good! there."

'Punch' will be glad to get this. It beats anything I ever saw

He had scarcely superscribed his letter, and sealed it with his own crest, a gander courant, cackling, proper,-when Mr. Spike was announced.

66

Ah, my dear Colonel!" exclaimed the Doctor,- busy with pen and ink as usual! Take care, though! You mustn't overdo it. The brain requires rest."

"Oh," replied Loftus Tippy, carelessly," a mere trifle. Only a skit for Punch. They like my things,-so, now and then, I knock them off something. No head-work in that, you know."

"But I do not know that," returned Spike. "Easy reading,'-you remember the proverb. So you're one of the Punch men! I should never have suspected it. See what secrets we medical men stumble on! Well, since you have given us so much pleasure, it's our duty, as part of the public, to do what we can for you in return. How is the shoulder this morning ?"

"Oh, I don't feel anything the matter there."

"And the head,-and the"-et cætera,-tongue, pulse, and so forth, -to which exhaustive question a favourable answer-indeed, rather too favourable was returned.

"When shall I be well enough to get out, Doctar?" asked the patient.

"Get out!" echoed Spike, with not the most encouraging accent. "Not yet awhile-not for-some-days to come. We must not be rash. If we went out too soon we should probably knock down in an hour all the strength we've been storing up for the last three weeks."

"But I feel dreadfully as if I wanted a walk, Doctar!"

"You mustn't attempt it at present. I declare I could not answer for the consequences. A gentle drive, perhaps, in the brougham, say for half an hour to begin with. We will see about it. Don't think I wish to keep you in! On the contrary, nothing would delight me more than to see you stretching out like a postman, or a professional pedestrian training,but Sat cito, si sat tuto,'-you remember the proverb."

As Loftus Tippy did not remember the proverb, nor know its meaning, he only laughed; but that equally answered Spike's purpose, which was to keep his patient in good humour.

"The brougham will do very well," resumed the invalid, "and really I must have a drive. I've some particular business."

"Could it not be transacted here?" asked Spike.

"No, not exactly. The fact is, I want to be photographed, and one must have a skylight to do it in, you know."

"But there's no such great hurry. You must wait till you're quite well. You will be looking all the better."

"Ah, that's just it. I don't want to look better. I want to be done as I look now. Thin and pallid, with my arm in a sling. I've plenty of cartes de visite taken when I was in my bloom."

"That's a curious idea," observed Spike.

"It may seem so to you," replied Loftus Tippy, "but I've a very good reason for it, and as you're my doctar,-and the thing, you know, might have an effect on my health, I don't mind telling you. There's a lady in the case."

"

Women

Oh, that's your reason! But why not send her one of the others?" Why, the last time I saw her I was looking so dev'lish well. She has heard of my accident, and I want her to see the change. like that sort of thing. It makes them take an interest in you." "Of course-in those they know. May I ask-have engaged?"

you

been long

"No-not long. In fact, we are not exactly engaged; but we shall be, as soon as I'm able to get out. I have written to propose." "And are sure of your answer?"

"I should say so. I don't imagine there can be any objection on her part. I have got over mine."

66

'Oh, you had one ?"

"Yes! The fact is, the famaly she belongs to is in trade. Her father -very rich, I believe-keeps a shop. One of those people you never see more than half of."

"How do you mean?"

"Never see their legs, you know.

is behind the countar.'

66

Only their upper part. The rest

Obliged to guess, then, at the contents of the breeches-pocket! Ha! ha! ha! Good! Well, Colonel, I wish you joy. You're a lucky man! Then, after a moment's reflection, Spike added: "We are straining a point; but, perhaps, under all circumstances, we might manage to you have a sitting to-morrow."

let

66 Will you come with me, Doctar ?"

"I!

Let me see! What are my engagements?"

He took out one of Lett's Diaries, and rapidly turned over the leaves. The book was almost blank, but he had great powers of clairvoyance, and saw what was not there.

"Um! um!" he muttered. "To-morrow, Wednesday, the 9th: Heavy day. Nine: Alpha-road-Mrs. Harkaway-case of perytyphlitis. Halfpast nine Portman-square-Admiral Yellowley-icterus. Ten: Belgrave-place-Mr. Sidebottom-hip-joint operation. Eleven: Bedford-row-Mrs. Musty-obstinate dyspepsia-consultation-Dr. Figg. Twelve Finsbury-square- Alderman Bilge-dropsy. One: Guy's Hospital lecture. Two: Albany - Captain Leaping well-fractured tibia; let me see-Albany, that's close by-might manage to spare half an hour-Captain getting better-terrible fall-wonderful recovery -talks of a testimonial-don't like that kind of thing-must submitfate of the profession-yes-I think I may promise," here Spike raised his voice, though every word he uttered had been heard by Loftus Tippy-"I think I may promise from a quarter past two to a quarter to three. At three I must be at home for my poor patients-never know what I have to do afterwards-may be called upon at any time-often am-as in your case, my dear sir-when least expected. then, a quarter past two. Not far off, I hope?"

Let us say,

"Close by," said Loftus Tippy. "It is directly opposite the Albany. Not a stone's throw from here. Maull and Polyblank are my photographers. I never go to any but first-rate people. They always manage to catch your best expressian!"

"I think I must be going now," said Spike, looking at his watch. "Bless me, how late it is! Nearly forgot my consultation with the

President, in Half-Moon-street-only ten minutes to spare. Shall be just in time."

He rose and walked to the window, apparently not in any particular hurry.

"What a lively situation this is! Always something stirring!" "Yes! It's a pleasant look out," said Loftus Tippy.

"Is it?" said Spike to himself, at that instant catching a glimpse of the stalwart form of Grimshaw, striding along on the opposite side of the street with a riding-whip in his hand. "I was sure that was what he meant. It would be good fun, but I shan't stop to see it. I should be lugged in as a witness. To-morrow, then, at a quarter-past two!" he added aloud; and Loftus Tippy was left alone.

Utterly unconscious of the dangerous proximity of his foe, the gallant Colonel also went to the window, inwardly regretting that the visit to Maull and Polyblank was not for that afternoon. He put his glass to eye, and in his usual nonchalant manner gazed up and down Piccadilly. He had not done so long, before he, too, became aware of Grimshaw's presence in the street.

his

"What can that fellaw want, I wondar!" he said, observing that Grimshaw kept pacing up and down, brandishing his whip, and casting fierce glances every now and then towards the spot where Loftus Tippy was standing. "He puts me in mind of somebody I have seen somewhar. Grimshaw, on his part, was also soliloquising.

"There he is!" he muttered. "I wonder if he means to come out. Spike spoke truth. He has got his arm in a sling. How I should like to get at him!"

If Grimshaw had been sincere nothing was easier than the accomplishment of his wish. He had but to cross the road: the entrance to Tippy's chambers was only a door or two from the corner of St. James's-street, and in less than two minutes he might be face to face with the man he intended to flog, and the whole affair would be over. Perhaps he was restrained by the consideration that the punishment he meditated ought to be inflicted as publicly as possible; perhaps he thought that the person assaulted might appeal to the poker, or, by the help of his servants, kick him down stairs: anybody might be overcome by numbers. He continued, therefore, as the French say, to "arpenter" the pavement between Burlington Arcade and Bond-street, making his whip sing in the air from time to time as he cut away at nothing, and still directing furious glances at Loftus Tippy's window. At last, observing that he could not succeed in luring his rival within arm's length, and noticing, on the other hand, that the vigilant eye of the tall beadle of the Arcade was suspiciously fixed upon him, Grimshaw made up his mind what course to adopt. Halting suddenly, immediately opposite where Loftus Tippy stood, he once more flourished his weapon, and said, in his loudest

tones:

"Infernal coward! Consider yourself horsewhipped!"

He then turned, and, calling a Hansom (let none suppose he feared pursuit), slipped into it, solacing his injured honour as he hastily drove away by exclaiming, with Cæsar, "Veni, vidi, vici! What can a man do more!"

"That fellaw," said Loftus Tippy, who had been attentively watching Grimshaw's manoeuvres-" that fellaw must be a madmaun!"

COUNT UGOLINO OF PISA.

But litil out of Pise stant a tour,
In which tour in prisoun put was he;
And with him been his litil children thre,
Theldest skarsly fyf yer was of age;
Allas! fortune! it was gret cruelté
Such briddes to put in such a cage.

The Monke's Tale.

WHEN Dante and his guide had gone through the eighth circle of hell, and had seen the punishment of cheats, liars, and impostors of all kinds, they were led by the braying of a horn,

Sounded so loud, the peal it rang had made
The thunder feeble,

to where the ninth and lowest circle lay.

In this circle, divided into four rounds, four sorts of traitors were paying the penalty of their crimes. The first round, Caïna, where wretches were fixed up to the neck in ice so thick that had Tabernicch and Pietrapana both uprisen from their bases, and fallen across it, it had not cracked, contained the spirits of those who had betrayed their kindred.

In the second, Antenora, where the prisoners were also ice-bound as high as to the face," shivered the traitors to their country.

In the third, Ptolomea, were those who had betrayed under the semblance of kindness; and in the fourth, wholly covered in with ice, were those who had betrayed their benefactors.

As Dante, following Virgil, passed towards the end of the second round, his attention was attracted by a horror surpassing the many horrors around him, and arresting his steps with irresistible fascination. Pent in one ice-hole were two spirits jammed together, of whom one had his neck freer from the ice than his companion, so that his head

Was cowl unto the other; and as bread

Is raven'd up through hunger, the uppermost
Did so apply his fangs to the other's brain,
Where the spine joins it.

The poet, horror-stricken, stopped in front of the heads, and asked the eater the meaning of his "so beastly sign of hate."

His jaws uplifting from the fell repast,

That sinner wiped them on the hairs o' the head

Which he behind had mangled, then began

to tell the second part of the story of which I propose to relate the first. The miserable factions of the Guelphs and Ghibelines, which rent Italy for more than two centuries, divided even private families against themselves, much more the jealous cities of the small republics. In almost every case the party dominant for the time being exercised the utmost rigour over the other, proscribing, banishing it, and, wherever the slightest pretext for so doing was offered, taking the lives of its members. The "fuorusciti," or the banished, became so decided a feature in Italian VOL. LV.

N

politics that the participle was made into a noun, and a "fuoruscito" became synonymous with a Guelph or Ghibeline who was exiled from his country through the malice of one or other of these factions.

To state the case broadly, the Guelphs were those who supported the temporal power of the Church and a free municipal government in the cities; the Ghibelines, those who resisted the Papal pretensions, and approved of a municipal government dependent on the imperial. Most of the Tuscan towns were, for reasons too lengthy to be given here, thoroughly devoted to the Guelphic interests: the Lombard cities were more in the hands of the emperor, either directly or by means of independent princes, whose interests led them to side with the opponents of the Papal power.

From the year 1301, when Dante Alighieri, Chief of the Priors, caused the heads of the Bianchi and Neri factions, who were identified with the Guelphs and Ghibelines respectively, to be expelled from Florence, and they obtained help from the Pope and Charles of Valois to drive out their enemies in their turn, the city of Florence was eminently Guelphic. Even before that time she had been conspicuous in opposition to the emperor, and was reckoned as a strong bulwark of the Church.

Genoa, though rather Ghibeline in her politics, had a strong infusion of the opposite spirit; and this, with the hatred begotten of commercial rivalry, and common to all her citizens in respect of Pisa, led her to court the alliance of the Guelphs of Florence rather than to seek the friendship of the Ghibelines of Pisa.

Pisa herself was, with the exception of a small minority, thoroughly Ghibeline, and she saw with apprehension the formidable league of unfriendly towns which surrounded her territory towards Florence and Genoa, her bitter political and commercial enemies.

This peculiar position of Pisa called for a strong and vigilant government, and it often became necessary for her to commit her safety and her liberties to the care of some chief magistrate, whom she armed with almost despotic power. But in ordinary times she was ruled by her own citizens through an elective magistracy and a town council, presided over by some man of wealth and position as her nominal head. This office of

president was often given to the noblemen who lived in the Pisanese. The family of the Counts Della Gherardesca, a wealthy and powerful one, had several times enjoyed it, to the satisfaction of the Pisans. These counts were, moreover, strong Ghibelines, and so entirely devoted to the imperial interests, that when Conradine, the grandson of Frederic II., came on his ill-starred expedition to recover his kingdom of Naples from Charles of Anjou, the two chiefs of the Gherardesca joined their fortunes with his, and perished with him in the market-place at Naples.

By their death Count Ugolino became head of the family, chief of the Ghibelines, and, by the suffrages of the people, principal magistrate of Pisa. He was a man of vast ambition, small conscientiousness, and strong determination. He considered his wealth and talents ill rewarded by the municipal honours which even a city like Pisa could bestow; and he hankered after a position more prince-like and more splendid in which to make himself shine.

The examples of the Torriani and Visconti, the Estense, the Polentani, and Della Scala were before him, and he could not choose but look at

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