Another friend, of a widely opposed class and calling, was Geppina, the flower-girl of Florence, a well-known character for many succeeding years in the beautiful city. When I first knew her, she too, was young, and from a peculiar waywardness and eccentricity in her manner, had obtained the nickname of _pazzina_, which would answer to the Scotch appellation of “daft.” There were also some strange stories afloat respecting her being a Court spy, a rumour to which I disdained to give credit, for Geppina and I became great friends, and the origin of that friendship I will describe, as I did at the time, in verse:— [Sidenote: THE FLOWER-GIRL OF FLORENCE] “It was a bright, gay morning; in the square Of Holy Trinity, there passed a pair On horseback; gloomily they went— Their wit, or sympathy, perhaps was spent. Sudden, above the woman’s head there flew A flower, a lily-bell of spotless hue, Too pure, too modest—if the truth I tell— Too spotless for the hand on which it fell. Disdaining to look round, she reared her head, And with the bold, proud look of those ill-bred And nurtured, did she cast the flower Down on the ground—beneath her horse’s feet, Down on the muddy pavement of the street; While poor Geppina there, aghast, amazed, Upon her scouted offering sadly gazed— When one stood by her. With an eager bound, Which indignation in itself expressed, She raised the sullied lily from the ground, And placed it, soiled and drooping, on her breast. And from that day the mad girl’s choicest flowers Fell round the English maiden’s path in showers; At home, abroad, at morning, eve and night, Fresh fragrant garlands blossomed in her sight: And sweet indeed are those fair Florence weaves In early spring—the Tyrian violet, Snowy camellia with the burnished leaves, Cassia, whose perfume wakes a fond regret, Myrtle, carnation, and the first young rose, With almond-scented jessamine that throws A sweet, faint perfume as the buds unclose.” Of Geppina, I shall have more to say in future pages. Our connection and friendship were by no means confined to my first visit to Florence. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XVI RETURN TO ENGLAND—ACCESSION OF QUEEN VICTORIA—HER CORONATION