the　foreign　powers　and
  the　King　of　Naples　for　the　Prince　and　Princess　Gandolphini　to　live
  here。　Geneva　is　anxious　to　do　nothing　to　displease　the　Holy　Alliance
  to　which　it　owes　its　independence。　/Our/　part　is　not　to　ruffle　foreign
  courts；　there　are　many　foreigners　here；　Russians　and　English。〃
  〃Even　some　Gevenese？〃
  〃Yes；　monsieur；　our　lake　is　so　fine！　Lord　Byron　lived　here　about　seven
  years　at　the　Villa　Diodati；　which　every　one　goes　to　see　now；　like
  Coppet　and　Ferney。〃
  〃You　cannot　tell　me　whether　within　a　week　or　so　a　bookseller　from
  Milan　has　come　with　his　wifenamed　Lamporani；　one　of　the　leaders　of
  the　last　revolution？〃
  〃I　could　easily　find　out　by　going　to　the　Foreigners'　Club；〃　said　the
  jeweler。
  Rodolphe's　first　walk　was　very　naturally　to　the　Villa　Diodati；　the
  residence　of　Lord　Byron；　whose　recent　death　added　to　its
  attractiveness：　for　is　not　death　the　consecration　of　genius？
  The　road　to　Eaux…Vives　follows　the　shore　of　the　lake；　and；　like　all
  the　roads　in　Switzerland；　is　very　narrow；　in　some　spots；　in
  consequence　of　the　configuration　of　the　hilly　ground；　there　is
  scarcely　space　for　two　carriages　to　pass　each　other。
  At　a　few　yards　from　the　Jeanrenauds'　house；　which　he　was　approaching
  without　knowing　it；　Rodolphe　heard　the　sound　of　a　carriage　behind　him；
  and；　finding　himself　in　a　sunk　road；　he　climbed　to　the　top　of　a　rock
  to　leave　the　road　free。　Of　course　he　looked　at　the　approaching
  carriagean　elegant　English　phaeton；　with　a　splendid　pair　of　English
  horses。　He　felt　quite　dizzy　as　he　beheld　in　this　carriage　Francesca；
  beautifully　dressed；　by　the　side　of　an　old　lady　as　hard　as　a　cameo。　A
  servant　blazing　with　gold　lace　stood　behind。　Francesca　recognized
  Rodolphe；　and　smiled　at　seeing　him　like　a　statue　on　a　pedestal。　The
  carriage；　which　the　lover　followed　with　his　eyes　as　he　climbed　the
  hill；　turned　in　at　the　gate　of　a　country　house；　towards　which　he　ran。
  〃Who　lives　here？〃　he　asked　the　gardener。
  〃Prince　and　Princess　Colonna；　and　Prince　and　Princess　Gandolphini。〃
  〃Have　they　not　just　driven　in？〃
  〃Yes；　sir。〃
  In　that　instant　a　veil　fell　from　Rodolphe's　eyes；　he　saw　clearly　the
  meaning　of　the　past。
  〃If　only　this　is　her　last　piece　of　trickery！〃　thought　the　thunder…
  struck　lover　to　himself。
  He　trembled　lest　he　should　have　been　the　plaything　of　a　whim；　for　he
  had　heard　what　a　/capriccio/　might　mean　in　an　Italian。　But　what　a
  crime　had　he　committed　in　the　eyes　of　a　womanin　accepting　a　born
  princess　as　a　citizen's　wife！　in　believing　that　a　daughter　of　one　of
  the　most　illustrious　houses　of　the　Middle　Ages　was　the　wife　of　a
  bookseller！　The　consciousness　of　his　blunders　increased　Rodolphe's
  desire　to　know　whether　he　would　be　ignored　and　repelled。　He　asked　for
  Prince　Gandolphini；　sending　in　his　card；　and　was　immediately　received
  by　the　false　Lamparini；　who　came　forward　to　meet　him；　welcomed　him
  with　the　best　possible　grace；　and　took　him　to　walk　on　a　terrace　whence
  there　was　a　view　of　Geneva；　the　Jura；　the　hills　covered　with　villas；
  and　below　them　a　wide　expanse　of　the　lake。
  〃My　wife　is　faithful　to　the　lakes；　you　see；〃　he　remarked；　after
  pointing　out　the　details　to　his　visitor。　〃We　have　a　sort　of　concert
  this　evening；〃　he　added；　as　they　returned　to　the　splendid　Villa
  Jeanrenaud。　〃I　hope　you　will　do　me　and　the　Princess　the　pleasure　of
  seeing　you。　Two　months　of　poverty　endured　in　intimacy　are　equal　to
  years　of　friendship。〃
  Though　he　was　consumed　by　curiosity；　Rodolphe　dared　not　ask　to　see　the
  Princess；　he　slowly　made　his　way　back　to　Eaux…Vives；　looking　forward
  to　the　evening。　In　a　few　hours　his　passion；　great　as　it　had　already
  been；　was　augmented　by　his　anxiety　and　by　suspense　as　to　future
  events。　He　now　understood　the　necessity　for　making　himself　famous；
  that　he　might　some　day　find　himself；　socially　speaking；　on　a　level
  with　his　idol。　In　his　eyes　Francesca　was　made　really　great　by　the
  simplicity　and　ease　of　her　conduct　at　Gersau。　Princess　Colonna's
  haughtiness；　so　evidently　natural　to　her；　alarmed　Rodolphe；　who　would
  find　enemies　in　Francesca's　father　and　motherat　least　so　he　might
  expect；　and　the　secrecy　which　Princess　Gandolphini　had　so　strictly
  enjoined　on　him　now　struck　him　as　a　wonderful　proof　of　affection。　By
  not　choosing　to　compromise　the　future；　had　she　not　confessed　that　she
  loved　him？
  At　last　nine　o'clock　struck；　Rodolphe　could　get　into　a　carriage　and
  say　with　an　emotion　that　is　very　intelligible；　〃To　the　Villa
  Jeanrenaudto　Prince　Gandolphini's。〃
  At　last　he　saw　Francesca；　but　without　being　seen　by　her。　The　Princess
  was　standing　quite　near　the　piano。　Her　beautiful　hair；　so　thick　and
  long；　was　bound　with　a　golden　fillet。　Her　face；　in　the　light　of　wax
  candles；　had　the　brilliant　pallor　peculiar　to　Italians；　and　which
  looks　its　best　only　by　artificial　light。　She　was　in　full　evening
  dress；　showing　her　fascinating　shoulders；　the　figure　of　a　girl　and　the
  arms　of　an　antique　statue。　Her　sublime　beauty　was　beyond　all　possible
  rivalry；　though　there　were　some　charming　women　of　Geneva；　and　other
  Italians；　among　them　the　dazzling　and　illustrious　Princess　Varese；　and
  the　famous　singer　Tinti；　who　was　at　that　moment　singing。
  Rodolphe；　leaning　against　the　door…post；　looked　at　the　Princess；
  turning　on　her　the　fixed；　tenacious；　attracting　gaze；　charged　with　the
  full；　insistent　will　which　is　concentrated　in　the　feeling　called
  desire；　and　thus　assumes　the　nature　of　a　vehement　command。　Did　the
  flame　of　that　gaze　reach　Francesca？　Was　Francesca　expecting　each
  instant　to　see　Rodolphe？　In　a　few　minutes　she　stole　a　glance　at　the
  door；　as　though　magnetized　by　this　current　of　love；　and　her　eyes；
  without　reserve；　looked　deep　into　Rodolphe's。　A　slight　thrill　quivered
  through　that　superb　face　and　beautiful　body；　the　shock　to　her　spirit
  reacted：　Francesca　blushed！　Rodolphe　felt　a　whole　life　in　this
  exchange　of　looks；　so　swift　that　it　can　only　be　compared　to　a
  lightning　flash。　But　to　what　could　his　happiness　compare？　He　was
  loved。　The　lofty　Princess；　in　the　midst　of　her　world；　in　this　handsome
  villa；　kept　the　pledge　given　by　the　disguised　exile；　the　capricious
  beauty　of　Bergmanns'　lodgings。　The　intoxication　of　such　a　moment
  enslaves　a　man　for　life！　A　faint　smile；　refined　and　subtle；　candid　and
  triumphant；　curled　Princess　Gandolphini's　lips；　and　at　a　moment　when
  she　did　not　feel　herself　observed　she　looked　at　Rodolphe　with　an
  expression　which　seemed　to　ask　his　pardon　for　having　deceived　him　as
  to　her　rank。
  When　the　song　was　ended　Rodolphe　could　make　his　way　to　the　Prince；　who
  graciously　led　him　to　his　wife。　Rodolphe　went　through　the　ceremonial
  of　a　formal　introduction　to　Princess　and　Prince　Colonna；　and　to
  Francesca。　When　this　was　over；　the　Princess　had　to　take　part　in　the
  famous　quartette；　/Mi　manca　la　voce/；　which　was　sung　by　her　with
  Tinti；　with　the　famous　tenor　Genovese；　and　with　a　well…known　Italian
  Prince　then　in　exile；　whose　voice；　if　he　had　not　been　a　Prince；　would
  have　made　him　one　of　the　Princes　of　Art。
  〃Take　that　seat；〃　said　Francesca　to　Rodolphe；　pointing　to　her　own
  chair。　〃/Oime/！　I　think　there　is　some　mistake　in　my　name；　I　have　for
  the　last　minute　been　Princess　Rodolphini。〃
  It　was　said　with　the　artless　grace　which　revived；　in　this　avowal
  hidden　beneath　a　jest；　the　happy　days　at　Gersau。　Rodolphe　reveled　in
  the　exquisite　sensation　of　listening　to　the　voice　of　the　woman　he
  adored；　while　sitting　so　close　to　her　that　one　cheek　was　almost
  touched　by　the　stuff　of　her　dress　and　the　gauze　of　her　scarf。　But
  when；　at　such　a　moment；　/Mi　manca　la　voce/　is　being　sung；　and　by　the
  finest　voices　in　Italy；　it　is　easy　to　understand　what　it　was　that
  brought　the　tears　to　Rodolphe's　eyes。
  In　love；　as　perhaps　in　all　else；　there　are　certain　circumstances；
  trivial　in　themselves；　but　the　outcome　of　a　thousand　little　previous
  incidents；　of　which　the　importance　is　immense；　as　an　epitome　of　the
  past　and　as　a　link　with　the　future。　A　hundred　times　already　we　have
  felt　the　preciousness　of　the　one　we　love；　but　a　triflethe　perfect
  touch　of　two　souls　united　during　a　walk　perhaps　by　a　single　word；　by
  some　unlooked…for　proof　of　affection；　will　carry　the　feeling　to　its
  supremest　pitch。　In　short；　to　express　this　truth　by　an　image　which　has
  been　pre…eminently　successful　from　the　earliest　ages　of　the　world；
  there　are　in　a