rs, Nello, first making a deep reverence to Romola, gently pus

has been eager to have speech of you, not less from the report I have made to him of your learning and your priceless collections, than because of the

nts against the world's injustice, was like a snowy embankment hemming in the rush of admiring surprise. Tito's bright face showed its rich-tinted beauty without any rivalry of colour above his black sajo or tunic reaching to the knees. It seemed like a wreath of spring, dropped suddenly in Romola's young but wintry life, which had inherited nothing but memories - memories of a dead mother, of a lost brother, of a blind father's happier time - memories of far-off light, love, and beauty, that lay embedded in dark mines of books, and could hardly give out their brightness again until they were kindled for her by the torch of some known joy. Nevertheless, she returned Tito's bow, made to her on entering, with the same pale proud face as ever; but, a

the name of scholar who has acquired merely the transplanted and derivative literature of the Latins; rather such inert students are stigmatised as opici or barbarians according to the phrase of the Romans themselves, who frankly replenished their urns at the fountain-head. I am, as you perceive, and as Nello has doubtless forewarned you, totally blind: a calamity to which we Florentines are held especially liable

e visitors were seating themselves, and that Romola was

sh in their minds any image of her original glory, though indeed the barbarous Sultans have of late shown themselves not indisposed to engraft

n various parts little visited by Western Christians since the triumph of the Turkish arms. I should tell you, however, Me

features; he leaned forward, put out his right hand towards Romola, and turned his head as if abo

it not true -

-and-twenty

, 'and you had, doubtless, a father who cared for your

and Nello it began with a slight shock that seemed to pass through him, and cause a mom

omplished scholarship, both Latin and Greek. But,' added Tito, after another sligh

ibres that Tito's voice had stirred in her father, felt that this new acquaintance had with wonderful suddenness got within the barrier that lay between them

re they have felt the edge of their tools; they tested him well beforehand, we may be sure, and if there are two things not to be hidden - love and a cough - I say there is a third, and that is ignorance, when once a man is o

'io fallo: c

io volgar co

ies the farthest removed from the models of a pure age, and resembling rather the grylli or conceits of a period when mystic meaning was held a warrant for monstrosity of form; with this difference, that while the monstrosity is retained, the mystic meaning is absent; in contemptible contrast with the great poem of Virgil, who, as I long held with Filelfo, belore Landino had taken upon him to expound the same opinion, embodied the deepest lessons of philosophy in a graceful and well-knit fab

ts me. And, indeed, talking of customers, I have left my shop and my reputation too long in the custody of my slow Sandro, who does not deserve even to be called a tonsor inequalis, but rather to be pronounced simply a bungler in the vulgar tongue. So with your permission, Messer Bardo, I

cute barber saw that the pretty youngster, who had crept into his liking by some strong magic, was well launched in Bard

iverted Bardo's mind from the feelings which had just before been hemming i

reports of hasty pilgrims. For those days are in the far distance which I myself witnessed, when men like Aurispa and Guarino went out to Greece as to a storehouse, and came back laden with manuscripts which every scholar was eager to borrow - and, be it owned with shame, not al

father - was willing to risk his life in his zeal for the disc

rly, 'since they must be even more precious than those of Ciriaco, which I have dilig

everything else, in the shipwreck I suffered below Ancona. Th

hemselves into my mind as if they had been fixed by the tool of the graver; wherefore I constantly marvel at the capriciousness of my daughter's memory, which grasps certain objects with tenacity, a

sunbeams in Romola's. Conceive the soothing delight of that smile to her! Romola had never dreamed that there was a scholar in the world who would smile at a deficiency for which she was constantly made to feel herself

y so cold and pro

thought Romola. 'Yet I hope no

to turn away, and ans

s been weakened. On the plain of the Eurotas, or among the gigantic stones of Mycenae and Tyrins - especially when the fear of the Turk hovers over one like a vulture - the mind wanders, even though the hand writes faithfully what the eye di

work were already growing so fast that the time of trial was near; 'if your book contains novelties you will be charged with forgery; if my elucidations should clash with any principles of interpretation adopted by another scholar, our personal characters will be attacked, we shall be impeached with foul actions; you must prepare yourself to be told that your mother was a fishwoman, and that your father was a renegade priest or a hanged malefactor. I myself, for

and my father used to say that scholars themselves hardly imagine them to have any existence out of books. He was of opinion that a new and more glorious era would open for learning when me

mmon man. Was he fortunate, may I ask? Had he many friends?'

ur; and they hindered his advancement, so that he lived in obscurity. A

again, with a lon

d as prisoners by the Turks, and of our galley raising anchor before we could return, made it seem like a fevered vision of the night - the wide plain, the girdling mountains, the ruined porticos and columns, either standing far aloof,

o. 'Athens, then, is not utterly destr

ilot we had on board our Venetian galley pointed to the mighty columns that stand on the summit of the rock - the remains, as you know well, of the great temple erected to the goddess Athena, who looked down from that high shrine with triumph at her conquered rival Poseidon; - well, our Gr

to overlay human hope and enterprise with an eternal frost to think that the ground which was trodden by

time we paused and directed our eyes towards it, our guide set up a wail, that a temple which had once been won from the diabolical uses of the pagans to become the temple of another virgin than Pallas - the Virgin-Mother of God - was now again perverted to the accursed ends of the Moslem. It was the sight of those walls of the Acropolis, which disclosed themselves in the distance as we leaned over the side of our galley when it was forced by

rd of the aspect Greece bore while yet the barbarians had not swept away every trace of the structures that Pausanias and Pliny described: you will take those great writers as your models;

set its seal, till there is a confusion of ownership even in ruins, that only close study and comparison could unravel. High over every fastness, from the plains of Laced

ady clothing for your thoughts, and it is the nobler language. But on the other hand, Latin is the tongue in which we shall measure ourselves with the larger and more famous number of modern rivals. And if you a

a moment, and

g man, have been brought up by a father who poured into your mind all the lo

should be inclined to dispel these visions of co-operation which were lighting up her father's face with a new hope. But no! He looked so bright and gentle: he must feel, as she did, that in this eagerness of blind age there was piteousness enough to call forth inexhaustible paticnce. How much more str

he could occasionally look at her. He was pleased that Bardo should take an interest in him; and he did not dwell with enough seriousness on the pros

red scholarship of Messere. But doubtless' - here he looked towards Romola - 'the lovely damigella, your daughter, makes all ot

means sufficient to my father: I have not t

iatory statement in a tone of anxiou

er, thou art endowed beyond the measure of women; but thou hast withal the woman's delicate frame, which ever craves repose and variety, and so begets a wandering

at this young man, in whom he had unexpectedly become so much interested, was still a stranger, towards whom it became him ra

the most important business. Nello informed me that you had certain gems which you would fain dispose of,

aves little margin beyond the provision of necessaries, and would leave less but that my good frien

nowing many things and knowing them all badly, as I hinted to him but now - he is nevertheless "abnormis sapiens," after the manner of our born Florenti

h beauty,' said Tito, proceeding to

an she looked at him with significant gr

he tocendo

ome device for purchasing them in spite of poverty. But she had no sooner made this sign than she felt rather guilty and ashamed at having virtually confessed a weakness of her father's to a stranger. It seemed th

to make it appear that he was merely following up his last words, 'But they are usually in the keeping of Messer Domen

' said Bardo. 'Five hundred ducat

at a time when men were often being ransomed from slavery or imprisonment - had had some special meaning for him. But the next moment he looked towards Romola, as if her eyes mu

the Segretario would be almost sure to buy any gems that she wished for. Besides, he himself

al of medicinal virtues in gems. Wherefore, I myself, as you observe, young man, wear certain rings, which the discreet Camillo Leonardi prescribed to me by letter when two years ago I had a certain infirmity of sudden numbness. But thou hast spoken wel

father, gave her the courage to resist his proposal. 'Your word will be sufficicnt that Messere is

arguments in confirmation of my word to Bartolommeo. And I doubt not that this young man's presence is in

leaned forward a little as if he were going to speak, then turned his head aside towards Romola and sank backward again. At la

answer, authorising you to present yourself to him at some given time. But before you go' - here the old man, in spite of himself, f

ark but delicate and supple fingers within it. Bardo's cramped fingers clo

n the same complexion as t

ith mingled emotions. 'The hair of Messere is dark - his complexion is dark.' Inwardly she said, 'Wi

t my father to touch

ghtness as he said, 'Assuredly,' and, leaning forward, raised Bardo's hand to his curls, with a readiness

nce made his inward vision clearer; then he passed his hand over the brow and cheek, tracing the profile with t

oung man's shoulder. 'He must be very unlike thy brother, Romola: a

keen glance of surprise at the group belore him - the young stranger leaning in that filial attitude, while Bardo's hand rested on his shoulder, and Romola sitting near uith eyes dilated by anxiety and agitation. But there was a

s he touched Romola's shoulder; 'Maso said yo

ernardo del Nero, my oldest, I had almost said my only friend - whose good opinion, if you can win it, may carry you far. He is but three-and-twenty, Bernardo, yet he can doubtless tel

ying him with that sort of glance which seems almost to cut like fine steel. 'Newly arrived

good-humour, 'it is most modestly free from

ong as the names of a city, a river. a province, and an empire all put together. We Florentines most

t worth further notice, and changing his tone of sarcas

Florence - a dark one, I fear. Lorenzo has left behind him an inheritance that

ligence; his faults are only the faults of hot blood. I love the lad - l

ikely to conceive new hopes,' said Bardo. 'We

"I belong to no party: I am a Florentine." But as long as parties are in question, I am a Medicean, and will be a Medicean till I die. I am of the same mind as Fa

e, Tito had been standing

aid Bardo, graciously, before Tito left the ro

chair, Bardo?' said Bernardo del Nero, as the door closed. He spoke with dry emphasis,

he wants to find a purchaser. I am going to send him to Bartolommeo Scala, f

is without? I ordered him to wait for me here.' Then, when Romola was at a su

t likely to pay a worthy price. That pretty Greek has a lithe sleekness about him, th

cluded instead of suggesting the thought of Romola. But almost immediately there

y - he is a scholar - and - and there would be no difficulty ab