Page:Matteo Bandello - twelve stories (IA cu31924102029083).pdf/285



T the time when Pietro Gambacorta governed Pisa there lived a youth of noble birth named Buonaccorsio Gualando. He had neither father nor mother, and, full of a passion far beyond his years, he fell deeply in love with Beatrice the daughter of Neri Malletti, who, though but a little girl, was equally enamoured of him. When Buonaccorsio came back from school, he used to try and see Beatrice and stay with her if possible, yet, being both mere children, their relatives thought nothing of such intimacy, as the lad was about twelve, and the girl barely ten years old. Buonaccorsio's kinsfolk, under whose guardianship he was, saw that he made good progress in grammar and was most intelligent, so they decided to send Rh