"Did you never read these words," then rejoined the boy--"'Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained praise?'" On this, the monk, furious with anger, quitted the pulpit, and delivered the poor boy over to the secular arm, by which he was marched off to jail; an awful warning to youngsters of his age and degree. When Giulia Gonzaga arrived at Naples, it was already beginning to ferment with the leaven of the new opinions, without having yet drawn on itself the displeasure of the Sacred College. She established herself in a good house in the Borgo delle Vergini, (sleeping every night in the nunnery of Santa Clara,) and immediately sought the society of Vittoria Colonna, whose extraordinary interest in the reformed doctrines she was at first quite at a loss to comprehend. CHAPTER X. VITTORIA DI COLONNA. "Vittoria è 'l nome; e ben conviensi a nata Fra le vittorie, ed a chi, o vada o stanzi, Di trofei sempre e di trionfi ornata, La Vittoria abbia seco, o dietro o innanzi. Questa e un' altra Artemisia, che lodata. Fu di pietà verso il suo Mausolo; anzi Tanto maggior, quanto è più assai bel opra Che por _sotterra_ un nom, trarlo _di sopra_." Ariosto. _Orlando_, xxxvii., 18. Costanza, the young and beautiful Duchess of Francavilla, had, at the beginning of the century, the fortress of the little island of Ischia committed to her charge. This young widow had sense, goodness, courage, rare prudence, energy, and fidelity; or Ischia, the key of the kingdom, and more than once a royal asylum, would never have been entrusted to her keeping. She was not only guardian of the castle and island, but of her infant brother, Ferdinand, Marquis of Pescara. In his fifth year, the little fellow was betrothed to the baby Vittoria Colonna, of the same age, who was thenceforth consigned to the Duchess Costanza, to be educated with her future husband; and the little _promessi sposi_ might be seen straying about together, hand in hand, sharing their sweetmeats and play-things, and now and then having a little fight. "Let dogs delight," however, was so strenuously inculcated by the Duchess, that reciprocal forbearance soon cemented their affections. The Marquis was taught that he must reserve kicks and blows for his future enemies, and Vittoria that she must learn to bind up wounds rather than inflict them. And so they chased butterflies, gathered flowers, and hunted for strawberries together, themselves the prettiest blossoms that ever floated on summer air. "Ah, lovely sight! behold them,--creatures twain, Hand in hand wandering thro' some verdant alley, Or sunny lawn of their serene domain, Their wind-caught laughter echoing musically; Or skimming, in pursuit of bird-cast shadows, With feet immaculate the enamelled meadows."