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Rh laid poor Donna Margaretta's little garden open to view. There stood the stately ilex—all else was changed. The bees had deserted the hives, which were overgrown with thick creeping plants, that effectually excluded the air; the fountain was choked up with rubbish; and a few bright flowers mocked with their glad colours the desolation around. Edward turned mournfully homewards: the scene of destruction pressed heavily upon his spirits; it was too nearly connected with what his Beatrice had suffered. He felt impatient to extend towards her that security and protection which it is man's to give to the woman he loves. The distance to Naples seemed immeasurable; and again and again did he lament that he had ever been persuaded to leave her. The next morning the dew lay like silver on the leaves, when he bade Alvarez and his daughter a kindly farewell. Minora gained by the visit—a marriage-portion, which made her lover's father as polite to the heiress as he had been cold to the beauty. He had negatived the features which his son had most eloquently pleaded; but he had nothing to say against the pistoles. Edward had just turned out of the village,