with Giovanni's father. There were several reasons which had led
them to this decision, but the two chief ones were that they were
both devotedly attached to the old man; and secondly, that such a
proceeding was strictly fitting and in accordance with the customs
of Romans. It was true that Corona, while her old husband, the
Duca d'Astrardente, was alive, had grown used to having an
establishment exclusively her own, and both the Saracinesca had at
first feared that she would be unwilling to live in her father-in-
law's house. Then, too, there was the Astrardente palace, which,
could not lie shut up and allowed to go to ruin; but this matter
was compromised advantageously by Corona's letting it to an
American millionaire who wished to spend the winter in Rome. The
rent paid was large, and Corona never could have too much money
for her improvements out at Astrardente. Old Saracinesca wished
that the tenant might have been at least a diplomatist, and cursed
the American by his gods, but Giovanni said that his wife had
shown good sense in getting as much as she could for the palace.

"We shall not need it till Orsino grows up--unless you marry
again," said Sant' Ilario to his father, with a laugh.

Now, Orsino was Giovanni's son and heir, aged, at the time of this
tale, six months and a few days. In spite of his extreme youth,
however, Orsino played a great and important part in the doings of
the Saracinesca household. In the first place, he was the heir,
and the old prince had been found sitting by his cradle with an
expression never seen in his face since Giovanni had been a baby.
Secondly, Orsino was a very fine child, swarthy of skin, and hard
as a tiger cub, yet having already his mother's eyes, large, coal-
black and bright, but deep and soft withal. Thirdly, Orsino had a