THE MASTERPIECES OF GEORGE SAND AMANDINE LUCILLE AURORE DUPIN, BARONESS DUDEVANT VOLUME VII THE PICCININO THE LAST OF THE ALDINIS The Masterpieces of George Sand Amandine Lucille Aurore Dupin, Baroness Dudevant, _NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME COMPLETELY TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH THE PICCININO, AND THE LAST OF THE ALDINIS BY G. BURNHAM IVES_ _WITH SIX PHOTOGRAVURES AFTER PAINTINGS BY ORESTE CORTAZZO._ _VOLUME I_ _PRINTED ONLY FOR SUBSCRIBERS BY GEORGE BARRIE & SON PHILADELPHIA_ [Illustration: _EXAMINING THE ABBÉ'S PAPERS._ _He opened and ran through several other papers which mentioned none but unknown names, and which Mila burned without looking at them._] CONTENTS INTRODUCTION CHAPTER I. THE TRAVELLER II. THE TRAVELLER'S STORY III. MONSIGNORE IV. MYSTERIES V. THE CASINO VI. THE STAIRCASE VII. A GLANCE VIII. THE INTRUDER IX. MILA X. PROBLEM XI. THE GROTTO OF THE NAIAD XII. MAGNANI XIII. AGATHA XIV. BARBAGALLO XV. ROMANTIC LOVE XVI. CONCLUSION OF MAGNANI'S STORY XVII. THE CYCLAMEN XVIII. THE MONKS XIX. YOUTHFUL LOVES XX. BEL PASSO AND MAL PASSO XXI. FRA ANGELO XXII. THE FIRST STEP ON THE MOUNTAIN XXIII. THE DESTATORE XXIV. IL PICCININO XXV. THE DESTATORE'S CROSS XXVI. AGATHA XXVII. DIPLOMACY XXVIII. JEALOUSY XXIX. APPARITIONS XXX. THE FALSE MONK XXXI. WITCHCRAFT XXXII. THE ESCALADE XXXIII. THE RING XXXIV. AT THE FOUNTAIN XXXV. THE COAT OF ARMS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS THE PICCININO VOLUME I EXAMINING THE ABBÉ'S PAPERS THE CARDINAL'S ESCORT THE BALL AT THE PALMAROSA PALACE AFTER THE FÊTE THE CONFERENCE WITH THE PICCININO MILA SURPRISED AT THE FOUNTAIN INTRODUCTION _The Piccinino_ is an imaginary tale, which does not attempt either to depict any precise period of history or to describe accurately any country. It is a study in color, dreamed rather than felt, wherein correct strokes are few and, as it were, accidental. The scene of this romance might have been placed anywhere else under the skies of Southern Europe, and my sole reason for selecting Sicily was that I happened to have a collection of fine engravings before my eyes at that moment.