XXI. COMPLICATIONS AT BOLOGNA
XXII. CLEMENTINA TAKES MR. WOGAN TO VISIT THE CAPRARA PALACE
XXIII. WOGAN LEARNS THAT HE HAS MEDDLED
XXIV. MARIA VITTORIA REAPPEARS
XXV. THE LAST
THE EPILOGUE




CLEMENTINA




CHAPTER I


The landlord, the lady, and Mr. Charles Wogan were all three, it seemed,
in luck's way that September morning of the year 1719. Wogan was not
surprised, his luck for the moment was altogether in, so that even when
his horse stumbled and went lame at a desolate part of the road from
Florence to Bologna, he had no doubt but that somehow fortune would
serve him. His horse stepped gingerly on for a few yards, stopped, and
looked round at his master. Wogan and his horse were on the best of
terms. "Is it so bad as that?" said he, and dismounting he gently felt
the strained leg. Then he took the bridle in his hand and walked
forward, whistling as he walked.

Yet the place and the hour were most unlikely to give him succour. It