lived fifty, or even twenty years more, would we saw him," said Tomaso. "Even though be even terrible to think of. No, old man, we are better off as we are, unless we could find somebody to make us young again, and that is not very likely, I should think." "I don't know that," said the driver, who was a native of Lecco. 'There is a wonderful astrologer in our parts, who, they say, can make people young again. Not that I know any case of the kind; though, I must say, I have heard of some extraordinary things he has done, which no common man could do." "Where does he live?" inquired Pepina. "In the slope of the mountains, behind the horns of Cantu." "But perhaps," said Pepina, with a pious shudder, he may be in league with the Evil One." "I know nothing about that," said the driver in a somewhat careless tone; "but I should rather think he is not. I never heard of him doing any harm to any one, but I have heard of a good many he has been kind to, especially the poor." "That don't look as if there was much wrong in him," said both husband and wife at the same time. Conversation was carried on in this amicable manner until the cart arrived at Lecco, when Tomaso and his wife bade adieu to the friendly driver. Carrying the bundle which contained their clothes, they proceeded to a small inn, where they engaged a room for the night, determining to continue their journey the next day. In the evening they entered into conversation with some of the inmates of the house; and, by chance, the Innominato and his wonderful | powers were mentioned. Tomaso and his wife (who had felt greatly interested in the details given by the driver respecting that singular individual) listened attentively, and made many inquiries. The answers they received, had only the effect of greatly increasing their curiosity. When they retired for the night, Tomaso said to his wife, "I wish we could only find out the place where that astrologer lives. If we could, I should be much tempted to pay him a visit to morrow." "For what purpose?" inquired Pepina. "I should like to know whether he could make us young again. If he could, it would go a great way to reconcile me to our removal." "I should like it as much as you," said the old woman. "But if he can do so, I am afraid he would require more money than we have to give him." we found that he wanted more than we could pay, we should be no worse off than we are now. But from what the driver told us, as well as what we heard this evening, he is not likely to be hard upon a poor old couple. I'll tell you what I will do. To-morrow I will inquire if he lives far from here, and, if not, we will go and see him. It will do us no harm, even though we come back no better off than when we went." "With all my heart," said the old woman. "I am sure, if we succeed, it would give me as much pleasure as it would you." Next morning Tomaso rose at daybreak, and made many inquiries respecting the astrologers abode, and the best method of reaching it. He found that they could arrive at it in the course of the day; so the old couple, after making a hearty breakfast, Tomaso shouldering his bundle, started for the castle of the Innominato ["the Wizard of the Mountain"]. It was late in the afternoon when they reached the Hospice, where they remained while a ser vant took in their message. In a few minutes he returned and informed them that, if they would follow him to the castle, his master would see them immediately. On their arrival they were ushered into the presence of the Innominato, whom they found in his study, engaged in some chemical experiments, assis ted by one of his servants. So deeply intent was he in his work, that it was some minutes before he was aware of their presence—a some what fortunate circumstance for them; for they were so overwhelmed by the mysterious aspect of the place, and the imposing appear ance of the astrologer, that it is probable neither would have been able to address him. But presently the astrologer turned round, and seeing his two visitors, and the expression of bewilderment on their countenances, he ad dressed them with great kindness of tone and manner. After requesting them to be seated. he inquired the purpose of their visit. "Learned sir," said Tomaso-rising from his seat, and, evidently in great fear, bowing to the astrologer most obsequiously-"we have heard that you are very kind to poor people. and that you can perform very wonderful things, so we have come to ask you to do us a great favour. At the same time, we hope you will not be offended at our boldness; and we are ready to pay you as much as we can afford." "As you say you do not intend to offend said the astrologer, "I will take no At the same time, understand that I me, "That we should know more about when offence. accept money from no one. Tell me plainly and conscientiously what you wish, and I will oblige you if I can; for, by aid of my science, I know you are a worthy old couple." 'Many thanks, Illustrissimo," said Tomaso, greatly encouraged by his kind reception; "we are much obliged to you for your good opinion. The truth is, we are much attached to each other, and have lived a very happy life together for many years. What we want to ask you is, whether you could make us young again, as we are now getting very old. We have been married fifty years come next Sunday." "I am sorry I have not the power to oblige you," said the astrologer. "One of you I could make young again, but not both; that is far beyond my power. If that will meet your views, and you can settle between you which of the two it shall be, I am ready to oblige you." For some seconds Tomaso and his wife remained silent, looking at each other in a state of great perplexity. At last Pepina said "I am obliged to your excellency for the offer, but, for my own part, I decline it. I should like to be young again if my husband could be so too; but I have no wish to change if he must remain old. Whatever good I may get I always like to share it with him." "And I am of the same opinion," said Tomaso. "I have no wish to be young if she is to remain old. We will now leave you, sir, if you cannot make us both young; but, at the same time, we are much obliged to you for your condescension in receiving us." ing, he rose, and taking up his bundle, prepared to depart. So say "Stop one moment," said the astrologer. "I wish to oblige you as far as I can, and I have another proposition to make, though I hardly think you will agree to it. I cannot make you both young-my power being limited--but I can divide the gift. I can make one of you young and beautiful in appearance, but whichever of you it may be, must retain the grave method of thinking and speaking of old age. The other must keep the appearance of age, but shall have the mind and spirits of youth-gay, buoyant, and enthusiastic. Now what do you say to my offer? If you are satisfied with it, you can decide between your selves which portion of the gift you would cach like to accept.' ever, let me urge you to consider well what you are about to accept, as very likely you will both be exposed to the ridicule of your friends when you return home." "We are not going to our old home," said Tomaso, "but to a farm near Menaggio, where nobody knows us. We have hitherto lived in the Bresciano." That entirely alters the case," said the astrologer. "But other inconveniences may possibly arise, therefore think well over the matter before you decide." "I have made up my mind, sir," said Tomaso. "Give me but the spirits of youth, and I am perfectly content to wear the appearance of old age. "And what do you say?" said the astrologer, addressing Pepina. The old woman hung her head with an absurd appearance of modesty, but made no reply. "If you do not give me an answer," said the astrologer, "I can do nothing for either." Still Pepina was silent. "Then the bargain is dropped," said the astrologer, turning again to the experiment he was performing, "and we will say no more about it." "I will do just as my husband pleases, sir," said Pepina quickly, and evidently alarmed. "And I wish her to be young and beautiful," said Tomaso, "but to remain discreet and steady, as she now is." "Very well," said the astrologer, "then we are all agreed. Go now to the Hospice, where you can remain for the night. But remember, you must, without a lamp or any other light, rise before daybreak and start on your journey. As the sun rises, you will gradually undergo the transformation you wish the one in mind and the other in body. One word more. You are a good old couple, and in case you should find that you do not like your altered condition after you have tried it, I will give you an opportunity of returning to your present state, should you desire it. On Sunday next you say you will have been married fifty years. If at any time before midnight on Saturday you should both wish to be restored to your former condition of life, you can do so; but remember, you must be agreed on the subject. Now you can leave me. The old couple now quitted the presence of the Innominato, and descended to the Hospice, where a good supper had been prepared for them. After partaking of it they retired to their room, but not to sleep-so fearful and anxious were they lest the sun might rise be fore they awoke and were able to carry out the to have twenty years taken off their head in instructions of the astrologer. It wanted considerably more than an hour of daybreak when they left the house to commence their journey. For some time their progress was trifling, for the night was dark, their eyesight dim, and the path somewhat difficult to keep. After they had proceeded about a mile from the castle, the old man commenced to sing, at the top of his cracked voice, a warrior's, song, which drew from Pepina rather a sharp remark on the folly of his behaviour-singing in such an absurd manner, instead of carefully looking which way they were going, while they were on the edge of a precipice. Tomaso, in obedience to his wife's wishes, stopped his singing for some minutes, but he soon burst out again still louder than before, at the same time using the most ludicrous gesticulations, as if he saw an enemy before him whom he was about to attack. Pepina now got fairly angry, and fractiously told him not to make an old fool of himself. Tomaso stopped his singing a second time, and good-naturedly turned round to say something conciliatory to his wife, when a faint ray of the coming dawn passing through a cleft in the mountains allowed him to gain a tolerably distinct view of her face. He gazed at her in silent astonishment, for she now appeared a buxom woman of about fifty years of age-stout, well-made, erect, and hearty. Pepina seemed at a loss to understand her husband's astonishment, and somewhat angrily inquired what he saw to make him stare at her in that silly manner. "See in you?" said Tomaso, almost breathless with surprise-"see in you? Why, a very handsome woman. Don't you think that is a very good excuse for staring at you? I declare you are twice as plump as you were before we went to the astrologer." Pepina now felt her own arms, and then took as good a look at her person as the faint light of day would enable her to do. She could easily perceive that her form was greatly changed for the better. She, however, expressed no pleasure at this, but said, in a fractious tone "It was well worth while, indeed, to spend the whole of yesterday, wearing the soles off, one's feet, to find out that conjuror, and then to be made fifty years of age! I suspect he is only a cheat after all. He promised me I should become young and beautiful, and he has made me fifty, if I'm a day. I would just as soon have kept as I was.' "Come, come, wife," said Tomaso, "don't be ungrateful. For a person at your time of life less than an hour is really a good deal gained." "My time of life!" said Pepina, "my time of life, indeed! Look at your own. I can walk upright, at any rate, and that's more than you can do, try as much as you please." They now entered a narrow valley hung with high trees, which so completely shut out the little light as to leave them again in total darkness. Here Pepina, finding that her husband moved along with great difficulty, offered to carry the bundle for him, saying that she was far stronger than he was. Tomaso took this offer very ill, and he told her he was not a man to require assistance from her or any other woman; and by way of proving his words hurried on before her, stumbling continually as he went. His ill-humour, however, soon vanished, and he again commenced to sing his warrior's song in the same absurd manner as before. The road now opened up, being no longer overshadowed by trees. The daylight had now also increased so much that they could see a considerable distance before them. Tomaso still continued in front, singing his song, and taking no notice of his wife, who followed him silently and sedately. Again their path lay along the side of a deep precipice, at the bottom of which rushed a swollen mountain-stream. Tomaso, on hearing the noise, looked below for a moment, and then continued his road, singing as lustily as ever. He also amused himself by walking at the extreme edge of the precipice, to Pepina's intense terror, for he stumbled incessantly, and appeared much fatigued. 'Come away from that dangerous place, you silly old man," she said. "Do you wish to break your neck? Come away, I say, and give me the bundle, for I see you are so tired you can hardly get along." "That is not true," said Tomaso, turning round; "I was never stronger." Here he stopped speaking, and looked for some minutes in speechless astonishment at his wife, who now appeared a very handsome woman of thirty years of age. When she had reached him, she inquired what was the matter, that he had so suddenly become silent. "Pepina," he said, "I cannot take my eyes off you. I never in my life saw a more beartiful woman than you have become. Give me a kiss." Nonsense, you silly old man," was her reply; "hold your tongue, and do not make a fool of yourself. Go on again, and keep away from the edge of the precipice." But far from obeying her, Tomaso walked by her side, and attempted to make himself as agreeable as possible by saying all the sweet things which came into his head; to all of which Pepina lent either a deaf ear, or upbraided him for his folly. Finding his compliments had no other effect on her than to make her still more ill-tempered, he determined to try what singing would do, and immediately commenced a love-song, which he sang in a most impressive manner, but in so cracked a voice that he made himself perfectly ridiculous. It was not, however, without its effect on Pepina, who began to cry, and her husband, mistaking the cause, attempted to give a still more impassioned and pathetic tone to his voice, and by so doing made himself more absurd than ever. Pepina still continuing to cry, her husband said to her," Why do you weep, my dear? Are you unhappy?" evidently thinking at the moment that she had melted into tears at the sweetness of his singing. "Unhappy?" she replied; "how can I be otherwise, when I see an old man, who ought to know better, behaving so absurdly? You ought to be ashamed, croaking there like an old raven, and imagining that you are singing. If you have no respect for yourself, you ought at least to have a little for your wife's feelings." Tomaso turned round to return her a sharp answer, but she looked so beautiful that he had not the heart to say anything unkind, and the pair walked on together for some time in silence; Tomaso, however, keeping close by the side of his wife. Pepina, who had now dried her tears, wished in her turn to say something agreeable to her spouse, by way of smoothing away any little rancour against her that might still remain in his mind, and asked him in a kind tone whether he found his rheumatism better. "My rheumatism!" he replied, tartly; "when I complain to you of it, you may then speak to me about it. I am no more rheumatic than you are. At the same time, I hope you don't suffer from your corns this morning as you did yesterday?" "My corns, indeed!" said Pepina, with a toss of her head, and stopping to put out one of the prettiest little feet that could be seen in all Lombardy. "I should like to know where you would find them. But don't let us quarrel any more; but give me the bundle, for you must be getting tired, and I am a good deal stronger than you are.' Tomaso had too much gallantry to allow her to carry the bundle; and they now continued amicably enough on their road till they came to a roadside inn, at which they determined to stop for breakfast. They seated themselves at a table near the door, and the landlord soon spread before Tomaso some bread, cheese, and wine; his wife contenting herself with a cup of new milk, some fruit, and bread. When they had finished their meal, their host entered into conversation with them by asking how far they had travelled that morning. Tomaso told him only a few miles, saying nothing about his visit to the castle of the Innominato, and he then asked the landlord if they were far distant from Bellaggio. "About four hours' walk," said the landlord, "Are you going to see any of the gay doings which are going on there?" "I did not know that there were any," said Tomaso, delighted at the idea, while Pepina appeared to receive the news with perfect indifference. "What sort of gay doings are they?" "Oh! there are a number of soldiers there, and very handsome young fellows they are; and they have excellent music." "How fortunate!" said Tomaso. "All the pretty girls for miles round are gathering there,' continued the landlord; and the soldiers, who are very gallant, dance with them every evening." 66 Tomaso's expression of countenance fell considerably at this information. "If you are going to stop there any time, you had better take care," said the landlord, laughing, "or one of them will be running away with your pretty grand-daughter, as I suppose she is." "You have made a very great mistake, my friend," said Tomaso, angrily. "She is my wife." The landlord had so much difficulty in restraining his laughter at this information, that Tomaso noticed it, and was upon the point of saying something uncivil, when Pepina, fearing there might be an altercation, put in that they only intended stopping the night at Bellaggio, and then crossing over to the other side of the lake next morning. "I think you would do wisely, old gentleman, if you kept to that resolution," said the landlord; "for, otherwise, I can assure you your pretty wife will have a great many admirers." Tomaso was exceedingly displeased at the landlord's remark, and answered him very sharply. Even Pepina told him that he ought not to talk such nonsense, and that there was no one handsomer in her eyes than her husband; at which the landlord burst into a very loud and rude laugh. Tomaso now got thoroughly into a passion, and after abusing the landlord soundly, he threw their reckoning on the table, and, snatching up his bundle, he and Pepina started on their journey again. For some time they walked on silently together; Tomaso evidently sulky, though he said nothing. The truth was, he felt annoyed at the indifference Pepina showed to the landlord's remarks when he spoke of her beauty; and he seemed to think that she ought to have considered them as an insult, and shown proper and becoming spirit on the occasion. He then began to conjure up in his mind the possibility of her wishing to dance with the handsome young soldiers at Bellaggio. In all this, however, he did his wife a great injustice. The fact was, she cared nothing for gaieties of the kind. Her feelings were those of advanced age, she having, of course, undergone no mental change when she became beautiful; and although she might not have been, at the moment, angry when the landlord paid her the compliments (what woman would have been?), they had scarcely been uttered than they were forgotten, and her mind had reverted to the domestic duties she would have to perform at the new house, and what sort of a dwelling it would prove. arrived within two miles of their destination, they seated themselves on a bank by the side of the path, as they both began to feel fatigued by the unusual amount of exertion they had undergone. Presently they heard a noise in a thick clump of shrubs before them, as if some one was, with difficulty, making a way through, and a moment afterwards a young soldier made his appearance. He was remarkably handsome, and his fine figure appeared to still greater advantage from the attractive style of his uniform. His features were regular, and though he was somewhat sunburnt, this in no way detracted from his martial look; but his face at the time was rather flushed, for he was to all appearance partially intoxicated. Fors moment he seemed surprised at the singularlooking couple before him, but recovering himself, he cast an impudent look on Pepina, and said, "What, tired, my pretty girl? I hope you are going my way, and then I can have the pleasure of offering you my arm." "I neither want your arm nor your acquaintance," said Pepina. "Go on your way and leave us alone." "Come, come, now," said the soldier, in a cajoling manner, and advancing close to her, "do not speak in that cruel manner. Ill-temper doesn't become such a pretty countenance, does it, old gentleman? Is this pretty girl your daughter or your grand-daughter?" "Neither," said Tomaso, rising from the bank in a great passion at the impertinent be haviour of the soldier. "That lady is my "Your wife? Nonsense!" said the soldier. "I told you the truth," said Tomaso; "and what is more, if I hear any further impertin ence from you, I will chastise you so severely that you will not forget the lesson the longest day you live." When they had arrived within two or three miles of Bellaggio, Tomaso, who had remained sullen and uneasy during the whole of the afternoon, suddenly complained of fatigue, and proposed to stay the night at a poor-looking little inn, instead of going further on. Pepina, how-wife." ever, not liking the appearance of the place, advised that they should continue their jour-"You don't mean to tell me that that lovely ney; whereupon Tomaso got into a great pas- creature could ever have chosen such a withered sion, and accused her of wishing to mix in the old baboon as you are?" gaieties of Bellaggio, when nothing could have been further from the poor woman's thoughts. Her idea was simply that they would be able to find a more comfortable bed at Bellaggio than at the house where her husband proposed to remain. After they had passed the little inn a few hundred yards, Tomaso positively refused to go further, and Pepina, getting angry in her turn, was determined to go on; and her husband, telling her that she should, in that case, do it by herself, returned alone and inquired of the landlord whether he could give him a bed, and received in reply that he had not an unoccupied room in the house, it being full of soldiers who had been quartered on him. On hearing this, Tomaso immediately left and hurried on after his wife. When they had The only answer the soldier gave to Tomaso's threat was a loud laugh, and then walking up to Pepina, who had also risen from the bank. and putting his arm round her waist, he said to her, "Come with me, my dear, and never mind him. You are far too handsome to be the wife of such a crabbed old fool as he is." Pepina, enraged at the soldier's impertinence, told him to leave her alone; and by way of giv ing point to her words, she gave him a sound box on the ear. "A fair challenge, by Jove!" said the sol |