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LUISINA.
Of the four years that followed little mention need be made in these pages, save for one incident whose importance is derived entirely from that which subsequently befell, for at the time it had no meaning for me.

Yet since later it was to have much, it is fitting that it should be recorded here.
It happened that a month or so after old Falcone had left us there wandered one noontide into the outer courtyard of the castle two pilgrim fathers, on their way--as they announced--from Milan to visit the Holy House at Loreto.
It was my mother's custom to receive all pilgrim wayfarers and beggars in this courtyard at noontide twice in each week to bestow upon them food and alms.

Rarely was she, herself, present at that alms-giving; more rarely still was I.It was Fra Gervasio who discharged the office of almoner on the Countess of Mondolfo's behalf.

Occasionally the whines and snarls of the motley crowd that gathered there--for they were not infrequently quarrelsome--reached us in the maschio tower where we had our apartments.