WAGNER, THE WEHR-WOLF. 

 By GEORGE W. M. REYNOLDS. 

 NEW YORK HURST & COMPANY PUBLISHERS

_PART I. _

PROLOGUE. 

It was the month of January, 1516. 

The night was dark and tempestuous; the thunder growled around; thelightning flashed at short intervals: and the wind swept furiously alongin sudden and fitful gusts. 

The streams of the great Black Forest of Germany babbled in playfulmelody no more, but rushed on with deafening din, mingling their torrentroar with the wild creaking of the huge oaks, the rustling of the firs, the howling of the affrighted wolves, and the hollow voices of thestorm. 

The dense black clouds were driving restlessly athwart the sky; and whenthe vivid lightning gleamed forth with rapid and eccentric glare, itseemed as if the dark jaws of some hideous monster, floating high above, opened to vomit flame. 

And as the abrupt but furious gusts of wind swept through the forest, they raised strange echoes--as if the impervious mazes of that mightywood were the abode of hideous fiends and evil spirits, who responded inshrieks, moans, and lamentations to the fearful din of the tempest. 

It was, indeed, an appalling night!

An old--old man sat in his cottage on the verge of the Black Forest. 

He had numbered ninety years; his head was completely bald--his mouthwas toothless--his long beard was white as snow, and his limbs werefeeble and trembling. 

He was alone in the world; his wife, his children, his grandchildren, all his relations, in fine, _save one_, had preceded him on that long, last voyage, from which no traveler returns. 

And that _one_ was a grand-daughter, a beauteous girl of sixteen, whohad hitherto been his solace and his comfort, but who had suddenlydisappeared--he knew not how--a few days previously to the time when wediscover him seated thus lonely in his poor cottage. 

But perhaps she also was dead! An accident might have snatched her awayfrom him, and sent her spirit to join those of her father and mother, her sisters and her brothers, whom a terrible pestilence--_the BlackDeath_--hurried to the tomb a few years before. 

No: the old man could not believe that his darling granddaughter was nomore--for he had sought her throughout the neighboring district of theBlack Forest, and not a trace of her was to be seen. Had she fallen downa precipice, or perished by the ruthless murderer's hand, he would havediscovered her mangled corpse: had she become the prey of the ravenouswolves, certain signs of her fate would have doubtless somewhereappeared. 

The sad--the chilling conviction therefore, went to the old man's heart, that the only being left to solace him on earth, had deserted him; andhis spirit was bowed down in despair. 

Who now would prepare his food, while he tended his little flock? whowas there to collect the dry branches in the forest, for the winter'sfuel, while the aged shepherd watched a few sheep that he possessed? whowould now spin him warm clothing to protect his weak and tremblinglimbs?

"Oh! Agnes, " he murmured, in a tone indicative of a breaking heart, "whycouldst thou have thus abandoned me? Didst thou quit the old man tofollow some youthful lover, who will buoy thee up with bright hopes, andthen deceive thee? O Agnes--my darling! hast thou left me to perishwithout a soul to close my eyes?"

It was painful how that ancient shepherd wept. 

Suddenly a loud knock at the door of the cottage aroused him from hispainful reverie; and he hastened, as fast as his trembling limbs wouldpermit him, to answer the summons. 

He opened the door; and a tall man, apparently about forty years of age, entered the humble dwelling. His light hair would have been magnificentindeed, were it not sorely neglected; his blue eyes were naturally fineand intelligent, but fearful now to meet, so wild and wandering weretheir glances: his form was tall and admirably symmetrical, butprematurely bowed by the weight of sorrow, and his attire was of costlymaterial, but indicative of inattention even more than it wastravel-soiled. 

The old man closed the door, and courteously drew a stool near the firefor the stranger who had sought in his cottage a refuge against the furyof the storm. 

He also placed food before him; but the stranger touched it not--horrorand dismay appearing to have taken possession of his soul. 

Suddenly the thunder which had hitherto growled at a distance, burstabove the humble abode; and the wind swept by with so violent a gust, that it shook the little tenement to its foundation, and filled theneighboring forest with strange, unearthly noises. 

Then the countenance of the stranger expressed such ineffable horror, amounting to a fearful agony, that the old man was alarmed, andstretched out his hand to grasp a crucifix that hung over thechimney-piece; but his mysterious guest made a forbidding sign of somuch earnestness mingled with such proud authority, that the agedshepherd sank back into his seat without touching the sacred symbol. 

The roar of the thunder past--the shrieking, whistling, gushing windbecame temporarily lulled into low moans and subdued lamentations, amidthe mazes of the Black Forest; and the stranger grew more composed. 

"Dost thou tremble at the storm?" inquired the old man. 

"I am unhappy, " was the evasive and somewhat impatient reply. "Seek notto know more of me--beware how you question me. But you, old man, are_not_ happy! The traces of care seem to mingle with the wrinkles of ageupon your brow!"

The shepherd narrated, in brief and touching terms, the unaccountabledisappearance of his much-beloved granddaughter Agnes. 

The stranger listened abstractedly at first; but afterward he appearedto reflect profoundly for several minutes. 

"Your lot is wretched, old man, " said he at length: "if you live a fewyears longer, that period must be passed in solitude andcheerlessness:--if you suddenly fall ill you must die the lingeringdeath of famine, without a soul to place a morsel of food, or thecooling cup to your lips; and when you shall be no more, who will followyou to the grave? There are no habitations nigh; the nearest village ishalf-a-day's journey distant; and ere the peasants of that hamlet, orsome passing traveler, might discover that the inmate of this hut hadbreathed his last, the wolves from the forest would have entered andmangled your corpse. "

"Talk not thus!" cried the old man, with a visible shudder; then dartinga half-terrified, half-curious glance at his guest, he said, "but whoare you that speak in this awful strain--this warning voice?"

Again the thunder rolled, with crashing sound, above the cottage; andonce more the wind swept by, laden, as it seemed, with the shrieks andgroans of human beings in the agonies of death. 

The stranger maintained a certain degree of composure only by means of adesperate effort, but he could not altogether subdue a wild flashing ofthe eyes and a ghastly change of the countenance--signs of a profoundlyfelt terror. 

"Again I say, ask me not who I am!" he exclaimed, when the thunder andthe gust had passed. "My soul recoils from the bare idea of pronouncingmy own accursed name! But--unhappy as you see me--crushed, overwhelmedwith deep affliction as you behold me--anxious, but unable to repent forthe past as I am, and filled with appalling dread for the future as Inow proclaim myself to be, still is my power far, far beyond that limitwhich hems mortal energies within so small a sphere. Speak, oldman--wouldst thou change thy condition? For to me--and to me alone ofall human beings--belongs the means of giving thee new life--ofbestowing upon thee the vigor of youth, of rendering that stooping formupright and strong, of restoring fire to those glazing eyes, and beautyto that wrinkled, sunken, withered countenance--of endowing thee, in aword, with a fresh tenure of existence and making that existence sweetby the aid of treasures so vast that no extravagance can dissipatethem!"

A strong though indefinite dread assailed the old man as this astoundingproffer was rapidly opened, in all its alluring details, to hismind;--and various images of terror presented themselves to hisimagination;--but these feelings were almost immediately dominated by awild and ardent hope, which became the more attractive and exciting inproportion as a rapid glance at his helpless, wretched, desertedcondition led him to survey the contrast between what he then was, andwhat, if the stranger spoke truly, he might so soon become. 

The stranger saw that he had made the desired impression; and hecontinued thus:

"Give but your assent, old man, and not only will I render thee young, handsome, and wealthy; but I will endow thy mind with an intelligence tomatch that proud position. Thou shalt go forth into the world to enjoyall those pleasures, those delights, and those luxuries, the names ofwhich are even now scarcely known to thee!"

"And what is the price of this glorious boon?" asked the old man, trembling with mingled joy and terror through every limb. 

"There are two conditions, " answered the stranger, in a low, mysterioustone. "The first is, that you become the companion of my wanderings forone year and a half from the present time, until the hour of sunset, onthe 30th of July, 1517, when we must part forever, you to gowhithersoever your inclinations may guide you, and I---- But of _that_, no matter!" he added, hastily, with a sudden motion as if of deep mentalagony, and with wildly flashing eyes. 

The old man shrank back in dismay from his mysterious guest: the thunderrolled again, the rude gust swept fiercely by, the dark forest rustledawfully, and the stranger's torturing feelings were evidently prolongedby the voices of the storm. 

A pause ensued; and the silence was at length broken by the old man, whosaid, in a hollow and tremulous tone, "To the first condition I wouldwillingly accede. But the second?"

"That you prey upon the human race, whom I hate; because of all theworld I alone am so deeply, so terribly accurst!" was the ominouslyfearful yet only dimly significant reply. 

The old man shook his head, scarcely comprehending the words of hisguest, and yet daring not to ask to be more enlightened. 

"Listen!" said the stranger, in a hasty but impressive voice: "I requirea companion, one who has no human ties, and who still ministers to mycaprices, --who will devote himself wholly and solely to watch me in mydark hours, and endeavor to recall me back to enjoyment and pleasure, who, when he shall be acquainted with my power, will devise new means inwhich to exercise it, for the purpose of conjuring up those scenes ofenchantment and delight that may for a season win me away from thought. Such a companion do I need for a period of one year and a half; and youare, of all men, the best suited to my design. But the Spirit whom Imust invoke to effect the promised change in thee, and by whose aid youcan be given back to youth and comeliness, will demand some fearfulsacrifice at your hands. And the nature of that sacrifice--the nature ofthe condition to be imposed--I can well divine!"

"Name the sacrifice--name the condition!" cried the old man, eagerly. "Iam so miserable--so spirit-broken--so totally without hope in thisworld, that I greedily long to enter upon that new existence which youpromised me! Say, then, what is the condition?"

"That you prey upon the human race, whom _he_ hates as well as I, "answered the stranger. 

"Again those awful words!" ejaculated the old man, casting tremblingglances around him. 

"Yes--again those words, " echoed the mysterious guest, looking with hisfierce burning eyes into the glazed orbs of the aged shepherd. "And nowlearn their import!" he continued, in a solemn tone. "Knowest thou notthat there is a belief in many parts of our native land that atparticular seasons certain doomed men throw off the human shape and takethat of ravenous wolves?"

"Oh, yes--yes--I have indeed heard of those strange legends in which theWehr-Wolf is represented in such appalling colors!" exclaimed the oldman, a terrible suspicion crossing his mind. 

"'Tis said that at sunset on the last day of every month the mortal, towhom belongs the destiny of the Wehr-Wolf, must exchange his naturalform for that of the savage animal; in which horrible shape he mustremain until the moment when the morrow's sun dawns upon the earth. "

"The legend that told thee this spoke truly, " said the stranger. "Andnow dost thou comprehend the condition which must be imposed upon thee?"

"I do--I do!" murmured the old man with a fearful shudder. "But he whoaccepts that condition makes a compact with the evil one, and therebyendangers his immortal soul!"

"Not so, " was the reply. "There is naught involved in this conditionwhich---- But hesitate not, " added the stranger, hastily: "I have notime to waste in bandying words. Consider all I offer you: in anotherhour you shall be another man!"

"I accept the boon--and on the conditions stipulated!" exclaimed theshepherd. 

"'Tis well, Wagner----"

"What! you know my name!" cried the old man. "And yet, meseems, I didnot mention it to thee. "

"Canst thou not already perceive that I am no common mortal?" demandedthe stranger, bitterly. "And who I am, and whence I derive my power, allshall be revealed to thee so soon as the bond is formed that must linkus for eighteen months together! In the meantime, await me here!"

And the mysterious stranger quitted the cottage abruptly, and plungedinto the depths of the Black Forest. 

One hour elapsed ere he returned--one mortal hour, during which Wagnersat bowed over his miserably scanty fire, dreaming of pleasure, youth, riches, and enjoyment; converting, in imagination, the myriad sparkswhich shone upon the extinguishing embers into piles of gold, andallowing his now uncurbed fancy to change the one single room of thewretched hovel into a splendid saloon, surrounded by resplendent mirrorsand costly hangings, while the untasted fare for the stranger on therude fir-table, became transformed, in his idea, into a magnificentbanquet laid out, on a board glittering with plate, lustrous withinnumerable lamps, and surrounded by an atmosphere fragrant with themost exquisite perfumes. 

The return of the stranger awoke the old man from his charming dream, during which he had never once thought of the conditions whereby he wasto purchase the complete realization of the vision. 

"Oh! what a glorious reverie you have dissipated!" exclaimed Wagner. "Fulfill but one tenth part of that delightful dream----"

"I will fulfill it all!" interrupted the stranger: then, producing asmall vial from the bosom of his doublet, he said, "Drink!"

The old man seized the bottle, and speedily drained it to the dregs. 

He immediately fell back upon the seat, in a state of complete lethargy. 

But it lasted not for many minutes; and when he awoke again, heexperienced new and extraordinary sensations. His limbs were vigorous, his form was upright as an arrow; his eyes, for many years dim andfailing, seemed gifted with the sight of an eagle, his head was warmwith a natural covering; not a wrinkle remained upon his brow nor on hischeeks; and, as he smiled with mingled wonderment and delight, theparting lips revealed a set of brilliant teeth. And it seemed, too, asif by one magic touch the long fading tree of his intellect had suddenlyburst into full foliage, and every cell of his brain was instantaneouslystored with an amount of knowledge, the accumulation of which stunnedhim for an instant, and in the next appeared as familiar to him as if hehad never been without it. 

"Oh! great and powerful being, whomsoever thou art, " exclaimed Wagner, in the full, melodious voice of a young man of twenty-one, "how can Imanifest to thee my deep, my boundless gratitude for this boon whichthou hast conferred upon me!"

"By thinking no more of thy lost grand-child Agnes, but by preparing tofollow me whither I shall now lead thee, " replied the stranger. 

"Command me: I am ready to obey in all things, " cried Wagner. "But oneword ere we set forth--who art thou, wondrous man?"

"Henceforth I have no secrets from thee, Wagner, " was the answer, whilethe stranger's eyes gleamed with unearthly luster; then, bendingforward, he whispered a few words in the other's ear. 

Wagner started with a cold and fearful shudder as if at some appallingannouncement; but he uttered not a word of reply--for his masterbeckoned him imperiously away from the humble cottage. 

CHAPTER I. 

THE DEATH-BED--THE OATH--THE LAST INJUNCTIONS. 

Our tale commences in the middle of the month of November, 1520, and atthe hour of midnight. 

In a magnificently furnished chamber, belonging to one of the largestmansions of Florence, a nobleman lay at the point of death. 

The light of the lamp suspended to the ceiling played upon the ghastlycountenance of the dying man, the stern expression of whose features wasnot even mitigated by the fears and uncertainties attendant on the hourof dissolution. 

He was about forty-eight years of age, and had evidently been wondrouslyhandsome in his youth: for though the frightful pallor of death wasalready upon his cheeks, and the fire of his large black eyes was dimmedwith the ravages of a long-endured disease, still the faultless outlinesof the aquiline profile remained unimpaired. 

The most superficial observer might have read the aristocratic pride ofhis soul in the haughty curl of his short upper lip, --the harshness ofhis domineering character in the lines that marked his forehead, --andthe cruel sternness of his disposition in the expression of his entirecountenance. 

Without absolutely scowling as he lay on that bed of death, his featureswere characterized by an inexorable severity which seemed to denote thepredominant influence of some intense passion--some evil sentimentdeeply rooted in his mind. 

Two persons leant over the couch to which death was so rapidlyapproaching. 

One was a lady of about twenty-five: the other was a youth of nineteen. 

The former was eminently beautiful; but her countenance was marked withmuch of that severity--that determination--and even of that sternness, which characterized the dying nobleman. Indeed, a single glance wassufficient to show that they stood in the close relationship of fatherand daughter. 

Her long, black, glossy hair now hung disheveled over the shoulders thatwere left partially bare by the hasty negligence with which she hadthrown on a loose wrapper; and those shoulders were of the most dazzlingwhiteness. 

The wrapper was confined by a broad band at the waist; and the slightdrapery set off, rather than concealed, the rich contours of a form ofmature but admirable symmetry. 

Tall, graceful, and elegant, she united easy motion with fineproportion; thus possessing the lightness of the Sylph and the luxuriantfullness of the Hebe. 

Her countenance was alike expressive of intellectuality and strongpassions. Her large black eyes were full of fire, and their glancesseemed to penetrate the soul. Her nose, of the finest aquilinedevelopment, --her lips, narrow, but red and pouting, with the upper oneshort and slightly projecting over the lower, --and her small, delicatelyrounded chin, indicated both decision and sensuality: but the insolentgaze of the libertine would have quailed beneath the look of sovereignhauteur which flashed from those brilliant eagle eyes. 

In a word, she appeared to be a woman well adapted to command theadmiration--receive the homage--excite the passions--and yet repel theinsolence of the opposite sex. 

But those appearances were to some degree deceitful; for never washomage offered to her--never was she courted nor flattered. 

Ten years previously to the time of which we are writing--and when shewas only fifteen--the death of her mother, under strange and mysteriouscircumstances, as it was generally reported, made such a terribleimpression on her mind, that she hovered for months on the verge ofdissolution; and when the physician who attended upon her communicatedto her father the fact that her life was at length beyond danger, thatassurance was followed by the sad and startling declaration, that shehad forever lost the sense of hearing and the power of speech. 

No wonder, then, that homage was never paid nor adulation offered toNisida--the deaf and dumb daughter of the proud Count of Riverola!

Those who were intimate with this family ere the occurrence of that sadevent--especially the physician, Dr. Duras, who had attended upon themother in her last moments, and on the daughter during herillness--declared that, up to the period when the malady assailed her, Nisida was a sweet, amiable and retiring girl; but she had evidentlybeen fearfully changed by the terrible affliction which that malady hadleft behind. For if she could no longer express herself in words, hereyes darted lightnings upon the unhappy menials who had the misfortuneto incur her displeasure; and her lips would quiver with the violence ofconcentrated passion, at the most trifling neglect or error of which thefemale dependents immediately attached to her own person might happen tobe guilty. 

Toward her father she often manifested a strange ebullition ofanger--bordering even on inveterate spite, when he offended her: andyet, singular though it were, the count was devotedly attached to hisdaughter. He frequently declared that, afflicted as she was, he wasproud of her: for he was wont to behold in her flashing eyes--hercurling lip--and her haughty air, the reflection of his own proud--hisown inexorable spirit. 

The youth of nineteen to whom we have alluded was Nisida's brother; andmuch as the father appeared to dote upon the daughter, was the sonproportionately disliked by that stern and despotic man. 

Perhaps this want of affection--or rather this complete aversion--on thepart of the Count of Riverola toward the young Francisco, owed itsorigin to the total discrepancy of character existing between the fatherand son. Francisco was as amiable, generous-hearted, frank and agreeableas his sire was austere, stern, reserved and tyrannical. The youth wasalso unlike his father in personal appearance, his hair being of a richbrown, his eyes of a soft blue, and the general expression of hiscountenance indicating the fairest and most endearing qualities whichcan possibly characterize human nature. 

We must, however, observe, before we pursue our narrative, that Nisidaimitated not her father in her conduct toward Francisco; for she lovedhim--she loved him with the most ardent affection--such an affection asa sister seldom manifests toward a brother. It was rather the attachmentof a mother for her child; inasmuch as Nisida studied all hiscomforts--watched over him, as it were, with the tenderestsolicitude--was happy when he was present, melancholy when he wasabsent, and seemed to be constantly racking her imagination to devisenew means to afford him pleasure. 

To treat Francisco with the least neglect was to arouse the wrath of afury in the breast of Nisida; and every unkind look which the countinflicted upon his son was sure, if perceived by his daughter, to evokethe terrible lightnings of her brilliant eyes. 

Such were the three persons whom we have thus minutely described to ourreaders. 

The count had been ill for some weeks at the time when this chapteropens; but on the night which marks that commencement, Dr. Duras haddeemed it his duty to warn the nobleman that he had not many hours tolive. 

The dying man had accordingly desired that his children might besummoned; and when they entered the apartment, the physician and thepriest were requested to withdraw. 

Francisco now stood on one side of the bed, and Nisida on the other;while the count collected his remaining strength to address his lastinjunctions to his son. 

"Francisco, " he said, in a cold tone, "I have little inclination tospeak at any great length; but the words I am about to utter aresolemnly important. I believe you entertain the most sincere and earnestfaith in that symbol which now lies beneath your hand. "

"The crucifix!" ejaculated the young man. "Oh, yes, my dear father!--itis the emblem of that faith which teaches us how to live and die!"

"Then take it up--press it to your lips--and swear to obey theinstructions which I am about to give you, " said the count. 

Francisco did as he was desired; and, although tears were streaming fromhis eyes, he exclaimed, in an emphatic manner, "I swear most solemnly tofulfill your commands, my dear father, so confident am I that you willenjoin nothing that involves aught dishonorable!"

"Spare your qualifications, " cried the count, sternly; "and swearwithout reserve--or expect my dying curse, rather than my blessing. "

"Oh! my dear father, " ejaculated the youth, with intense anguish ofsoul; "talk not of so dreadful a thing as bequeathing me your dyingcurse! I swear to fulfill your injunctions--without reserve. "

And he kissed the holy symbol. 

"You act wisely, " said the count, fixing his glaring eyes upon thehandsome countenance of the young man, who now awaited, in breathlesssuspense, a communication thus solemnly prefaced. "This key, " continuedthe nobleman, taking one from beneath his pillow as he spoke, "belongsto the door in yonder corner of the apartment. "

"That door which is never opened!" exclaimed Francisco, casting ananxious glance in the direction indicated. 

"Who told you that the door was never opened, " demanded the count, sternly. 

"I have heard the servants remark----" began the youth in a timid, butstill frank and candid manner. 

"Then, when I am no more, see that you put an end to such impertinentgossiping, " said the nobleman, impatiently; "and you will be the betterconvinced of the propriety of thus acting, as soon as you have learnedthe nature of my injunctions. That door, " he continued, "communicateswith a small closet, which is accessible by no other means. Now mywish--my command is this:--Upon the day of your marriage, whenever suchan event may occur--and I suppose you do not intend to remain unweddedall your life--I enjoin you to open the door of that closet. You must beaccompanied by your bride--and by no other living soul. I also desirethat this may be done with the least possible delay--the verymorning--within the very hour after you quit the church. That closetcontains the means of elucidating a mystery profoundly connected withme--with you--with the family--a mystery, the developments of which mayprove of incalculable service alike to yourself and to her who may shareyour title and your wealth. But should you never marry, then must thecloset remain unvisited by _you_; nor need you trouble yourselfconcerning the eventual discovery of the secret which it contains, byany person into whose hands the mansion may fall at your death. It isalso my wish that your sister should remain in complete ignorance of theinstructions which I am now giving you. Alas! poor girl--she cannot hearthe words which fall from my lips! neither shall you communicate theirimport to her by writing, nor by the language of the fingers. Andremember that while I bestow upon you my blessing--my dyingblessing--may that blessing become a withering curse--the curse of hellupon you--if in any way you violate one tittle of the injunctions whichI have now given you. "

"My dearest father, " replied the weeping youth, who had listened withthe most profound attention, to these extraordinary commands; "I wouldnot for worlds act contrary to your wishes. Singular as they appear tome, they shall be fulfilled to the very letter. "

He received from his father's hand the mysterious key, which he hadsecured about his person. 

"You will find, " resumed the count after a brief pause, "that I haveleft the whole of my property to you. At the same time my will specifiescertain conditions relative to your sister Nisida, for whom I have madedue provision only in the case--which is, alas! almost in defiance ofevery hope!--of her recovery from that dreadful affliction which rendersher so completely dependent upon your kindness. "

"Dearest father, you know how sincerely I am attached to my sister--howdevoted she is to me----"

"Enough, enough!" cried the count; and overcome by the effort he hadmade to deliver his last injunction, he fell back insensible on hispillow. 

Nisida, who had retained her face buried in her hands during the wholetime occupied in the above conversation, happened to look up at thatmoment; and, perceiving the condition of her father, she made a hastysign to Francisco to summon the physician and the priest from the roomto which they had retired. 

This commission was speedily executed, and in a few minutes thephysician and the priest were once more by the side of the dying noble. 

But the instant that Dr. Duras--who was a venerable looking man of aboutsixty years of age--approached the bed, he darted, unseen by Francisco, a glance of earnest inquiry toward Nisida, who responded by one ofprofound meaning, shaking her head gently, but in a manner expressive ofdeep melancholy, at the same time. 

The physician appeared to be astonished at the negative thus conveyed bythe beautiful mute; and he even manifested a sign of angry impatience. 

But Nisida threw upon him a look of so imploring a nature, that histemporary vexation yielded to a feeling of immense commiseration forthat afflicted creature: and he gave her to understand, by another rapidglance, that her prayer was accorded. 

This interchange of signs of such deep mystery scarcely occupied amoment, and was altogether unobserved by Francisco. 

Dr. Duras proceeded to administer restoratives to the dyingnobleman--but in vain!

The count had fallen into a lethargic stupor, which lasted until four inthe morning, when his spirit passed gently away. 

The moment Francisco and Nisida became aware that they were orphans, they threw themselves into each other's arms, and renewed by that tenderembrace the tacit compact of sincere affection which had ever existedbetween them. 

Francisco's tears flowed freely; but Nisida did not weep!

A strange--an almost portentous light shone in her brilliant black eyes;and though that wild gleaming denoted powerful emotions, yet it shed noluster upon the depths of her soul--afforded no clew to the real natureof these agitated feelings. 

Suddenly withdrawing himself from his sister's arms, Francisco conveyedto her by the language of the fingers the following tendersentiment:--"You have lost a father, beloved Nisida, but you have adevoted and affectionate brother left to you!"

And Nisida replied through the same medium, "Your happiness, dearestbrother, has ever been my only study, and shall continue so. "

The physician and Father Marco, the priest, now advanced, and taking thebrother and sister by the hands, led them from the chamber of death. 

"Kind friends, " said Francisco, now Count of Riverola, "I understandyou. You would withdraw my sister and myself from a scene too mournfulto contemplate. Alas! it is hard to lose a father; but especially so atmy age, inexperienced as I am in the ways of the world!"

"The world is indeed made up of thorny paths and devious ways, my dearyoung friend, " returned the physician; "but a stout heart and integrityof purpose will ever be found faithful guides. The more exalted and thewealthier the individual, the greater the temptations he will have toencounter. Reflect upon this, Francisco: it is advice which I, as anold--indeed, the oldest friend of your family--take the liberty tooffer. "

With these words, the venerable physician wrung the hands of the brotherand sister, and hurried from the house, followed by the priest. 

The orphans embraced each other, and retired to their respectiveapartments. 

CHAPTER II. 

NISIDA--THE MYSTERIOUS CLOSET. 

The room to which Nisida withdrew, between four and five o'clock on thatmournful winter's morning, was one of a suit entirely appropriated toher own use. 

This suit consisted of three apartments, communicating with each other, and all furnished in the elegant and tasteful manner of that age. 

The innermost of the three rooms was used as her bed-chamber, and whenshe now entered it, a young girl of seventeen, beautiful as an angel, but dressed in the attire of a dependent, instantly arose from a seatnear the fire that blazed on the hearth, and cast a respectful butinquiring glance toward her mistress. 

Nisida gave her to understand, by a sign, that all was over. 

The girl started, as if surprised that her lady indicated so littlegrief; but the latter motioned her, with an impatient gesture, to leavethe room. 

When Flora--such was the name of the dependent--had retired Nisida threwherself into a large arm-chair near the fire, and immediately becameburied in a deep reverie. With her splendid hair flowing upon her whiteshoulders--her proud forehead supported on her delicate hand--her lipsapart, and revealing the pearly teeth--her lids with their long blackfringes half-closed over the brilliant eyes--and her fine form cast involuptuous abandonment upon the soft cushions of the chair--she indeedseemed a magnificent creature!

But when, suddenly awaking from that profound meditation, she startedfrom her seat with flashing eyes--heaving bosom--and an expression ofcountenance denoting a fixed determination to accomplish some deed fromwhich her better feelings vainly bade her to abstain:--when she drew hertall--her even majestic form up to its full height, the draperyshadowing forth every contour of undulating bust and exquisitely modeledlimb--while her haughty lip curled in contempt of any consideration saveher own indomitable will--she appeared rather a heroine capable ofleading an Amazonian army, than a woman to whom the sighing swain mightventure to offer up the incense of love. 

There was something awful in the aspect of this mysteriousbeing--something ineffably grand and imposing in her demeanor--as shethus suddenly rose from her almost recumbent posture, and burst into theattitude of a resolute and energetic woman. 

Drawing the wrapper around her form, she lighted a lamp, and was aboutto quit the chamber, when her eyes suddenly encountered the mild andbenignant glance which the portrait of a lady appeared to cast upon her. 

This portrait, which hung against the wall precisely opposite to thebed, represented a woman of about thirty years of age--a woman of abeauty much in the same style as that of Nisida, but not marred byanything approaching to a sternness of expression. On the contrary, ifan angel had looked through those mild black eyes, their glances couldnot have been endowed with a holier kindness; the smiles of good spiritscould not be more plaintively sweet than those which the artist had madeto play upon the lips of that portrait. 

Yet, in spite of this discrepancy between the expression of Nisida'scountenance and that of the lady who had formed the subject of thepicture, it was not difficult to perceive a certain physical likenessbetween the two; nor will the reader be surprised when we state thatNisida was gazing on the portrait of her deceased mother. 

And that gaze--oh! how intent, how earnest, how enthusiastic it was! Itmanifested something more than love--something more impassioned andardent than the affection which a daughter might exhibit toward even aliving mother; it showed a complete devotion--an adoration--a worship!

Long and fixedly did Nisida gaze upon that portrait; till suddenly fromher eyes, which shot forth such burning glances, gushed a torrent oftears. 

Then--probably fearful lest this weakness on her part might impair theresolution necessary to execute the purpose which she had inview--Nisida dashed away the tears from her long lashes, hastily quittedthe room. 

Having traversed the other two apartments of her own suit, she cast asearching glance along the passage which she now entered; and, satisfiedthat none of the domestics were about, for it was not yet six o'clock onthat winter's morning, she hastened to the end of the corridor. 

The lamp flared with the speed at which she walked; and its uncertainlight enhanced the pallor that now covered her countenance. 

At the bottom of the passage she cautiously opened the door, and enteredthe room with which it communicated. 

This was the sleeping apartment of her brother. 

A single glance convinced her that he was wrapt in the arms of slumber. 

He slept soundly too--for he was wearied with the vigil which he hadpassed by the death-bed of his father--worn out also by the thousandconflicting and unsatisfactory conjectures that the last instructions ofhis parent had naturally excited in his mind. 

He had not, however, been asleep a quarter of an hour when Nisida stole, in the manner described, into his chamber. 

A smile of mingled joy and triumph animated her countenance, and acarnation tinge flushed her cheeks when she found he was fast locked inthe embrace of slumber. 

Without a moment's hesitation, she examined his doublet, and clutchedthe key that his father had given to him scarcely six hours before. 

Then, light as the fawn, she left the room. 

Having retraced her steps half-way up the passage, she paused at thedoor of the chamber in which the corpse of her father lay. 

For an instant--a single instant--she seemed to revolt from theprosecution of her design, then, with a stern contraction of the brows, and an imperious curl of the lip--as if she said within herself, "_Foolthat I am to hesitate!_"--she entered the room. 

Without fear--without compunction, she approached the bed. The body waslaid out: stretched in its winding sheet, stiff and stark did it seem torepose on the mattress--the countenance rendered more ghastly than evendeath could make it, by the white band which tied up the under jaw. 

The nurse who had thus disposed the corpse, had retired to snatch a fewhours of rest; and there was consequently no spy upon Nisida's actions. 

With a fearless step she advanced toward the closet--the mysteriouscloset relative to which such strange injunctions had been given. 

CHAPTER III. 

THE MANUSCRIPT--FLORA FRANCATELLI. 

Nisida's hand trembled not as she placed the key in the lock; but whenit turned, and she knew that in another instant she might open that doorif she chose, she compressed her lips firmly together--she called allher courage to her aid--for she seemed to imagine that it was necessaryto prepare herself to behold something frightfully appalling. 

And now again her cheeks were deadly pale; but the light that burned inher eyes was brilliant in the extreme. 

White as was her countenance, her large black orbs appeared to shine--toglow--to burn, as if with a violent fever. 

Advancing with her left hand, she half-opened the door of the closetwith her right. 

Then she plunged her glances with rapidity into the recess. 

But, holy God! what a start that courageous, bold, and energetic womangave--a start as if the cold hand of a corpse had been suddenly thrustforth to grasp her. 

And oh! what horror convulsed her countenance--while her lips werecompressed as tightly as if they were an iron vise. 

Rapidly and instantly recoiling as that glance was, it had neverthelessrevealed to her an object of interest as well as of horror; for witheyes now averted, she seized something within the closet, and thrust itinto her bosom. 

Then, hastily closing the door, she retraced her way to her brother'schamber. 

He still slept soundly; Nisida returned the key to the pocket whence shehad taken it, and hurried back to her own room, from which she hadscarcely been absent five minutes. 

And did she seek her couch? did she repair to rest?

No; that energetic woman experienced no weariness--yielded to nolassitude. 

Carefully bolting the door of her innermost chamber, she seated herselfin the arm-chair and drew from her bosom the object which she had takenfrom the mysterious closet. 

It was a manuscript, consisting of several small slips of paper, somewhat closely written upon. 

The paper was doubtless familiar to her; for she paused not to considerits nature, but greedily addressed herself to the study of the meaningwhich it conveyed. And of terrible import seemed that manuscript to be;for while Nisida read, her countenance underwent many and awfulchanges--and her bosom heaved convulsively at one instant, while atanother it remained motionless, as if respiration were suspended. 

At length the perusal was completed; and grinding her teeth withdemoniac rage, she threw the manuscript upon the floor. But at the samemoment her eyes, which she cast wildly about her, caught the mild andbenign countenance of her mother's portrait; and, as oil stills the furyof the boiling billows, did the influence of that picture calm in aninstant the tremendous emotions of Nisida's soul. 

Tears burst from her eyes, and she suddenly relapsed from the incarnatefiend into the subdued woman. 

Then stooping down, she picked up the papers that lay scattered on thefloor: but as she did so she averted her looks, with loathing anddisgust, as much as possible from the pages that her hands collectedalmost at random. 

And now another idea struck her--an idea the propriety of whichevidently warred against her inclination. 

She was not a woman of mere impulses--although she often acted speedilyafter a thought had entered her brain. But she was wondrously quick atweighing all reasons for or against the suggestions of her imagination;and thus, to any one who was not acquainted with her character, shemight frequently appear to obey the first dictates of her impetuouspassions. 

Scarcely three minutes after the new idea had struck her, her resolutionwas fixed. 

Once more concealing the papers in her bosom, she repaired with the lampto her brother's room--purloined the key a second time--hastened to thechamber of death--opened the closet again--and again sustained the shockof a single glance at its horrors, as she returned the manuscript to theplace whence she had originally taken it. 

Then, having once more retraced her way to Francisco's chamber, sherestored the key to the folds of his doublet--for he continued to sleepsoundly; and Nisida succeeded in regaining her own apartments just intime to avoid the observation of the domestics, who were now beginningto move about. 

Nisida sought her couch and slept until nearly ten o'clock, when sheawoke with a start--doubtless caused by some unpleasant dream. 

Having ascertained the hour by reference to a water-clock, or clepsydra, which stood on a marble pedestal near the head of the bed, shearose--unlocked the door of her apartment--rang a silver bell--and thenreturned to her bed. 

In a few minutes Flora, who had been waiting in the adjoining room, entered the chamber. 

Nisida, on regaining her couch, had turned her face toward the wall, andwas therefore unable to perceive anything that took place in theapartment. 

The mere mention of such a circumstance would be trivial in the extreme, were it not necessary to record it in consequence of an event which nowoccurred. 

For, as Flora advanced into the room, her eyes fell on a written paperthat lay immediately beneath the arm-chair; and conceiving from itsappearance that it had not been thrown down on purpose, as it was innowise crushed nor torn, she mechanically picked it up and placed it onthe table. 

She then proceeded to arrange the toilet table of her mistress, preparatory to that lady's rising; and while she is thus employed, wewill endeavor to make our readers a little better acquainted with herthan they can possibly yet be. 

Flora Francatelli was the orphan daughter of parents who had suddenlybeen reduced from a state of affluence to a condition of extremepoverty. Signor Francatelli could not survive this blow: he died of abroken heart; and his wife shortly afterward followed him to thetomb--also the victim of grief. They left two children behind them:Flora, who was then an infant, and a little boy, named Alessandro, whowas five years old. The orphans were entirely dependent upon thekindness of a maiden aunt--their departed father's sister. Thisrelative, whose name was, of course, also Francatelli, performed amother's part toward the children: and deprived herself, not only ofcomforts, but at times even of necessaries, in order that they shouldnot want. Father Marco, a priest belonging to one of the numerousmonasteries of Florence, and who was a worthy man, took compassion uponthis little family; and not only devoted his attention to teach theorphans to read and write--great accomplishments among the middleclasses in those days--but also procured from a fund at the disposal ofhis abbot, certain pecuniary assistance for the aunt. 

The care which this good relative took of the orphans, and the kindnessof Father Marco, were well rewarded by the veneration and attachmentwhich Alessandro and Flora manifested toward them. When Alessandro hadnumbered eighteen summers, he was fortunate enough to procure, throughthe interest of Father Marco, the situation of secretary to a Florentinenoble, who was charged with a diplomatic mission to the Ottoman Porte;and the young man proceeded to Leghorn, whence he embarked forConstantinople, attended by the prayers, blessings, and hopes of theaunt and sister, and of the good priest, whom he left behind. 

Two years after his departure, Father Marco obtained for Flora asituation about the person of the Lady Nisida; for the monk wasconfessor to the family of Riverola, and his influence was sufficient tosecure that place for the young maiden. 

We have already said that Flora was sweetly beautiful. Her large blueeyes were fringed with dark lashes, which gave them an expression of themost melting softness; her dark brown hair, arranged in the modestbands, seemed of even a darker hue when contrasted with the brilliantand transparent clearness of her complexion, and though her forehead waswhite and polished as alabaster, yet the rose-tint of health was uponher cheeks, and her lips had the rich redness of coral. Her nose wasperfectly straight; her teeth were white and even, and the gracefularching of her swan-neck imparted something of nobility to her tall, sylph-like, and exquisitely proportioned figure. 

Retiring and bashful in her manners, every look which fell from hereyes--every smile which wreathed her lips, denoted the chaste purity ofher soul. With all her readiness to oblige--with all her anxiety to doher duty as she ought, she frequently incurred the anger of theirascible Nisida; but Flora supported those manifestations of wrath withthe sweetest resignation, because the excellence of her dispositiontaught her to make every allowance for one so deeply afflicted as hermistress. 

Such was the young maiden whom the nature of the present tale compels usthus particularly to introduce to our readers. 

Having carefully arranged the boudoir, so that its strict neatness mightbe welcome to her mistress when that lady chose to rise from her couch, Flora seated herself near the table, and gave way to her reflections. 

She thought of her aunt, who inhabited a neat little cottage on thebanks of the Arno, and whom she was usually permitted to visit everySabbath afternoon--she thought of her absent brother, who was still inthe service of the Florentine Envoy to the Ottomon Porte, where thatdiplomatist was detained by the tardiness that marked the negotiationswith which he was charged; and then she thought--thought too, with aninvoluntary sigh--of Francisco, Count of Riverola. 

She perceived that she had sighed--and, without knowing preciselywherefore, she was angry with herself. 

Anxious to turn the channel of her meditations in another direction, sherose from her seat to examine the clepsydra. That movement caused hereyes to fall upon the paper which she had picked up a quarter of an hourpreviously. 

In spite of herself the image of Francisco was still uppermost in herthoughts; and, in the contemplative vein thus encouraged, her eyeslingered, unwittingly--and through no base motive of curiosity--upon thewriting which that paper contained. 

Thus she actually found herself reading the first four lines of thewriting, before she recollected what she was doing. 

The act was a purely mechanical one, which not the most rigid moralistcould blame. 

And had the contents of the paper been of no interest, she might evenhave continued to read more in that same abstracted mood; but those fourfirst lines were of a nature which sent a thrilling sensation of horrorthrough her entire frame; the feeling terminating with an icy coldnessof the heart. 

She shuddered without starting--shuddered as she stood; and not even amurmur escaped her lips. 

The intenseness of that sudden pang of horror deprived her alike ofspeech and motion during the instant that it lasted. 

And those lines, which produced so strange an impression upon the youngmaiden, ran thus:

 "merciless scalpel hacked and hewed away at the still almost palpitating flesh of the murdered man, in whose breast the dagger remained buried--a ferocious joy--a savage hyena-like triumph----"

Flora read no more; she could not--even if she had wished. 

For a minute she remained rooted to the spot; then she threw herselfinto the chair, bewildered and dismayed at the terrible words which hadmet her eyes. 

She thought that the handwriting was not unknown to her; but she couldnot recollect whose it was. One fact was, however, certain--it was notthe writing of her mistress. 

She was musing upon the horrible and mysterious contents of the paper, when Nisida rose from her couch. 

Acknowledging with a slight nod of the head the respectful salutation ofher attendant, she hastily slipped on a loose wrapper, and seatedherself in the arm-chair which Flora had just abandoned. 

The young girl then proceeded to comb out the long raven hair of hermistress. 

But this occupation was most rudely interrupted: for Nisida's eyessuddenly fell upon the manuscript page on the table; and she started upin a paroxysm of mingled rage and alarm. 

Having assured herself by a second glance that it was indeed a portionof the writings which had produced so strange an effect upon her a fewhours previously, she turned abruptly toward Flora; and, imperiouslyconfronting the young maiden, pointed to the paper in a significantmanner. 

Flora immediately indicated by a sign that she had found it on thefloor, beneath the arm-chair. 

"And you have read it!" was the accusation which, with wonderfulrapidity, Nisida conveyed by means of her fingers--fixing her piercing, penetrating eyes on Flora's countenance at the same time. 

The young maiden scorned the idea of a falsehood; although she perceivedthat her reply would prove far from agreeable to her mistress, sheunhesitatingly admitted, by the language of the hands. "I read the firstfour lines, and no more. "

A crimson glow instantly suffused the face, neck, shoulders, and bosomof Nisida; but instantly compressing her lips--as was her wont whenunder the influence of her boiling passions, she turned her flashingeyes once more upon the paper, to ascertain which leaf of the manuscriptit was. 

That rapid glance revealed to her the import, the dread, but profoundlymysterious import of the four first lines on that page; and, againdarting her soul-searching looks upon the trembling Flora, she demanded, by the rapid play of her delicate taper fingers "Will you swear that youread no more?"

"As I hope for salvation!" was Flora's symbolic answer. 

The penetrating, imperious glance of Nisida dwelt long upon the maiden'scountenance; but no sinister expression--no suspicious change on thatfair and candid face contradicted the assertion which she had made. 

"I believe you; but beware how you breathe to a living soul a word ofwhat you did read!"

Such was the injunction which Nisida now conveyed by her usual means ofcommunication; and Flora signified implicit obedience. 

Nisida then secured the page of writing in her jewel casket; and thedetails of the toilet were resumed. 

CHAPTER IV. 

THE FUNERAL--THE INTERRUPTION OF THE CEREMONY. 

Eight days after the death of the Count of Riverola, the funeral tookplace. 

The obsequies were celebrated at night, with all the pomp observedamongst noble families on such occasions. The church in which the corpsewas buried, was hung with black cloth; and even the innumerable waxtapers which burned upon the altar and around the coffin failed todiminish the lugubrious aspect of the scene. 

At the head of the bier stood the youthful heir of Riverola; his palecountenance of even feminine beauty contrasting strangely with themourning garments which he wore, and his eyes bent upon the dark chasmthat formed the family vault into which the remains of his sire wereabout to be lowered. 

Around the coffin stood Dr. Duras and other male friends of thedeceased: for the females of the family were not permitted, by thecustom of the age and the religion, to be present on occasions of thiskind. 

It was eleven o'clock at night: and the weather without was stormy andtempestuous. 

The wind moaned through the long aisles, raising strange and ominousechoes, and making the vast folds of sable drapery wave slowly backwardand forward, as if agitated by unseen hands. A few spectators, standingin the background, appeared like grim figures on a black tapestry; andthe gleam of the wax tapers, oscillating on their countenances, madethem seem death-like and ghastly. 

From time to time the shrill wail of the shriek-owl, and the flapping ofits wings against the diamond-paned windows of the church, added to theawful gloom of the funeral scene. 

And now suddenly arose the chant of the priests--the parting hymn forthe dead!

Francisco wept, for though his father had never manifested toward him anaffection of the slightest endearing nature, yet the disposition of theyoung count was excellent; and, when he gazed upon the coffin, heremembered not the coldness with which its inmate in his lifetime hadtreated him--he thought only of a parent whom he had lost, and whoseremains were there!

And truly, on the brink of the tomb no animosity should ever find aresting-place in the human heart. Though elsewhere men yield to theinfluence of their passions and their feelings, in pursuing each hisseparate interests--though, in the great world, we push and jostle eachother, as if the earth were not large enough to allow us to follow ourseparate ways--yet, when we meet around the grave, to consign a fellowcreature to his last resting-place, let peace and holy forgivenessoccupy our souls. There let the clash of interests and the war ofjealousies be forgotten; and let us endeavor to persuade ourselves that, as all the conflicting pursuits of life must terminate at this point atlast, so should our feelings converge to the one focus of amenity andChristian love. And, after all, how many who have considered themselvesto be antagonists must, during a moment of solemn reflection, becomeconvinced that, when toiling in the great workshop of the world, theyhave been engaged, in unconscious fraternity, in building up the samefabric!

The priests were in the midst of their solemn chant--a deathlike silenceand complete immovability prevailed among the mourners and thespectators--and the wind was moaning beneath the vaulted roofs, awakingthose strange and tomb-like sounds which are only heard in largechurches, --when light but rushing footsteps were heard on the marblepavement; and in another minute a female, not clothed in a mourninggarb, but splendidly as for a festival, precipitated herself toward thebier. 

There her strength suddenly seemed to be exhausted; and, with a piercingscream, she sank senseless on the cold stones. 

The chant of the priest was immediately stilled; and Francisco hurryingforward, raised the female in his arms, while Dr. Duras asked for waterto sprinkle on her countenance. 

Over her head the stranger wore a white veil of rich material, which wasfastened above her brow by a single diamond of unusual size andbrilliant luster. When the veil was drawn aside, shining auburn tresseswere seen depending in wanton luxuriance over shoulders of alabasterwhiteness: a beautiful but deadly pale countenance was revealed; and asplendid purple velvet dress delineated the soft and flowing outlines ofa form modeled to the most perfect symmetry. 

She seemed to be about twenty years of age, --in the full splendor ofloveliness, and endowed with charms which presented to the gaze of thosearound a very incarnation of the ideal beauty which forms the theme ofraptured poets. 

And now, as the vacillating and uncertain light of the wax-candlesbeamed upon her, as she lay senseless in the arms of the Count Riverola, her pale, placid face appeared that of a classic marble statue; butnothing could surpass the splendid effects which the funeral tapersproduced on the rich redundancy of her hair, which seemed dark where theshadows rested on it, but glittering as with a bright glory where theluster played on its shining masses. 

In spite of the solemnity of the place and the occasion, the mournerswere struck by the dazzling beauty of that young female, who had thusappeared so strangely amongst them; but respect still retained at adistance those persons who were merely present from curiosity to witnessthe obsequies of one of the proudest nobles of Florence. 

At length the lady opened her large hazel eyes, and glanced wildlyaround, a quick spasm passing like an electric shock over her frame atthe same instant; for the funeral scene burst upon her view, andreminded her where she was, and why she was there. 

Recovering herself almost as rapidly as she had succumbed beneathphysical and mental exhaustion, she started from Francisco's arms; andturning upon him a beseeching, inquiring glance, exclaimed in a voicewhich ineffable anguish could not rob of its melody: "Is it true--oh, tell me is it true that the Count Riverola is no more?"

"It is, alas! too true, lady, " answered Francisco, in a tone of thedeepest melancholy. 

The heart of the fair stranger rebounded at the words which thus seemedto destroy a last hope that lingered in her soul; and a hystericalshriek burst from her lips as she threw her snow-white arms, bare to theshoulders, around the head of the pall-covered coffin. 

"Oh! my much-loved--my noble Andrea!" she exclaimed, a torrent of tearsnow gushing from her eyes. 

"That voice!--is it possible?" cried one of the spectators who had beenhitherto standing, as before said, at a respectful distance: and thespeaker--a man of tall, commanding form, graceful demeanor, wondrouslyhandsome countenance, and rich attire--immediately hurried toward thespot where the young female still clung to the coffin, no one having theheart to remove her. 

The individual who had thus stepped forward, gave one rapid butsearching glance at the lady's countenance; and, yielding to thesurprise and joy which suddenly animated him, he exclaimed: "Yes--it is, indeed, the lost Agnes!"

The young female started when she heard her name thus pronounced in aplace where she believed herself to be entirely unknown; andastonishment for an instant triumphed over the anguish of her heart. 

Hastily withdrawing her snow-white arms from the head of the coffin, sheturned toward the individual who had uttered her name, and he instantlyclasped her in his arms, murmuring, "Dearest--dearest Agnes, art thourestored----"

But the lady shrieked, and struggled to escape from that tender embrace, exclaiming, "What means this insolence? will no one protect me?"

"That will I, " said Francisco, darting forward, and tearing her awayfrom the stranger's arms. "But, in the name of Heaven! let thismisunderstanding be cleared up elsewhere. Lady--and you, signor--I callon you to remember where you are, and how solemn a ceremony you haveboth aided to interrupt. "

"I know not that man!" ejaculated Agnes, indicating the stranger. "Icome hither, because I heard--but an hour ago--that my noble Andrea wasno more. And I would not believe those who told me. Oh! no--I could notthink that Heaven had thus deprived me of all I loved on earth!"

"Lady, you are speaking of my father, " said Francisco, in a somewhatsevere tone. 

"Your father!" cried Agnes, now surveying the young count with interestand curiosity. "Oh! then, my lord, you can pity--you can feel for me, who in losing your father have lost all that could render existencesweet!"

"No--you have not lost all!" exclaimed the handsome stranger, advancingtoward Agnes, and speaking in a profoundly impressive tone. "Have younot one single relative left in the world? Consider, lady--an old, oldman--a shepherd in the Black Forest of Germany----"

"Speak not of him!" cried Agnes, wildly. "Did he know all, he wouldcurse me--he would spurn me from him--he would discard me forever! Oh!when I think of that poor old man, with his venerable white hair, --thataged, helpless man, who was so kind to me, who loved me so well, andwhom I so cruelly abandoned. But tell me, signor, " she exclaimed, insuddenly altered tone, while her breath came with the difficulty ofacute suspense, --"tell me, signor, does that old man still live?"

"He lives, Agnes, " was the reply. "I know him well; at this moment he isin Florence!"

"In Florence!" repeated Agnes; and so unexpectedly came thisannouncement, that her limbs seemed to give way under her, and she wouldhave fallen on the marble pavement, had not the stranger caught her inhis arms. 

"I will bear her away, " he said; "she has a true friend in me. "

And he was moving off with his senseless burden, when Francisco, struckby a sudden idea, caught him by the elegantly slashed sleeve of hisdoublet, and whispered thus, in a rapid tone: "From the few, butsignificant words which fell from that lady's lips, and from her stillmore impressive conduct, it would appear, alas! that my deceased fatherhad wronged her. If so, signor, it will be my duty to make her all thereparation that can be afforded in such a case. "

"'Tis well, my lord, " answered the stranger, in a cold and haughty tone. "To-morrow evening I will call upon you at your palace. "

He then hurried on with the still senseless Agnes in his arms; and theCount of Riverola retraced his steps to the immediate vicinity of thecoffin. 

This scene, which so strangely interrupted the funeral ceremony, andwhich has taken so much space to describe, did not actually occupy tenminutes from the moment when the young lady first appeared in thechurch, until that when she was borne away by the handsome stranger. Thefuneral obsequies were completed; the coffin was lowered into the familyvault; the spectators dispersed, and the mourners, headed by the youngcount, returned in procession to the Riverola mansion, which wassituated at no great distance. 

CHAPTER V. 

THE READING OF THE WILL. 

When the mourners reached the palace, Francisco led the way to anapartment where Nisida was awaiting their coming. 

Francisco kissed her affectionately upon the forehead; and then took hisseat at the head of the table, his sister placing herself on his righthand. 

Dressed in deep mourning, and with her countenance unusually pale, Nisida's appearance inspired a feeling of profound interest in the mindsof those who did not perceive that, beneath her calm and mournfuldemeanor, feelings of painful intensity agitated within her breast. ButDr. Duras, who knew her well--better, far better than even her ownbrother--noticed an occasional wild flashing of the eye, a nervousmotion of the lips, and a degree of forced tranquillity of mien, whichproved how acute was the suspense she in reality endured. 

On Francisco's left hand the notary-general, who had acted as one of thechief mourners, took a seat. He was a short, thin, middle-aged man, witha pale complexion, twinkling gray eyes, and a sharp expression ofcountenance. Before him lay a sealed packet, on which the eyes of Nisidadarted, at short intervals, looks, the burning impatience of which werecomprehended by Dr. Duras alone; for next to Signor Vivaldi, thenotary-general--and consequently opposite to Nisida--sat the physician. 

The remainder of the company consisted of Father Marco and those mostintimate friends of the family who had been invited to the funeral; butwhom it is unnecessary to describe more particularly. 

Father Marco having recited a short prayer, in obedience to the customof the age, and the occasion, the notary-general proceeded to break theseals of the large packet which lay before him: then, in a precise andmethodical manner, he drew forth a sheet of parchment, closely writtenon. 

Nisida leaned her right arm upon the table, and half-buried hercountenance in the snowy cambric handkerchief which she held. 

The notary-general commenced the reading of the will. 

After bestowing a few legacies, one of which was in favor of Dr. Duras, and another in that of Signor Vivaldi himself, the testamentary documentordained that the estates of the late Andrea, Count of Riverola, shouldbe held in trust by the notary-general and the physician, for thebenefit of Francisco, who was merely to enjoy the revenues produced bythe same until the age of thirty, at which period the guardianship wasto cease, and Francisco was then to enter into full and uncontrolledpossession of those immense estates. 

But to this clause there was an important condition attached; for thetestamentary document ordained that should the Lady Nisida--either bymedical skill, or the interposition of Heaven--recover the faculties ofhearing and speaking at any time during the interval which was to elapseere Francisco would attain the age of thirty, then the whole of theestates, with the exception of a very small one in the northern part ofTuscany, were to be immediately made over to her; but without the powerof alienation on her part. 

It must be observed that, in the middle ages many titles of nobilitydepended only on the feudal possession of a particular property. Thiswas the case with the Riverola estates; and the title of Count ofRiverola was conferred simply by the fact of the ownership of the landedproperty. Thus, supposing that Nisida became possessed of the estates, she would have enjoyed the title of countess, while her brotherFrancisco would have lost that of count. 

We may also remind our readers that Francisco was now nineteen; andeleven years must consequently elapse ere he could become the lord andmaster of the vast territorial possessions of Riverola. 

Great was the astonishment experienced by all who heard the provisionsof this strange will--with the exception of the notary-general andFather Marco, the former of whom had drawn it up, and the latter of whomwas privy to its contents (though under a vow of secrecy) in hiscapacity of father-confessor to the late count. 

Francisco was himself surprised, and, in one sense, hurt; because thenature of the testamentary document seemed to imply that the propertywould have been inevitably left to his sister, with but a very smallprovision for himself, had she not been so sorely afflicted as she was;and this fact forced upon him the painful conviction that even whencontemplating his departure to another world, his father had notsoftened toward his son!

But, on the other hand, Francisco was pleased that such considerationhad been shown toward a sister whom he so devotedly loved; and hehastened, as soon as he could conquer his first emotions, to request thenotary-general to permit Nisida to peruse the will, adding, in amournful tone, "For all that your excellency has read has been, alas!unavailing in respect to her. "

Signor Vivaldi handed the document to the young count, who gentlytouched his sister's shoulder and placed the parchment before her. 

Nisida started as if convulsively, and raised from her handkerchief acountenance so pale, so deadly pale, that Francisco shrank back inalarm. 

But instantly reflecting that the process of reading aloud a paper hadbeen as it were a kind of mockery in respect to his afflicted sister, hepressed her hand tenderly, and made a sign for her to peruse thedocument. 

She mechanically addressed herself to the task; but ere her eyes--now ofburning, unearthly brilliancy--fell upon the parchment, they darted onerapid, electric glance of ineffable anguish toward Dr. Duras, adownwhose cheeks large tears were trickling. 

In a few minutes Nisida appeared to be absorbed in the perusal of thewill; and the most solemn silence prevailed throughout the apartment!

At length she started violently, tossed the paper indignantly to thenotary-general, and hastily wrote on a slip of paper these words:

"Should medical skill or the mercy of Heaven restore my speech andfaculty of hearing, I will abandon all claim to the estates and title ofRiverola to my dear brother Francisco. "

She then handed the slip of paper to the notary-general, who read thecontents aloud. 

Francisco darted upon his sister a look of ineffable gratitude and love, but shook his head, as much as to imply that he could not accept theboon even if circumstances enabled her to confer it!

She returned the look with another, expressive of impatience at hisrefusal: and her eyes seemed to say, as eyes never yet spoke, "Oh, thatI had the power to give verbal utterance to my feelings!"

Meantime the notary-general had written a few words beneath those pennedby Nisida, to whom he had handed back the slip; and she hastened to readthem, thus: "Your ladyship has no power to alienate the estates, shouldthey come into your possession. "

Nisida burst into an agony of tears and rushed from the room. 

Her brother immediately followed to console her; and the companyretired, each individual to his own abode. 

But of all that company who had been present at the reading of the will, none experienced such painful emotions as Dr. Duras. 

CHAPTER VI. 

THE PICTURES--AGNES AND THE UNKNOWN--MYSTERY. 

When Agnes awoke from the state of stupor in which she had been conveyedfrom the church, she found herself lying upon an ottoman, in a large andelegantly furnished apartment. 

The room was lighted by two silver lamps suspended to the ceiling, andwhich, being fed with aromatic oil of the purest quality, imparted adelicious perfume to the atmosphere. 

The walls were hung with paintings representing scenes of strangevariety and interest, and connected with lands far--far away. Thus, onedepicted a council of red men assembled around a blazing fire, on theborder of one of the great forests of North America; another showed theinterior of an Esquimaux hut amidst the eternal ice of the Pole;--athird delineated, with fearfully graphic truth, the writhing of a humanvictim in the folds of the terrific anaconda in the island of Ceylon; afourth exhibited a pleasing contrast to the one previously cited, byhaving for its subject a family meeting of Chinese on the terraced roofof a high functionary's palace at Perkin; a fifth represented thesplendid court of King Henry the Eighth in London; a sixth showed theinterior of the harem of the Ottoman Sultan. 

But there were two portraits amongst this beautiful and variedcollection of pictures, all of which, we should observe, appeared tohave been very recently executed--two portraits which we must pause todescribe. One represented a tall man of about forty years of age, withmagnificent light hair--fine blue eyes, but terrible in expression--acountenance indisputably handsome, though every lineament denoted horrorand alarm--and a symmetrical form, bowed by the weight of sorrow. Beneath this portrait was the following inscription:--"F. , _Count of_A. , _terminated his career on the 1st of August, 1517_. "

The other portrait alluded to was that of an old--old man, who hadapparently numbered ninety winters. He was represented as cowering overa few embers in a miserable hovel, while the most profound sorrow wasdepicted on his countenance. Beneath this picture was the ensuinginscription:--"F. W. , _January 7th, 1516. His last day thus. _"

There was another feature in that apartment to which we must likewisedirect our reader's attention, ere we pursue the thread of ournarrative. This was an object hanging against the wall, next to thesecond portrait just now described. It also had the appearance of beinga picture--or at all events a frame of the same dimensions as theothers; but whether that frame contained a painting, or whether it wereempty, it was impossible to say, so long as it remained concealed by thelarge black cloth which covered it, and which was carefully fastened bysmall silver nails at each corner. 

This strange object gave a lugubrious and sinister appearance to a roomin other respects cheerful, gay, and elegant. 

But to resume our tale. 

When Agnes awoke from her stupor, she found herself reclining on a softottoman of purple velvet, fringed with gold; and the handsome stranger, who had borne her from the church, was bathing her brow with water whichhe took from a crystal vase on a marble table. 

As she slowly and languidly opened her large hazel eyes, her thoughtscollected themselves in the gradient manner; and when her glanceencountered that of her unknown friend, who was bending over her with anexpression of deep interest on his features, there flashed upon her minda recollection of all that had so recently taken place. 

"Where am I?" she demanded, starting up, and casting her eyes wildlyaround her. 

"In the abode of one who will not injure you, " answered the stranger, ina kind and melodious tone. 

"But who are you? and wherefore have you brought me hither?" exclaimedAgnes. "Oh! remember--you spoke of that old man--my grandfather--theshepherd of the Black Forest----"

"You shall see him--you shall be restored to him, " answered thestranger. 

"But will he receive me--will he not spurn me from him?" asked Agnes, ina wildly impassioned--almost hysterical tone. 

"The voice of pity cannot refuse to heave a sigh for thy fall, " was theresponse. "If thou wast guilty in abandoning one who loved thee sotenderly, and whose earthly reliance was on thee, he, whom you did soabandon, has not the less need to ask pardon of thee. For he speedilyforgot his darling Agnes--he traveled the world over, yet sought hernot--her image was, as it were, effaced from his memory. But whenaccident----"

"Oh! signor, you are mistaken--you know not the old man whom I deserted, and who was a shepherd on the verge of the Black Forest!" interruptedAgnes, in a tone expressive of bitter disappointment, "for he, who lovedme so well, was old--very old, and could not possibly accomplish thoselong wanderings of which you speak. Indeed, if he be still alive--butthat is scarcely possible----"

And she burst into tears. 

"Agnes, " cried the stranger, "the venerable shepherd of whom you speakaccomplished those wanderings in spite of the ninety winters whichmarked his age. He is alive, too----"

"He is alive!" ejaculated the lady, with reviving hopes. 

"He is alive--and at this moment in Florence!" was the emphatic answer. "Did I not ere now tell thee as much in the church?"

"Yes--I remember--but my brain is confused!" murmured Agnes, pressingher beautiful white hands upon her polished brow. "Oh, if he be indeedalive--and so near me as you say--delay not in conducting me to him; forhe is now the only being on earth to whom I dare look for solace andsympathy. "

"You are even now beneath the roof of your grandfather's dwelling, " saidthe stranger, speaking slowly and anxiously watching the effect whichthis announcement was calculated to produce upon her to whom headdressed himself. 

"Here!--this my grandsire's abode!" she exclaimed, clasping her handstogether, and glancing upward, as if to express her gratitude to Heavenfor this welcome intelligence. "But how can that old man, whom I left sopoor, have become the owner of this lordly palace? Speak, signor!--allyou have told me seems to involve some strange mystery, " she added withbreathless rapidity. "Those wanderings of which you ere nowspoke--wanderings over the world, performed by a man bent down by age;and then this noble dwelling--the appearances of wealth which presentthemselves around--the splendor--the magnificence----"

"All--all are the old man's, " answered the stranger, "and may some daybecome thine!"

"Holy Virgin!" exclaimed Agnes, sinking upon the ottoman from which shehad ere now risen, "I thank thee that thou hast bestowed these blessingson my relative in his old age. And yet, " she added, again overwhelmed bydoubts, "it is scarcely possible--no, it is too romantic to be true!Signor, thou art of a surety mistaken in him whom thou supposes to be mygrandsire?"

"Give me thine hand, Agnes--and I will convince thee, " said thestranger. 

The young lady complied mechanically; and her unknown friend led hertoward the portrait of the old man of ninety. 

Agnes recognized the countenance at a single glance, and would havefallen upon the floor had not her companion supported her in his arms. 

Tears again came to her relief; but hastily wiping them away, sheextended her arms passionately toward the portrait, exclaiming, "Oh! nowI comprehend you, signor! my grandsire lives in this dwellingindeed--beneath this roof; but lives only in that picture! Alas! alas!It was thus, no doubt, that the poor old man seemed when he wasabandoned by me--the lost, the guilty Agnes! It was thus that he sat inhis lonely dwelling--crushed and overwhelmed by the black ingratitude ofhis granddaughter! Oh! that I had never seen this portrait--thisperpetuation of so much loneliness and so much grief! Ah! too faithfuldelineation of that sad scene which was wrought by me--vainly penitentthat I am!"

And covering her face with her hands she threw herself on her kneesbefore the portrait, and gave way to all the bitterness and all thewildness of her grief. 

The stranger interrupted her not for some minutes: he allowed the floodof that anguish to have its full vent: but when it was partiallysubsiding he approached the kneeling penitent, raised her gently, andsaid, "Despair not! your grandsire lives. "

"He lives!" she repeated, her countenance once more expressing radianthope, as the sudden gleam of sunshine bursts forth amidst the last dropsof the April shower. 

But, almost at the same instant that she uttered those words, her eyescaught sight of the inscription at the foot of the picture; and, bounding forward she read it aloud. 

"Holy Virgin! I am deceived--basely, vilely deceived!" she continued, all the violence of her grief, which had begun to ebb so rapidly, nowflowing back upon her soul; then turning abruptly round upon thestranger, she said in a hoarse hollow tone: "Signor, wherefore thusungenerously trifle with my feelings--my best feelings? Who art thou?what would'st thou with me? and wherefore is that portrait here?"

"Agnes--Agnes!" exclaimed her companion, "compose yourself, I imploreyou! I do not trifle with you--I do not deceive you! Your grandsire, Fernand Wagner, is alive--and in this house. You shall see himpresently; but in the meantime, listen to what I am about to say. "

Agnes placed her finger impatiently upon the inscription at the bottomof the portrait, and exclaimed in a wild, hysterical tone, "Canst thouexplain this, signor? 'January 7th, 1516, '--that was about a week afterI abandoned him; and, oh! well indeed might those words be added--'Hislast day thus!'"

"You comprehend not the meaning of that inscription!" ejaculated thestranger, in an imploring tone, as if to beseech her to have patience tolisten to him. "There is a dreadful mystery connected with FernandWagner--connected with me--connected with these two portraits--connectedalso with----"

He checked himself suddenly, and his whole form seemed convulsed withhorror as he glanced toward the black cloth covering the neighboringframe. 

"A mystery?" repeated Agnes. "Yes--all is mystery: and vague andundefinable terrors oppress my soul!"

"Thou shalt soon--too soon--be enlightened!" said the stranger, in avoice of profound melancholy; "at least, to a certain extent, " he added, murmuringly. "But contemplate that other portrait for a fewmoments--that you may make yourself acquainted with the countenance of awretch who, in conferring a fearful boon upon your grandsire, hasplunged him into an abyss of unredeemable horror!"

Agnes cast her looks toward the portrait of the tall man with themagnificent hair, the flashing blue eyes, the wildly expressivecountenance, and the symmetrical form bowed with affliction; and, havingsurveyed it for some time with repugnance strongly mingled with aninvincible interest and curiosity, she suddenly pointed toward theinscription. 

"Yes, yes; there is another terrible memorial!" cried the stranger. "Butart thou now prepared to listen to a wondrous--an astonishing tale--sucha tale as even nurses would scarcely dare narrate to lull children----"

"I _am_ prepared, " answered Agnes. "I perceive there is a dreadfulmystery connected with my grandsire--with you, also--and perhaps withme;--and better learn at once the truth, than remain in this state ofintolerable suspense. "

Her unknown friend conducted her back to the ottoman, whereon she placedherself. 

He took a seat by her side, and, after a few moments' profoundmeditation, addressed her in the following manner. 

CHAPTER VII. 

REVELATIONS. 

"You remember, Agnes, how happily the times passed when you were thedarling of the old man in his poor cottage. All the other members of hisonce numerous family had been swept away by pestilence, malady, accident, or violence; and you only were left to him. When the trees ofthis great Black Forest were full of life and vegetable blood, in thegenial warmth of summer, you gathered flowers which you arrangedtastefully in the little hut; and those gifts of nature, so culled andso dispensed by your hands, gave the dwelling a more cheerful air thanif it had been hung with tapestry richly fringed. Of an evening, withthe setting sun, glowing gold, you were wont to kneel by the side ofthat old shepherd; and together ye chanted a hymn giving thanks for themercies of the day, and imploring the renewal of them for the morrow. Then did the music of your sweet voice, as it flowed upon the old man'sears in its melting, silvery tones, possess a charm for his senses whichtaught him to rejoice and be grateful that, though the rest of his racewas swept away, thou, Agnes, was left!

"When the winter came, and the trees were stripped of their verdure, thepoor cottage had still its enjoyments; for though the cold was intensewithout, yet there were warm hearts within; and the cheerful fire of anevening, when the labors of the day were passed, seemed to make gay andjoyous companionship. 

"But suddenly you disappeared; and the old man found himself deserted. You left him, too, in the midst of winter--at a time when his age andinfirmities demanded additional attentions. For two or three days hesped wearily about, seeking you everywhere in the neighboring districtof the Black Forest. His aching limbs were dragged up rude heights, thathe might plunge his glances down into the hollow chasms; but still not atrace of Agnes! He roved along the precipices overlooking the rustlingstreams, and searched--diligently searched the mazes of the dark wood;but still not a trace of Agnes! At length the painful conviction brokeupon him that he was deserted--abandoned; and he would sooner have foundthee a mangled and disfigured corpse in the forest than have adoptedthat belief. Nay--weep not now; it is all past; and if I recapitulatethese incidents, it is but to convince thee how wretched the old manwas, and how great is the extenuation for the course which he was sosoon persuaded to adopt. "

"Then, who art thou that knowest all this?" exclaimed Agnes, castinglooks of alarm upon her companion. 

"Thou shalt soon learn who I am, " was the reply. 

Agnes still gazed upon him in mingled terror and wonder; for his wordshad gone to her heart, and she remembered how he had embraced her whenshe first encountered him in the church. His manners, too, were so mild, so kind, so paternal toward her; and yet he seemed but a few years olderthan herself. 

"You have gazed upon the portrait of the old man, " he continued, "as heappeared on that memorable evening which sealed his fate!"

Agnes started wildly. 

"Yes, sealed his fate, but spared him his life!" said the unknown, emphatically. "As he is represented in that picture, so was he sittingmournfully over the sorry fire, for the morrow's renewal of which therewas no wood! At that hour a man appeared--appeared in the midst of thedreadful storm which burst over the Black Forest. This man's countenanceis now known to thee; it is perpetuated in the other portrait to which Idirected thine attention. "

"There is something of a wild and fearful interest in the aspect of thatman, " said Agnes, casting a shuddering glance behind her, and tremblinglest the canvas had burst into life, and the countenance whoselineaments were depicted thereon was peering over her shoulder. 

"Yes, and there was much of wild and fearful interest in his history, "was the reply; "but of that I cannot speak--no, I dare not. Suffice itto say that he was a being possessed of superhuman powers, and that heproffered his services to the wretched--the abandoned--the desertedWagner. He proposed to endow him with a new existence--to restore him toyouth and manly beauty--to make him rich--to embellish his mind withwondrous attainments--to enable him to cast off the wrinkles of age----"

"Holy Virgin! now I comprehend it all!" shrieked Agnes, throwing herselfat the feet of her companion: "and you--_you_----"

"I am Fernand Wagner!" he exclaimed, folding her in his embrace. 

"And can you pardon me, can you forgive my deep--deep ingratitude?"cried Agnes. 

"Let us forgive each other!" said Wagner. "You can now understand themeaning of the inscription beneath my portrait. 'His last day thus'signifies that it was the last day on which I wore that aged, decrepit, and sinking form. "

"But wherefore do you say, 'Let us forgive each other?'" demanded Agnes, scarcely knowing whether to rejoice or weep at the marveloustransformation of her grandsire. 

"Did I not ere now inform thee that thou wast forgotten until accidentthrew thee in my way to-night?" exclaimed Fernand. "I have wanderedabout the earth and beheld all the scenes which are represented in thosepictures--ay, and many others equally remarkable. For eighteen months Iwas the servant--and slave of him who conferred upon me this fatalboon----"

"At what price, then, have you purchased it?" asked Agnes, with a coldshudder. 

"Seek not to learn my secret, girl!" cried Wagner, almost sternly; then, in a milder tone, he added, "By all you deem holy and sacred, I conjureyou, Agnes, never again to question me on that head! I have told thee asmuch as it is necessary for thee to know----"

"One word--only one word!" exclaimed Agnes in an imploring voice. "Hastthou bartered thine immortal soul----"

"No--no!" responded Wagner, emphatically. "My fate is terribleindeed--but I am not beyond the pale of salvation. See! Agnes--I kissthe crucifix--the symbol of faith and hope!"

And, as he uttered these words, he pressed to his lips an ivory crucifixof exquisite workmanship, which he took from the table. 

"The Virgin be thanked that my fearful suspicion should proveunfounded!" ejaculated Agnes. 

"Yes--I am not altogether lost, " answered Wagner. "But _he_--the unhappyman who made me what I am---- And yet I dare not say more, " he added, suddenly checking himself. "For one year and a half did I follow him ashis servitor--profiting by his knowledge--gaining varied informationfrom his experience--passing with the rapidity of thought from clime toclime--surveying scenes of ineffable bliss, and studying all thevarieties of misery that fall to the lot of human nature. When he--mymaster--passed away----"

"On the 1st of August, 1517, " observed Agnes, quoting from theinscription beneath the portrait of the individual alluded to. 

"Yes; when he passed away, " continued Wagner, "I continued my wanderingsalone until the commencement of last year, when I settled myself inFlorence. The mansion to which I have brought you is mine. It is in asomewhat secluded spot on the banks of the Arno, and is surrounded bygardens. My household consists of but few retainers; and they areelderly persons--docile and obedient. The moment that I entered thisabode, I set to work to paint those portraits to which I have directedyour attention--likewise these pictures, " he added, glancing around, "and in which I have represented scenes that my own eyes have witnessed. Here, henceforth, Agnes, shalt thou dwell; and let the past beforgotten. But there are three conditions which I must impose uponthee. "

"Name them, " said Agnes; "I promise obedience beforehand. "

"The first, " returned Fernand, "is that you henceforth look upon me asyour brother, and call me such when we are alone together or in thepresence of strangers. The second is that you never seek to remove theblack cloth which covers yon place----"

Agnes glanced toward the object alluded to and shuddered--as if the veilconcealed some new mystery. 

"And the third condition is that you revive not on any future occasionthe subject of our present conversation, nor even question me in respectto those secrets which it may suit me to retain within my own breast. "

Agnes promised obedience, and, embracing Wagner, said, "Heaven has beenmerciful to me, in my present affliction, in that it has given me _abrother_!"

"Thou speakest of thine afflictions, Agnes!" exclaimed Wagner; "this isthe night of revelations and mutual confidences--and this night oncepassed, we will never again allude to the present topics, unless eventsshould render their revival necessary. It now remains for thee tonarrate to me all that has befallen thee since the winter of 1516. "

Agnes hastened to comply with Fernand's request, and commenced herhistory in the following manner:

CHAPTER VIII. 

THE HISTORY OF AGNES. 

"When you, dear brother--for so I shall henceforth call you--commencedyour strange and wondrous revelations ere now, you painted in vividcolors the happiness which dwelt in our poor cottage on the borders ofthe Black Forest. You saw how deeply your words affected me--I could notrestrain my tears. Let me not, however, dwell upon this subject; butrather hasten to explain those powerful causes which induced me to quitthat happy home. 

"It was about six weeks before my flight that I went into the forest togather wood. I was in the midst of my occupation, gayly thrilling anative song, when the sound of a horse's feet upon the hard soil of thebeaten path suddenly interrupted me. I turned around, seeing a cavalierof strikingly handsome countenance--though somewhat stern withal, and ofnoble mien. He was in reality forty-four years of age--as I afterwardlearnt; but he seemed scarcely forty, so light did time sit upon hisbrow. His dress was elegant, though of some strange fashion; for it wasItalian costume that he wore. The moment he was close to the spot whereI stood he considered me for a short while, till I felt my cheeksglowing beneath his ardent gaze. I cast down my eyes; and the nextinstant he had leapt from his horse and was by my side. He addressed mein gentle terms; and when again I looked at him his countenance no moreseemed stern. It appeared that he was staying with the Baron vonNauemberg, with whom he had been out hunting in the Black Forest, andfrom whom and his suite he was separated in the ardor of the chase. Being a total stranger in those parts, he had lost his way. Iimmediately described to him the proper path for him to pursue; and heoffered me gold as a recompense. I declined the guerdon; and hequestioned me concerning my family and my position. I told him that Ilived hard-by, with an only relative--a grandsire, to whom I wasdevotedly attached. He lingered long in conversation with me; and hismanner was so kind, so condescending, and so respectful, that I thoughtnot I was doing wrong to listen to him. At length he requested me to beon the same spot at the same hour on the morrow; and he departed. 

"I was struck by his appearance--dazzled by the brilliancy of hisdiscourse; for he spoke German fluently, although an Italian. He hadmade a deep impression on my mind; and I felt a secret longing to meethim again. Suddenly it occurred to me that I was acting withimpropriety, and that you would be angry with me. I therefore resolvednot to mention to you my accidental encounter with the handsomecavalier; but I determined at the same time not to repair to the forestnext day. When the appointed hour drew near, my good genius deserted me;and I went. He was there, and he seemed pleased at my punctuality. Ineed not detail to you the nature of the discourse which he held towardme. Suffice it to say, that he declared how much he had been struck withmy beauty, and how fondly he would love me; and he dazzled me still moreby revealing his haughty name; and I found that I was beloved by theCount of Riverola. 

"You can understand how a poor girl, who had hitherto dwelt in theseclusion of a cottage on the border of a vast wood, and who seldom sawany person of higher rank than herself, was likely to be dazzled by thefine things which that great nobleman breathed in her ear. 

"And I was dazzled--flattered--excited--bewildered. I consented to meethim again: interview followed interview, until I no longer required anypersuasion to induce me to keep the appointments thus given. But therewere times when my conscience reproached me for conduct which I knew youwould blame; and yet I dared not unburden my soul to you!

"Six weeks thus passed away; I was still innocent--but madly in lovewith the Count of Riverola. He was the subject of my thoughts by day--ofmy dreams by night; and I felt that I could make any sacrifice to retainhis affection. That sacrifice was too soon demanded! At the expirationof the six weeks he informed me that on the following day he must returnto Italy, whither important affairs called him sooner than he hadanticipated. He urged me to accompany him; I was bewildered--maddened bythe contemplation of my duty on the one hand, of my love on the other. My guardian saint deserted me; I yielded to the persuasion of thecount--I became guilty--and there was now no alternative save to flywith him!

"Oh! believe me when I declare that this decision cost me a dreadfulpang; but the count would not leave me time for reflection. He bore meaway on his fleet steed, and halted not until the tall towers ofNauemberg Castle appeared in the distance. Then he stopped at a poorpeasant's cottage, where his gold insured me a welcome reception. Havingcommunicated the plan which he proposed to adopt respecting our journeyto Florence, he took an affectionate leave of me, with a promise toreturn on the ensuing morning. The remainder of the day was passedwretchedly enough by me; and I already began to repent of the step I hadtaken. The peasants who occupied the cottage vainly endeavored to cheerme; my heart was too full to admit of consolation. Night came at length, and I retired to rest; but my dreams were of so unpleasant a nature--sofilled with frightful images--that never did I welcome the dawn withmore enthusiastic joy. Shortly after daybreak the count appeared at thecottage, attended by one of his numerous suite--a faithful attendant onwhom he could rely implicitly. They were mounted on good steeds; andAntonio--such was the name of the servitor--led a third by the bridle. This one the count had purchased at an adjacent hamlet, expressly for myuse. He had also procured a page's attire; for in such disguise was itagreed that I should accompany the count to Italy. 

"I should observe that the nobleman, in order to screen our _amour_ asmuch as possible, had set out from Nauemberg Castle, attended by Antonioalone, alleging as an excuse that certain affairs compelled him totravel homeward with as much celerity as possible. The remainder of hissuit were therefore ordered to follow at their leisure. 

"Oh! with what agonizing emotion did my heart beat, as, in a privatechamber of the cottage, I laid aside my peasant's garb and donned thedoublet, hose, cap and cloak of a youthful page. I thought of you--ofyour helplessness--your age, --and also of my native land, which I wasabout to quit--perhaps forever! Still I had gone too far to retreat, andregrets were useless. I must also confess that when I returned to theroom where the count was waiting for me, and heard the flatteringcompliments which he paid me on my appearance in that disguise, Ismiled--yes, I smiled, and much of my remorse vanished!

"We set out upon our journey toward the Alps; and the count exerted allhis powers of conversation to chase away from my mind any regrets orrepinings that might linger there. Though cold and stern--forbidding andreserved--haughty and austere in his bearing toward others, to me he wasaffectionate and tender. To be brief, yet with sorrow must I confess it, at the expiration of a few days I could bear to think, without weeping, of the fond relative whom I had left behind in the cottage of the BlackForest!

"We crossed the Alps in safety, but not without experiencing much peril;and in a short time glorious Italy spread itself out at our feet. Theconversation of the count had already prepared me to admire----"

At this moment, Agnes' narrative was interrupted by a piercing shriekwhich burst from her lips; and extending her arms toward the window ofthe apartment, she screamed hysterically, "Again that countenance!" andfell back on the ottoman. 

CHAPTER IX. 

CONCLUSION OF THE HISTORY OF AGNES. 

In order that the reader may understand how Agnes could perceive anyobject outside the window, in the intense darkness of that tempestuousnight--or rather morning, for it was now past one o'clock--we mustobserve that not only was the apartment in which Wagner and herself wereseated brilliantly lighted by the silver lamps, but that, according toFlorentine custom, there were also lamps suspended outside to theveranda, or large balcony belonging to the casements of the room above. 

Agnes and Wagner were, moreover, placed near the window which lookedinto a large garden attached to the mansion; and thus it was easy forthe lady, whose eyes happened to be fixed upon the casement in theearnest interest with which she was relating her narrative, to perceivethe human countenance that appeared at one of the panes. 

The moment her history was interrupted by the ejaculation of alarm thatbroke from her lips, Wagner started up and hastened to the window; buthe could see nothing save the waving evergreens in his garden, and thelight of a mansion which stood at a distance of about two hundred yardsfrom his own abode. 

He was about to open the casement and step into the garden, when Agnescaught him by the arm, exclaiming wildly, "Leave me not--I could not--Icould not bear to remain alone!"

"No, I will not quit you, Agnes, " replied Wagner, conducting her back tothe sofa and resuming his seat by her side. "But wherefore thatejaculation of alarm? Whose countenance did you behold? Speak, dearestAgnes!"

"I will hasten to explain the cause of my terror, " retorted Agnes, becoming more composed. "Ere now I was about to detail the particularsof my journey to Florence, in company with the Count of Riverola, andattended by Antonio; but as those particulars are of no materialinterest, I will at once pass on to the period when we arrived in thiscity. "

"But the countenance at the window?" said Wagner, somewhat impatiently. 

"Listen--and you will soon know all, " replied Agnes. "It was in theevening when I entered Florence for the first time. Antonio hadproceeded in advance to inform his mother--a widow who resided in adecent house, but in an obscure street near the cathedral--that she wasspeedily to receive a young lady as a guest. This young lady was myself;and accordingly, when the count assisted me to alight from my horse atthe gate of Dame Margaretha's abode, the good widow had everything inreadiness for my reception. The count conversed with her apart for a fewminutes; and I observed that he also placed a heavy purse in herhand--doubtless to insure her secrecy relative to the _amour_, with theexistence of which he was of course compelled to acquaint her. Havingseen me comfortably installed in Dame Margaretha's best apartment, hequitted me, with a promise to return on the morrow. "

Agnes paused for a few moments, sighed, and continued her narrative inthe following manner:

"Fortunately for me, Dame Margaretha was a German woman, who had marriedan Italian, otherwise my condition would have been wretched in theextreme. She treated me with great kindness, mingled with respect; forthough but a poor peasant girl, I was beloved and protected by one ofthe most powerful nobles of Florence. I retired early to rest:--sleepdid not, however, immediately visit my eyes! Oh! no--I was in Florence, but my thoughts were far away in my native Germany, and on the bordersof the Black Forest. At length I fell into an uneasy slumber, and when Iawoke the sun was shining through the lattice. I arose and dressedmyself, and to my ineffable delight found that I was no longer to wearthe garb of a page. That disguise had been removed while I slept, and inits place were costly vestments, which I donned with a pleasure thattriumphed over the gloom of my soul. In the course of the morning richfurniture was brought to the house, and in a few hours the apartmentsallotted to me were converted, in my estimation, into a little paradise. The count arrived soon afterward, and I now--pardon me the neglect andingratitude which my words confess--I now felt very happy. The nobleAndrea enjoined me to go abroad but seldom, and never without beingaccompanied by Dame Margaretha; he also besought me not to appear torecognize him should I chance to meet him in public at any time, nor toform acquaintances; in a word, to live retired and secluded as possible, alike for his sake and my own. I promised compliance with all hesuggested, and he declared in return that he would never cease to loveme. "

"Dwell not upon details, Agnes, " said Wagner; "for, although I am deeplyinterested in your narrative, my curiosity is strangely excited to learnthe meaning of that terror which overcame you ere now. "

"I will confine myself to material facts as much as possible, " returnedAgnes. "Time glided rapidly away;--months flew by, and with sorrow andshame must I confess that the memories of the past, the memories of thebright, happy days of my innocence intruded but little on the life whichI led. For, though he was so much older than I, yet I loved the Count ofRiverola devotedly. Oh! Heaven knows how devotedly! His conversationdelighted, fascinated me; and he seemed to experience a pleasure inimparting to me the extensive knowledge which he had acquired. To me heunbent as, doubtless, to human being he never unbent before; in mypresence his sternness, his somber moods, his gloomy thoughts vanished. It was evident that he had much preying upon his mind; and perhaps heloved me thus fondly because--by some unaccountable whim or caprice, orstrange influence--he found solace in my society. The presents which heheaped upon me, but which have been nearly all snatched from me, were ofimmense value; and when I remonstrated with him on account of aliberality so useless to one whom he allowed to want for nothing, hewould reply, 'But remember, Agnes, when I shall be no more, riches willconstitute your best friend, your safest protection; for such is theorder of things in this world. ' He generally spent two hours with meevery day, and frequently visited me again in the evening. Thus did timepass; and at length I come to that incident which will explain theterror I ere now experienced. "

Agnes cast a hasty glance toward the window, as if to assure herselfthat the object of her fears was no longer there; and, satisfied on thishead, she proceeded in the following manner:

"It was about six months ago that I repaired as usual on the Sabbathmorning to mass, accompanied by Dame Margaretha, when I found myself theobject of some attention on the part of a lady, who was kneeling at ashort distance from the place which I occupied in the church. The ladywas enveloped in a dark, thick veil, the ample folds of which concealedher countenance, and meandered over her whole body's splendidlysymmetrical length of limb in such a manner as to aid her rich attire inshaping, rather than hiding, the contours of that matchless form. I wasstruck by her fine proportions, which gave her, even in her kneelingattitude, a queen-like and majestic air; and I longed to obtain aglimpse of her countenance--the more so as I could perceive by hermanner and the position of her head that from beneath her dark veil hereyes were intently fixed upon myself. At length the scrutiny to which Iwas thus subjected began to grow so irksome--nay, even alarming, that Ihurriedly drew down my own veil, which I had raised through respect forthe sacred altar whereat I was kneeling. Still I knew that the strangerlady was gazing on me; I _felt_ that she was. A certain uneasysensation--amounting almost to a superstitious awe--convinced me that Iwas the object of her undivided attention. Suddenly the priests, inprocession, came down from the altar; and as they passed us, Iinstinctively raised my veil again, through motives of deferentialrespect. At the same instant I glanced toward the stranger lady; shealso drew back the dark covering from her face. Oh! what a countenancewas then revealed to me--a countenance of such sovereign beauty that, though of the same sex, I was struck with admiration; but, in the nextmoment, a thrill of terror shot through my heart--for the fascination ofthe basilisk could scarcely paralyze its victim with more appallingeffect than did the eyes of that lady. It might be conscience qualms, excited by some unknown influence--it might even have been imagination;but it nevertheless appeared as if those large, black, burning orbs shotforth lightnings which seared and scorched my very soul! For thatsplendid countenance, of almost unearthly beauty, was suddenly marked byan expression of such vindictive rage, such ineffable hatred, suchferocious menace, that I should have screamed had I not been as it werestunned--stupefied!

"The procession of priests swept past. I averted my head from thestranger lady. In a few moments I again glanced hurriedly at the placewhich she had occupied--but she was gone. Then I felt relieved! Onquitting the church, I frankly narrated to old Margaretha theseparticulars as I have now unfolded them to you; and methought that shewas for a moment troubled as I spoke! But if she were, she speedilyrecovered her composure--endeavored to soothe me by attributing it allto my imagination, and earnestly advised me not to cause any uneasinessto the count by mentioning the subject to him. I readily promisedcompliance with this injunction; and in the course of a few days ceasedto think upon the incident which has made so strange but evanescent animpression on my mind. "

"Doubtless Dame Margaretha was right in her conjecture, " said Wagner;"and your imagination----"

"Oh, no--no! It was not fancy!" interrupted Agnes, hastily. "But listen, and then judge for yourself. I informed you ere now that it was aboutsix months ago when the event which I have just related took place. Atthat period, also, my noble lover--the ever-to be lamented Andrea--firstexperienced the symptoms of that internal disease which has, alas!carried him to the tomb. "

Agnes paused, wiped away her tears, and continued thus:

"His visits to me consequently became less frequent;--I was morealone--for Margaretha was not always a companion who could solace me forthe absence of one so dearly loved as my Andrea; and repeated fits ofdeep despondency seized upon my soul. At those times I felt as if someevil--vague and undefinable, but still terrible--were impending over me. Was it my lord's approaching death of which I had a presentiment? I knownot! Weeks passed away; the count's visits occurred at intervals growinglonger and longer--but his affection toward me had not abated. No: amalady that preyed upon his vitals retained him much at home;--and atlast, about two months ago, I received through Antonio the afflictingintelligence that he was confined to his bed. My anguish now knew nobounds. I would fly to him--oh! I would fly to him:--who was more worthyto watch by his couch than I, who so dearly loved him! Dame Margaretharepresented to me how painful it would be to his lordship were our_amour_ to transpire through any rash proceeding on my part--the moreso, as I knew that he had a daughter and a son! I accordingly restrainedmy impetuous longing to hasten to his bedside:--I could not so easilysubdue my grief!

"One night I sat up late in my lonely chamber--pondering on themelancholy position in which I was placed, --loving so tenderly, yet notdaring to fly to him whom I loved, --and giving way to all the mournfulideas which presented themselves to my imagination. At length my mindgrew bewildered by those sad reflections; vague terrors gathered aroundme--multiplying in number and augmenting in intensity, --until at lengththe very figures on the tapestry with which the room was hung appearedanimated with power to scare and affright me. The wind moaned ominouslywithout, and raised strange echoes within; oppressive feelings crowdedon my soul. At length the gale swelled to a hurricane--a whirlwind, seldom experienced in this delicious clime. Howlings in a thousand tonesappeared to flit through the air; and piercing lamentations seemed tosound down the black clouds that rolled their mighty volumes together, veiling the moon and stars in thickest gloom. Overcome with terror, Iretired to rest--and I slept. But troubled dreams haunted me throughoutthe night, and I awoke at an early hour in the morning. But--holy angelsprotect me!--what did I behold? Bending over me, as I lay, was that samecountenance which I had seen four months before in the church, --and now, as it was _then_, darting upon me lightning from large black eyes thatseemed to send shafts of flame and fire to the inmost recesses of mysoul! Yet--distorted as it was with demoniac rage--that face was stillendowed with the queen-like beauty--the majesty of loveliness, which hadbefore struck me, and which even lent force to those looks of dreadfulmenace that were fixed upon me. There were the high forehead--the proudlip, curled in scorn, --the brilliant teeth, glistening between thequivering vermilion, --and the swan-like arching of the dazzling neck;there also was the dark glory of the luxuriant hair!

"For a few moments I was spell-bound--motionless--speechless. Clothedwith terror and sublimity, yet in all the flush of the most perfectbeauty, a strange--mysterious being stood over me: and I knew notwhether she were a denizen of this world, or a spirit risen fromanother. Perhaps the transcendent loveliness of that countenance was buta mask and the wondrous symmetry of that form but a disguise, beneathwhich all the passions of hell were raging in the brain and in the heartof a fiend. Such were the ideas that flashed through my imagination; andI involuntarily closed my eyes, as if this action could avert themalignity that appeared to menace me. But dreadful thoughts stillpursued me--enveloping me, as it were, in an oppressive mist whereinappalling though dimly seen images and forms were agitating; and I againopened my eyes. The lady--if an earthly being she really were--was gone. I rose from my couch and glanced nervously around--expecting almost tobehold an apparition come forth from behind the tapestry, or the foldsof the curtains. But my attention was suddenly arrested by a fact moregermane to worldly occurrences. The casket wherein I kept the richpresents made to me at different times by my Andrea had been forced openand the most valuable portion of its contents were gone. On a closerinvestigation I observed that the articles which were left were thosethat were purchased new; whereas the jewels that had been abstractedwere old ones, which, as the count had informed me, had belonged to hisdeceased wife. 

"On discovering this robbery, I began to suspect that my mysteriousvisitress, who had caused me so much alarm, was the thief of myproperty; and I immediately summoned old Margaretha. She was of courseastounded at the occurrence which I related; and, after some reflection, she suddenly remembered that she had forgotten to fasten the house-doorere she retired to rest on the preceding evening. I chided her for aneglect which had enabled some evil-disposed woman to penetrate into mychamber, and not only terrify but also plunder me. She implored myforgiveness, and besought me not to mention the incident to the countwhen next we met. Alas! my noble Andrea and I never met again. 

"I was sorely perplexed by the event which I have just related. If themysterious visitress were a common thief, why did she leave any of thejewels in the casket? and wherefore had she on two occasionscontemplated me with looks of such dark rage and infernal menace? Athought struck me. Could the count's daughter have discovered our_amour_? and was it she who had come to gain possession of jewelsbelonging to the family? I hinted my suspicions to Margaretha; but shespeedily convinced me that they were unfounded. 

"'The Lady Nisida is deaf and dumb, ' she said, 'and cannot possiblyexercise such faculties of observation, nor adopt such means ofobtaining information as would make her acquainted with all that hasoccurred between her father and yourself. Besides--she is constantly inattendance on her sire, who is very, very ill. 

"I now perceived the improbability of a deaf and dumb female discoveringan _amour_ so carefully concealed; but to assure myself more fully onthat head, I desired Margaretha to describe the Lady Nisida. This shereadily did, and I learnt from her that the count's daughter was of abeauty quite different from the lady whom I had seen in the church andin my own chamber. In a word, it appears that Nisida has light hair, blue eyes and a delicate form: whereas, the object of my interest, curiosity, and fear, is a woman of dark Italian loveliness. 

"I have little more now to say. The loss of the jewels and therecollection of the mysterious lady were soon absorbed in thedistressing thoughts which the serious illness of the count forced uponmy mind. Weeks passed away, and he came not; but he sent repeatedmessages by Antonio, imploring me to console myself, as he should soonrecover, and urging me not to take any step that might betray theexistence of our _amour_. Need I say how religiously I obeyed him in thelatter respect? Day after day did I hope to see him again, for I knewnot that he was dying: and I used to dress myself in my gayestattire--even as now I am appareled--to welcome his expected visit. Alas!he never came; and his death was concealed from me, doubtless that thesad event might not be communicated until after the funeral, lest in thefirst frenzy of anguish I should rush to the Riverola palace to imprinta last kiss upon the cheek of the corpse. But a few hours ago, I learnedthe whole truth from two female friends of Dame Margaretha who called tovisit her, and whom I had hastened to inform that she was temporarilyabsent. My noble Andrea was dead, and at that very moment his funeralobsequies were being celebrated in the neighboring church--the verychurch in which I had first beheld the mysterious lady! Frantic withgrief--unmindful of the exposure that would ensue--reckless of theconsequences, I left the house--I hastened to the church--I intruded mypresence amidst the mourners. You know the rest, Fernand. It onlyremains for me to say that the countenance which I beheld ere now at thewindow--strongly delineated and darkly conspicuous amidst the blaze oflight outside the casement--was that of the lady whom I have thus seenfor the third time! But, tell me, Fernand, how could a stranger thusobtain admission to the gardens of your mansion?"

"You see yon lights, Agnes!" said Wagner, pointing toward the mansionwhich, as we stated at the commencement of that chapter, was situated ata distance of about two hundred yards from Fernand's dwelling, the backsof the two houses thus looking toward each other. "Those lights, " hecontinued, "are shining in a mansion the gardens of which are separatedfrom my own by a simple hedge of evergreens, that would not bar even thepassage of a child. Should any inmate of that mansion possess curiositysufficient to induce him or her to cross the boundary, traverse mygardens, and approach the casements of my residence, that curiosity maybe easily gratified. "

"And to whom does yon mansion belong?" asked Agnes. 

"To Dr. Duras, an eminent physician, " was the reply. 

"Dr. Duras, the physician who attended my noble Andrea in his illness!"exclaimed Agnes. "Then the mysterious lady of whom I have spoken somuch, and whose countenance ere now appeared at the casement, must be aninmate of the house of Dr. Duras; or at all events, a visitor there! Ah!surely there is some connection between that lady and the family atRiverola?"

"Time will solve the mystery, dearest sister, for so I am henceforth tocall you, " said Fernand. "But beneath this roof, no harm can menace you. And now let me summon good Dame Paula, my housekeeper, to conduct you tothe apartments which have been prepared for your reception. The morningis far advanced, and we both stand in need of rest. "

Dame Paula, an elderly, good-tempered, kind-hearted matron, shortly madeher appearance; and to her charge did Wagner consign his newly-foundrelative, whom he now represented to be his sister. 

But as Agnes accompanied the worthy woman from the apartment, sheshuddered involuntarily as she passed the frame which was covered withthe black cloth, and which seemed ominous amidst the blaze of light thatfilled the room. 

CHAPTER X. 

FRANCISCO, WAGNER AND NISIDA. 

On the ensuing evening, Francisco, Count of Riverola, was seated in oneof the splendid saloons of his palace, pondering upon the strangeinjunction which he had received from his deceased father, relative tothe mysterious closet, when Wagner was announced. 

Francisco rose to receive him, saying in a cordial though melancholytone, "Signor, I expected you. "

"And let me hasten to express the regret which I experienced at havingaddressed your lordship coldly and haughtily last night, " exclaimedWagner. "But, at the moment, I only beheld in you the son of him who haddishonored a being very dear to my heart. "

"I can well understand your feelings on that occasion, signor, " repliedFrancisco. "Alas! the sins of the fathers are too often visited upon thechildren in this world. But, in whatever direction our presentconversation may turn, I implore you to spare as much as possible thememory of my sire. "

"Think not, my lord, " said Wagner, "that I should be so ungenerous as toreproach you for a deed in which you had no concern, and over which youexercised no control. Nor should I inflict so deep an injury upon you, as to speak in disrespectful terms of him who was the author of yourbeing, but who is now no more. "

"Your kind language has already made me your friend, " exclaimedFrancisco. "And now point out to me in what manner I can in any wayrepair--or mitigate--the wrong done to that fair creature in whom youexpress yourself interested. "

"That young lady is my sister, " said Wagner, emphatically. 

"Your sister, signor! And yet, meseems, she recognized you not----"

"Long years have passed since we saw each other, " interrupted Fernand;"for we were separated in our childhood. "

"And did you not both speak of some relative--an old man who once dwelton the confines of the Black Forest of Germany, but who is now inFlorence?" asked Francisco. 

"Alas! that old man is no more, " returned Wagner. "I did but use hisname to induce Agnes to place confidence in me, and allow me to withdrawher from a scene which her wild grief so unpleasantly interrupted; for Ithought that were I then and there to announce myself as her brother, she might not believe me--she might suspect some treachery or snare in acity so notoriously profligate as Florence. But the subsequentexplanations which took place between us cleared up all doubts on thatsubject. "

"I am well pleased to hear that the poor girl has found so near arelative and so dear a friend, signor, " said Francisco. "And nowacquaint me, I pray thee, with the means whereby I may, to some extent, repair the injury your sister has sustained at the hands of him whosememory I implore you to spare!"

"Wealth I possess in abundance--oh! far greater abundance than isnecessary to satisfy all my wants!" exclaimed Wagner, with something ofbitterness and regret in his tone; "but, even were I poor, gold wouldnot restore my sister's honor. No--let that subject, however, pass. Iwould only ask you, count, whether there be any scion of yourfamily--any lady connected with you--who answers this description?"

And Wagner proceeded to delineate, in minute terms, the portraiture ofthe mysterious lady who had inspired Agnes on three occasions with somuch terror, and whom Agnes herself had depicted in such glowinglanguage. 

"Signor! you are describing the Lady Nisida, my sister!" exclaimedFrancisco, struck with astonishment at the fidelity of the portrait thusverbally drawn. 

"Your sister, my lord!" cried Wagner. "Then has Dame Margaretha deceivedAgnes in representing the Lady Nisida to be rather a beauty of the coldnorth than of the sunny south. "

"Dame Margaretha!" said Francisco; "do you allude, signor, to the motherof my late father's confidential dependent, Antonio?"

"The same, " was the answer. "It was at Dame Margaretha's house that yourfather placed my sister Agnes, who has resided there nearly four years. "

"But wherefore have you made those inquiries relative to the LadyNisida?" inquired Francisco. 

"I will explain the motive with frankness, " responded Wagner. 

He then related to the young count all those particulars relative to themysterious lady and Agnes, with which the reader is already acquainted. 

"There must be some extraordinary mistake--some strange error, signor, in all this, " observed Francisco. "My poor sister is, as you seem to beaware, so deeply afflicted that she possesses not faculties calculatedto make her aware of that _amour_ which even I, who possess thosefaculties in which she is deficient, never suspected, and concerningwhich no hint ever reached me, until the whole truth burst suddenly uponme last night at the funeral of my sire. Moreover, had accident revealedto Nisida the existence of the connection between my father and yoursister, signor, she would have imparted the discovery to me, such is theconfidence and so great is the love that exists between us. For habithas rendered us so skillful and quick in conversing with the language ofthe deaf and dumb, that no impediment ever exists to the freeinterchange of our thoughts. "

"And yet, if the Lady Nisida _had_ made such a discovery, her hatred ofAgnes may be well understood, " said Wagner; "for her ladyship mustnaturally look upon my sister as the partner of her father'sweakness--the dishonored slave of his passions. "

"Nisida has no secret from me, " observed the young count, firmly. 

"But wherefore did Dame Margaretha deceive my sister in respect to thepersonal appearance of the Lady Nisida?" inquired Wagner. 

"I know not. At the same time----"

The door opened, and Nisida entered the apartment. 

She was attired in deep black; her luxuriant raven hair, no longerdepending in shining curls, was gathered up in massy bands at the sides, and a knot behind, whence hung a rich veil that meandered over herbody's splendidly symmetrical length of limb in such a manner as to aidher attire in shaping rather than hiding the contours of that matchlessform. The voluptuous development of her bust was shrouded, notconcealed, by the stomacher of black velvet which she wore, and whichset off in strong relief the dazzling whiteness of her neck. 

The moment her lustrous dark eyes fell upon Fernand Wagner, she startedslightly; but this movement was imperceptible alike to him whosepresence caused it, and to her brother. 

Francisco conveyed to her, by the rapid language of the fingers, thename of their visitor, and at the same time intimated to her that he wasthe brother of Agnes, the young and lovely female whose strangeappearance at the funeral, and avowed connection with the late noble, had not been concealed from the haughty lady. 

Nisida's eyes seemed to gleam with pleasure when she understood in whatdegree of relationship Wagner stood toward Agnes; and she bowed to himwith a degree of courtesy seldom displayed by her to strangers. 

Francisco then conveyed to her in the language of the dumb, all thosedetails already related in respect to the "mysterious lady" who had sohaunted the unfortunate Agnes. 

A glow of indignation mounted to the cheeks of Nisida; and more thanusually rapid was the reply she made through the medium of the alphabetof the fingers. 

"My sister desires me to express to you, signor, " said Francisco, turning toward Wagner, "that she is not the person whom the Lady Agneshas to complain against. My sister, " he continued, "has never to herknowledge seen the Lady Agnes; much less has she ever penetrated intoher chamber; and indignantly does she repel the accusation relative tothe abstraction of the jewels. She also desires me to inform you thatlast night after reading of our father's last testament, she retired toher chamber, which she did not quit until this morning at the usualhour; and that therefore it was not her countenance which the Lady Agnesbeheld at the casement of your saloon. "

"I pray you, my lord, to let the subject drop now, and forever!" saidWagner, who was struck with profound admiration--almost amounting tolove--for the Lady Nisida: "there is some strange mystery in all this, which time alone can clear up. Will your lordship express to your sisterhow grieved I am that any suspicion should have originated against herin respect to Agnes?"

Francisco signaled these remarks to Nisida; and the latter, rising fromher seat, advanced toward Wagner, and presented him her hand in token ofher readiness to forget the injurious imputations thrown out againsther. 

Fernand raised that fair hand to his lips, and respectfully kissed it;but the hand seemed to burn as he held it, and when he raised his eyestoward the lady's countenance, she darted on him a look so ardent andimpassioned that it penetrated into his very soul. 

That rapid interchange of glances seemed immediately to establish a kindof understanding--a species of intimacy between those extraordinarybeings; for on the one side, Nisida read in the fine eyes of thehandsome Fernand all the admiration expressed there, and he, on hispart, instinctively understood that he was far from disagreeable to theproud sister of the young Count of Riverola. While he was ready to fallat her feet and do homage to her beauty, she experienced the kindling ofall the fierce fires of sensuality in her breast. 

But the unsophisticated and innocent-minded Francisco observed not theexpression of these emotions on either side, for their manifestationoccupied not a moment. The interchange of such feelings is ever toovivid and electric to attract the notice of the unsuspecting observer. 

When Wagner was about to retire, Nisida made the following signal to herbrother:--"Express to the signor that he will ever be a welcome guest atthe palace of Riverola; for we owe kindness and friendship to thebrother of her whom our father dishonored. "

But, to the astonishment of both the count and the Lady Nisida, Wagnerraised his hands, and displayed as perfect a knowledge of the languageof the dumb as they themselves possessed. 

"I thank your ladyship for this unexpected condescension, " he signaledby the rapid play of his fingers; "and I shall not forget to availmyself of this most courteous invitation. "

It were impossible to describe the sudden glow of pleasure and delightwhich animated Nisida's splendid countenance, when she thus discoveredthat Wagner was able to hold converse with her, and she hastened toreply thus: "We shall expect you to revisit us soon. "

Wagner bowed low and took his departure, his mind full of the beautifulNisida. 

CHAPTER XI. 

NISIDA AND WAGNER--FRANCISCO AND FLORA--THE APPROACH OF SUNSET. 

Upward of two months had passed away since the occurrences related inthe preceding chapter, and it was now the 31st of January, 1521. 

The sun was verging toward the western hemisphere, but the rapid flightof the hours was unnoticed by Nisida and Fernand Wagner, as they wereseated together in one of the splendid saloons of the Riverola mansion. 

Their looks were fixed on each other's countenance; the eyes of Fernandexpressing tenderness and admiration, those of Nisida beaming with allthe passions of her ardent and sensual soul. 

Suddenly the lady raised her hands, and by the rapid play of thefingers, asked, "Fernand, do you indeed love me as much as you wouldhave me believe I am beloved?"

"Never in this world was woman so loved as you, " he replied, by the aidof the same language. 

"And yet I am an unfortunate being--deprived of those qualities whichgive the greatest charm to the companionship of those who love. "

"But you are eminently beautiful, my Nisida; and I can fancy how sweet, how rich-toned would be your voice, could your lips frame the words, '_Ilove thee!_'"

A profound sigh agitated the breast of the lady; and at the same timeher lips quivered strangely, as if she were essaying to speak. 

Wagner caught her to his breast; and she wept long and plenteously. Those tears relieved her; and she returned his warm, impassioned kisseswith an ardor that convinced him how dear he had become to thatafflicted, but transcendently beautiful being. On her side, the blood inher veins appeared to circulate like molten lead; and her face, herneck, her bosom were suffused with burning blushes. 

At length, raising her head, she conveyed this wish to her companion:"Thou hast given me an idea which may render me ridiculous in yourestimation; but it is a whim, a fancy, a caprice, engendered only by theprofound affection I entertain for thee. I would that thou shouldst say, in thy softest, tenderest tones, the words '_I love thee!_' and, by thewreathing of thy lips, I shall see enough to enable my imagination topersuade itself that those words have really fallen upon my ears. "

Fernand smiled assent; and, while Nisida's eyes were fixed upon him withthe most enthusiastic interest, he said, "I love thee!"

The sovereign beauty of her countenance was suddenly lighted up with anexpression of ineffable joy, of indescribable delight; and, signalingthe assurance, "I love thee, dearest, dearest Fernand!" she threwherself into his arms. 

But almost at the same moment voices were heard in the adjacent room:and Wagner, gently disengaging himself from Nisida's embrace, hastilyconveyed to her an intimation of the vicinity of others. 

The lady gave him to understand by a glance that she comprehended him;and they remained motionless, fondly gazing upon each other. 

"I know not how it has occurred, Flora, " said the voice of Francisco, speaking in a tender tone, in the adjoining room--"I know not how it hasoccurred that I should have addressed you in this manner--so soon, too, after the death of my lamented father, and while these mourning garmentsyet denote the loss which myself and sister have sustained----"

"Oh! my lord, suffer me to retire, " exclaimed Flora Francatelli, in atone of beseeching earnestness; "I should not have listened to yourlordship so long in the gallery of pictures, much less have accompaniedyour lordship hither. "

"I requested thee to come with me to this apartment, Flora, that I mightdeclare, without fear of our interview being interrupted, how dear, howvery dear, thou art to me, and how honorable is the passion with whichthou hast inspired me. Oh, Flora, " exclaimed the young count, "I couldno longer conceal my love for thee! My heart was bursting to reveal itssecret; and when I discovered thee alone, ere now, in the gallery ofpictures, I could not resist the favorable opportunity accident seemedto have afforded for this avowal. "

"Alas! my lord, " murmured Flora, "I know not whether to rejoice or besorrowful at the revelation which has this day met my ears. "

"And yet you said ere now that you could love me, that you did love mein return, " ejaculated Francisco. 

"I spoke truly, my lord, " answered the bashful maiden; "but, alas! howcan the humble, obscure, portionless Flora become the wife of the rich, powerful and honored Count of Riverola? There is an inseparable gulffixed between us, my lord. "

"Am I not my own master? Can I not consult my own happiness in that mostsolemn and serious of the world's duties--marriage?" cried Francisco, with all the generous ardor of youth and his own noble disposition. 

"Your lordship is free and independent in point of fact, " said Flora, ina low, tender and yet impressive tone; "but your lordship hasrelations--friends. "

"My relations will not thwart the wishes of him whom they love, "answered Francisco; "and those who place obstacles in the way of myfelicity cannot be denominated my friends. "

"Oh! my lord--could I yield myself up to the hopes which your languageinspires!" cried Flora. 

"You can--you may, dearest girl!" exclaimed the young count. "And now Iknow that you love me! But many months must elapse ere I can call theemine; and, indeed, a remorse smites my heart that I have dared to thinkof my own happiness, so soon after a mournful ceremony has consigned aparent to the tomb. Heaven knows that I do not the less deplore hisloss--but wherefore art thou so pale, so trembling, Flora?"

"Meseems that a superstitious awe of evil omens has seized upon mysoul, " returned the maiden, in a tremulous tone. "Let us retire, mylord; the Lady Nisida may require my services elsewhere. "

"Nisida!" repeated Francisco, as if the mention of his sister's name hadsuddenly awakened new ideas in his mind. 

"Ah! my lord, " said Flora, sorrowfully, "you now perceive that there isat least one who may not learn with satisfaction the alliance which yourlordship would form with the poor and humble dependent. "

"Nay, by my patron saint, thou hast misunderstood me!" exclaimed theyoung count warmly. "Nisida will not oppose her brother's happiness; andher strong mind will know how to despise those conventional usages whichrequire that high birth should mate with high birth, and wealth allyitself to wealth. Yes; Nisida will consult my felicity alone; and when Iere now repeated her name as it fell from your lips, it was in a mannerreproachful to myself, because I have retained my love for thee a secretfrom her. A secret from Nisida! Oh! I have been cruel, unjust, not tohave confided in my sister long ago! And yet, " he added more slowly, "she might reproach me for my selfishness in bestowing a thought onmarriage soon, so very soon, after a funeral! Flora, dearest maiden, circumstances demand that the avowal which accident and opportunity haveled me this day to make, should exist as a secret, known only untoyourself and me. But, in a few months I will explain all to my sister, and she will greet thee as her brother's chosen bride. Are thou content, Flora, that our mutual love should remain thus concealed until theproper time shall come for its revelation?"

"Yes, my lord, and for many reasons, " was the answer. 

"For many reasons, Flora!" exclaimed the young count. 

"At least for more than one, " rejoined the maiden. "In the firstinstance, it is expedient your lordship should have due leisure toreflect upon the important step which you propose to take--a stepconferring so much honor on myself, but which may not insure yourhappiness. "

"If this be a specimen of thy reasons, dear maiden, " exclaimedFrancisco, laughing, "I need hear no more. Be well assured, " he addedseriously, "that time will not impair the love I experience for you. "

Flora murmured a reply which did not reach Wagner, and immediatelyafterward the sound of her light steps was heard retreating from theadjacent room. A profound silence of a few minutes occurred; and thenFrancisco also withdrew. 

Wagner had been an unwilling listener to the preceding conversation; butwhile it was in progress, he from time to time threw looks of love andtenderness on his beautiful companion, who returned them withimpassioned ardor. 

Whether it were that her irritable temper was impatient of the restraintimposed upon herself and her lover by the vicinity of others, or whethershe was annoyed at the fact of her brother and Flora being so longtogether (for Wagner had intimated to her who their neighbors were, themoment he had recognized their voices), we cannot say; but Nisida showedan occasional uneasiness of manner, which she, however, studied tosubdue as much as possible, during the scene that took place in theadjoining apartment. 

Fernand did not offer to convey to her any idea of the nature of theconversation which occupied her brother and Flora Francatelli; neitherdid she manifest the least curiosity to be enlightened on that head. 

The moment the young lovers had quitted the next room Wagner intimatedthe fact to Nisida; but at the same instant, just as he was about tobestow upon her a tender caress, a dreadful, an appalling reminiscenceburst upon him with such overwhelming force that he fell back stupefiedon the sofa. 

Nisida's countenance assumed an expression of the deepest solicitude, and her eloquent, sparkling eyes, implored him to intimate to her whatailed him. 

But, starting wildly from his seat, and casting on her a look of suchbitter, bitter anguish, that the appalling emotions thus expressedstruck terror to her soul--Fernand rushed from the room. 

Nisida sprung to the window; and, though the obscurity of the eveningnow announced the last flickerings of the setting sunbeams in the west, she could perceive her lover dashing furiously on through the spaciousgardens that surrounded the Riverola Palace. 

On--on he went toward the River Arno; and in a few minutes was out ofsight. 

Alas! intoxicated with love, and giving himself up to the one delightfulidea--that he was with the beauteous Nisida--then, absorbed in theinterest of the conversation which he had overheard between Franciscoand Flora--Wagner had forgotten until it was nearly too late, _that thesun was about to set on the last day of the month_. 

CHAPTER XII. 

THE WEHR-WOLF. 

'Twas the hour of sunset. 

The eastern horizon, with its gloomy and somber twilight, offered astrange contrast to the glorious glowing hues of vermilion, and purple, and gold, that blended in long streaks athwart the western sky. 

For even the winter sunset of Italy is accompanied with resplendenttints--as if an emperor, decked with a refulgent diadem, were repairingto his imperial couch. 

The declining rays of the orb of light bathed in molten gold thepinnacles, steeples, and lofty palaces of proud Florence, and toyed withthe limpid waves of the Arno, on whose banks innumerable villas andcasinos already sent forth delicious strains of music, broken only bythe mirth of joyous revelers. 

And by degrees as the sun went down, the palaces of the superb citybegan to shed light from their lattices, set in rich sculptured masonry;and here and there, where festivity prevailed, grand illuminationssprung up with magical quickness, the reflection from each separategalaxy rendering it bright as day far, far around. 

Vocal and instrumental melody floated through the still air; and theperfume of exotics, decorating the halls of the Florentine nobles, poured from the widely-opened portals, and rendered the air delicious. 

For Florence was gay that evening--the last day of each month being theone which the wealthy lords and high-born ladies set apart for thereception of their friends. 

The sun sank behind the western hills; and even the hothouse flowersclosed up their buds--as if they were eyelids weighed down by slumber, and not to wake until the morning should arouse them again to welcomethe return of their lover--that glorious sun!

Darkness seemed to dilate upon the sky like an image in the midst of amirage, expanding into superhuman dimensions--then rapidly losing itsshapeliness, and covering the vault above densely and confusedly. 

But, by degrees, countless stars began to stud the colorless canopy ofheaven, like gems of orient splendor; for the last--last flickering rayof the twilight in the west had expired in the increasing obscurity. 

But, hark! what is that wild and fearful cry?

In the midst of a wood of evergreens on the banks of the Arno, aman--young, handsome, and splendidly attired--has thrown himself uponthe ground, where he writhes like a stricken serpent, in horribleconvulsions. 

He is the prey of a demoniac excitement: an appalling consternation ison him--madness is in his brain--his mind is on fire. 

Lightnings appear to gleam from his eyes, as if his soul were dismayed, and withering within his breast. 

"Oh! no--no!" he cries with a piercing shriek, as if wrestling madly, furiously, but vainly against some unseen fiend that holds him in hisgrasp. 

And the wood echoes to that terrible wail; and the startled bird fliesfluttering from its bough. 

But, lo! what awful change is taking place in the form of that doomedbeing? His handsome countenance elongates into one of savage andbrute-like shape; the rich garments which he wears become a rough, shaggy, and wiry skin; his body loses its human contours, his arms andlimbs take another form; and, with a frantic howl of misery, to whichthe woods give horribly faithful reverberations, and, with a rush like ahurling wind, the wretch starts wildly away, no longer a man, but amonstrous wolf!

On, on he goes: the wood is cleared--the open country is gained. Tree, hedge, and isolated cottage appear but dim points in the landscape--amoment seen, the next left behind; the very hills appear to leap aftereach other. 

A cemetery stands in the monster's way, but he turns not aside--throughthe sacred inclosure--on, on he goes. There are situated many tombs, stretching up the slope of a gentle acclivity, from the dark soil ofwhich the white monuments stand forth with white and ghastly gleaming, and on the summit of the hill is the church of St. Benedict the Blessed. 

From the summit of the ivy-grown tower the very rooks, in the midst oftheir cawing, are scared away by the furious rush and the wild howl withwhich the Wehr-Wolf thunders over the hallowed ground. 

At the same instant a train of monks appear round the angle of thechurch--for there is a funeral at that hour; and their torches flaringwith the breeze that is now springing up, cast an awful and almostmagical light on the dark gray walls of the edifice, the strange effectbeing enhanced by the prismatic reflection of the lurid blaze from thestained glass of the oriel window. 

The solemn spectacle seemed to madden the Wehr-Wolf. His speedincreased--he dashed through the funeral train--appalling cries ofterror and alarm burst from the lips of the holy fathers--and the solemnprocession was thrown into confusion. The coffin-bearers dropped theirburden, and the corpse rolled out upon the ground, its decomposingcountenance seeming horrible by the glare of the torch-light. 

The monk who walked nearest the head of the coffin was thrown down bythe violence with which the ferocious monster cleared its passage; andthe venerable father--on whose brow sat the snow of eighty winters--fellwith his head against a monument, and his brains were dashed out. 

On, on fled the Wehr-Wolf, over mead and hill, through valley and dale. The very wind seemed to make way: he clove the air--he appeared to skimthe ground--to fly. 

Through the romantic glades and rural scenes of Etruria the monstersped--sounds, resembling shrieking howls, bursting ever and anon fromhis foaming mouth--his red eyes glaring in the dusk of the evening likeominous meteors--and his whole aspect so full of appalling ferocity, that never was seen so monstrous, so terrific a spectacle!

A village is gained; he turns not aside, but dashes madly through thelittle street formed by the huts and cottages of the Tuscanvine-dressers. 

A little child is in his path--a sweet, blooming, ruddy, noble boy; withviolet-colored eyes and flaxen hair--disporting merrily at a shortdistance from his parents, who are seated at the threshold of theirdwelling. 

Suddenly a strange and ominous rush--an unknown trampling of rapid feetfalls upon their ears; then, with a savage cry, a monster sweeps past. 

"My child! my child!" screams the affrighted mother; and simultaneouslythe shrill cry of an infant in the sudden agony of death carriesdesolation to the ear!

'Tis done--'twas but the work of a moment; the wolf has swept by, thequick rustling of his feet is no longer heard in the village. But thosesounds are succeeded by awful wails and heart-rending lamentations: forthe child--the blooming, violet-eyed, flaxen-haired boy--the darling ofhis poor but tender parents, is weltering in his blood!

On, on speeds the destroyer, urged by an infernal influence whichmaddens the more intensely because its victim strives vainly to struggleagainst it: on, on, over the beaten road--over the fallow field--overthe cottager's garden--over the grounds of the rich one's rural villa. 

And now, to add to the horrors of the scene, a pack of dogs have startedin pursuit of the wolf--dashing--hurrying--pushing--pressing upon oneanother in all the anxious ardor of the chase. 

The silence and shade of the open country, in the mild starlight, seemeloquently to proclaim the peace and happiness of a rural life; but nowthat silence is broken by the mingled howling of the wolf, and the deepbaying of the hounds--and this shade is crossed and darkened by theforms of the animals as they scour so fleetly--oh! with such whirlwindspeed along. 

But that Wehr-Wolf bears a charmed life; for though the hounds overtakehim--fall upon him--and attack him with all the courage of their nature, yet does he hurl them from him, toss them aside, spurn them away, and atlength free himself from their pursuit altogether!

And now the moon rises with unclouded splendor, like a maiden lookingfrom her lattice screened with purple curtains; and still the monsterhurries madly on with unrelaxing speed. 

For hours has he pursued his way thus madly; and, on a sudden, as hepasses the outskirts of a sleeping town, the church-bell is struck bythe watcher's hand to proclaim midnight. 

Over the town, over the neighboring fields--through the far-off forest, clanged that iron tongue: and the Wehr-Wolf sped all the faster, as ifhe were running a race with that Time whose voice had just spoken. 

On, on went the Wehr-Wolf; but now his course began to deviate from theright line which he had hitherto pursued, and to assume a curveddirection. 

From a field a poor man was turning an ox into the main road, that hemight drive the animal to his master's residence by daylight; the wolfswept by, and snapped furiously at the ox as he passed: and the beast, affrighted by the sudden appearance, gushing sound, and abrupt thoughevanescent attack of the infuriate monster, turned on the herdsman andgored him to death. 

On went the terrific wolf, with wilder and more frequent howlings, whichwere answered in a thousand tones from the rocks and caverns overlookingthe valley through whose bosom he was now careering with whirlwind speedalong. 

It was now two o'clock in the morning, and he had already described animmense circuit from the point where he had begun to deviate from adirect course. 

At a turning of the road, as he emerged from the valley, the monsterencountered a party of village girls repairing with the produce of theirdairies, and of their poultry-yards, to some still far distant town, which they had hoped to reach shortly after daybreak. 

Fair, gay, and smiling was the foremost maiden, as the bright moon andthe silver starlight shone upon her countenance; but that sweet face, clad in the richest hues of health, was suddenly convulsed with horror, as the terrible Wehr-Wolf thundered by with appalling howls. 

For a few moments the foremost village maiden stood rooted to the spotin speechless horror: then, uttering a wild cry, she fell backward, rolled down a steep bank, and was ingulfed in the rapid stream thatchafed and fretted along the side of the path. 

Her companions shrieked in agony of mind--the wail was echoed by adespairing cry from the drowning girl--a cry that swept frantically overthe rippling waters; and, in another moment, she sank to rise no more!

The breeze had by this time increased to a sharp wind, icy and cold, asit usually is, even in southern climes, when the dawn is approaching;and the gale now whistled through the branches of the evergreen wood inthe neighborhood of Florence--that vicinity to which the Wehr-Wolf wasat length returning!

Still was his pace of arrow-like velocity--for some terrible powerappeared to urge him on; and though his limbs failed not, though hestaggered not in his lightning speed, yet did the foam at his mouth, thethick flakes of perspiration on his body, and the steam that envelopedhim as in a dense vapor, denote how distressed the unhappy being inreality was. 

At last--at last a faint tinge was visible above the eastern horizon;gradually the light increased and put to flight the stars. 

But now the Oriental sky was to some extent obscured with clouds; andthe Wehr-Wolf gnashed his teeth with rage, and uttered a savage howl, asif impatient of the delay of dawn. 

His speed began to relax; the infernal influence which had governed himfor so many hours already grew less stern, less powerful, and as thetwilight shone forth more plainly in proportion did the Wehr-Wolf'svelocity diminish. 

Suddenly a piercing chill darted through his frame, and he fell instrong convulsions upon the ground, in the midst of the same wood wherehis transformation had taken place on the preceding evening. 

The sun rose angrily, imparting a lurid, reddened hue to the dark cloudsthat hung upon the Oriental heaven, as if the mantling curtains of anight's pavilion strove to repel the wooing kisses of the morn; and thecold chill breeze made the branches swing to and fro with ominousflapping, like the wings of the fabulous Simoorg. 

But in the midst of the appalling spasmodic convulsions, with direfulwrithings on the soil, and with cries of bitter anguish, the Wehr-Wolfgradually threw off his monster-shape; and at the very moment when thefirst sunbeam penetrated the wood and glinted on his face he rose ahandsome, young, and perfect man once more!

CHAPTER XIII. 

NISIDA'S EMOTIONS--THE DISGUISE--THE PLOT. 

We must now return to Nisida, whom we left gazing from the window of theRiverola mansion, at the moment when Wagner rushed away from thevicinity of his lady-love on the approach of sunset. 

The singularity of his conduct--the look of ineffable horror and anguishwhich he cast upon her, ere he parted from her presence--and theabruptness of his departure, filled her mind with the most torturingmisgivings, and with a thousand wild fears. 

Had his senses suddenly left him? was he the prey to fits of mentalaberration which would produce so extraordinary an effect upon him? hadhe taken a sudden loathing and disgust to herself? or had he_discovered_ anything in respect to her which had converted his loveinto hatred?

She knew not--and conjecture was vain! To a woman of her excitabletemperament, the occurrence was particularly painful. She had neverknown the passion of love until she had seen Wagner; and the moment shedid see him, she loved him. The sentiment on her part originatedaltogether in the natural sensuality of her disposition; there wasnothing pure--nothing holy--nothing refined in her affection for him; itwas his wonderful personal beauty that had made so immediate andprofound an impression upon her heart. 

There was consequently something furious and raging in that passionwhich she experienced for Fernand Wagner--a passion capable of everyextreme--the largest sacrifices, or infuriate jealousies--the mostimplicit confidence, or the maddest suspicion! It was a passion whichwould induce her to ascend the scaffold to save him; or to plunge thevengeful dagger into his heart did she fancy that he deceived her!

To one, then, whose soul was animated by such a love, the conduct ofFernand was well adapted to wear even an exaggerated appearance ofsingularity; and as each different conjecture swept through herimagination, her emotions were excited to an extent which caused hercountenance to vary its expressions a hundred times in a minute. 

The fury of the desolating torrent, the rage of the terrific volcano, the sky cradled in the blackest clouds, the ocean heaving tempestuouslyin its mighty bed, the chafing of a tremendous flood against anembankment which seems ready every moment to give way, and allow thecollected waters to burst forth upon the broad plains and into thepeaceful valleys--all these occurrences in the physical world wereimagined by the emotions that now agitated within the breast of theItalian lady. 

Her mind was like the sea put in motion by the wind; and her eyesflashed fire, her lips quivered, her bosom heaved convulsively, her neckarched proudly, as if she were struggling against ideas that forcedthemselves upon her and painfully wounded her boundless patrician pride. 

For the thought that rose uppermost amidst all the conjectures whichrushed to her imagination, was that Fernand had conceived an invincibledislike toward her. 

Wherefore did he fly thus--as if eager to place the greatest possibledistance between herself and him?

Then did she recall to mind every interchange of thought that had passedbetween them through the language of the fingers; and she could fix uponnothing which, emanating from herself, had given him offense. 

Had he then really lost his senses?

Madly did he seem to be rushing toward the Arno, on whose dark tide thedeparting rays of the setting sun glinted with oscillating and dyingpower. 

She still continued to gaze from the window long after he haddisappeared; obscurity was gathering rapidly around; but, even had itbeen noonday, she would have seen nothing. Her ideas grew bewildered:mortification, grief, anger, suspicion, burning desire, all mingledtogether and at length produced a species of stunning effect upon her, so that the past appeared to be a dream, and the future was wrapt in thedarkest gloom and uncertainty. 

This strange condition of her mind did not, however, last long; thenatural energy of her character speedily asserted its empire over theintellectual lethargy which had seized upon her, and, awakening from herstupor, she resolved to waste not another instant in useless conjectureas to the cause of her lover's conduct. 

Hastening to her own apartments, she dismissed Flora Francatelli, whomshe found there, with an abruptness of gesture and a frowning expressionof countenance amounting to an act of cruelty toward that resigned andcharming girl; so that as the latter hastened from the room, tearsstarted from her eyes, and she murmured to herself, "Can it be possiblethat Donna Nisida suspects the attachment her brother has formed towardme? Oh! if she do, the star of an evil destiny seems already to rule myhoroscope!"

Scarcely had Flora disappeared in this sorrowing manner, when Nisidasecured the outer door of her own suit of apartments, and hurried to herbed-chamber. There she threw aside the garb belonging to her sex, andassumed that of a cavalier, which she took from a press opening with asecret spring. Then, having arranged her hair beneath a velvet tocqueshaded with waving black plumes, in such a manner that the disguise wasas complete as she could render it, she girt on a long rapier of finestMilan steel, and throwing the short cloak edged with costly fur, gracefully over her left shoulder, she quitted her chamber by a privatedoor opening behind the folds of the bed curtains. 

A narrow and dark staircase admitted her into the gardens of theRiverola mansion. These she crossed with a step so light and free, thathad it been possible to observe her in the darkness of the evening, shewould have been taken for the most elegant and charming cavalier thatever honored the Florentine Republic with his presence. 

In about a quarter of an hour she reached the abode of Dr. Duras; butinstead of entering it, she passed round one of its angles, and openinga wicket by means of a key which she had about her, gained access to thegardens in the rear of the mansion. 

She traversed these grounds with hasty steps, passing the boundary whichseparated them from the gardens of Wagner's dwelling, and then relaxingher pace, advanced with more caution to the windows of this veryapartment where Agnes had been so alarmed two months previously, byobserving the countenance at the casement. 

But all was now dark within. Wagner was not in his favorite room--forNisida _knew_ that this was her lover's favorite apartment. 

Perhaps he had not yet returned?

Thus thought the lady; and she walked slowly round the spaciousdwelling, which, like the generality of the patrician mansions ofFlorence in those times--as indeed is now the case to a considerableextent--stood in the midst of extensive gardens. 

There were lights in the servants' offices; but every other room seemeddark. No; one window in the front, on the ground-floor, shone with theluster of a lamp. 

Nisida approached it, and beheld Agnes reclining in a pensive manner ona sofa in a small but elegantly-furnished apartment. Her countenance wasimmediately overclouded; and for an instant she lingered to gaze uponthe sylph-like form that was stretched upon that ottoman. Then shehastily pursued her way; and, having perfected the round of thebuilding, once more reached the windows of her lover's favorite room. 

Convinced that he had not returned, and fearful of being observed by anyof the domestics who might happen to pass through the gardens, Nisidaretraced her way toward the dwelling of Dr. Duras. But her heart was nowheavy, for she knew not how to act. 

Her original object was to obtain an interview with Wagner that verynight, and learn, if possible, the reason of his extraordinary conducttoward her: for the idea of remaining in suspense for many long, longhours, was painful in the extreme to a woman of her excitable nature. 

She was, however, compelled to resign herself to this alternative; and, having let herself through the wicket belonging to the physician'sgardens, she directed her steps homeward. 

On her way she passed by the gate of the Convent of Carmelite Nuns--oneof the wealthiest, most strictly disciplined, and celebrated monasticestablishments in the Florentine Republic. 

It appeared that a sudden thought here struck her; for ascending to thesteep leading to the gate, she paused beneath the lamp of the deepGothic portico, took out her tablets, and hastily wrote the followingwords:

"Donna Nisida of Riverola requests an interview with the Lady AbbessMaria to-morrow at midday, on a matter seriously regarding the spiritualwelfare of a young female who has shown great and signal disregard forthe rites and ordinances of the most Holy Catholic Church: and inrespect to whom the most severe measures must be adopted. Donna Nisidawill visit the holy mother to-morrow at midday. "

Having written these words, Nisida tore off the leaf and thrust itthrough a small square grating set in the massive door of the convent. Then ringing the bell to call attention to the gate, she hastily pursuedher way homeward. 

She had gained the gardens of the Riverola mansion, and was advancingtoward the door of the private staircase leading to her chamber, whenshe suddenly perceived two dark figures standing within a few yards ofher. Fearful that they might be domestics belonging to the household, she hastily and noiselessly retreated within the deep shade of the wallof the mansion, and there she remained motionless. 

We must now detail the conversation which passed between the twoindividuals whose presence in the garden had thus alarmed the LadyNisida. 

"But are you sure of what you say, Antonio?" demanded one of the men. 

"By Saint Jacopo! I cannot be mistaken, " was the reply. "The closet hasbeen locked up for years and years, and the old count always used tokeep the keys in an iron chest, which was also carefully locked andchained round. What can the place possibly contain but a treasure?"

"After all it is only conjecture on your part; and that being the case, it is not worth while to risk one's life----"

"You are a coward, Stephano!" exclaimed Antonio, angrily. "The closethas got a heavy, massive door, and a prodigiously strong lock; and ifthese precautions were not adopted to protect a hoard of wealth, whywere they taken at all, let me ask you?"

"There is something in what you say, " replied Stephano; "but you dowrong to call me a coward. If it were not that we were cousins, andlinked by a bond of long maintained friendship, I would send my rapierthrough your doublet in a twinkling. "

"Nay; I do not mean to anger thee, Stephano, " cried the valet. "But letus speak lower: chafe not, I pray thee!"

"Well--well!" said the other, gloomily; "go on, in the name of yourpatron saint! Only keep a guard upon your tongue, for it wags somewhattoo freely; and remember that a man who has been for fifteen years thecaptain of as gallant a band as ever levied contributions on the liegesof the republic, is not to have '_coward_' thrown in his teeth. "

"Let it pass, good Stephano!" urged the valet. "I tell thee that acloset whereof I have spoken, can contain naught save atreasure--perhaps in gold--perhaps in massive plate. "

"We can dispose of either to our advantage, " observed the bandit, with acoarse chuckle. 

"Will you undertake the business?" demanded Antonio. 

"I will, " was the resolute answer; "and as much to convince you thatStephano is not a coward, as for any other reason. But when is it to bedone? and why did you make an appointment to meet me here, of all placesin Florence?"

"It can be done when you choose, " replied Antonio; "and as for the otherquestions, I desired you to meet me here, because I knew that you wouldnot refuse a fine chance; and, suspecting this much it was necessary toshow you the geography of the place. "

"Good!" observed the robber-chief. "To-morrow night I have a littleaffair in hand for a reverend and holy father, who is sure to be chosensuperior of his order if his rival in the candidature be removed; and infour-and-twenty hours the said rival must be food for the fishes of theArno. "

"Then the night after that?" suggested Antonio. 

"Pre-engaged again, " returned the bandit-captain coolly. "A wealthycountess has been compelled to pledge her diamonds to a Jew; on Sundaynext she must appear with her husband at the palace of the Medici; andon Saturday night, therefore, the diamonds must be recovered from theJew. "

"Then the husband knows not that they are so pledged?" said Antonio. 

"Scarcely, " answered the brigand. "They were deposited with the Jew fora loan which the countess raised to accommodate her lover. Now do youunderstand?"

"Perfectly. What say you to next Monday night?"

"I am at your service, " responded Stephano. "Monday will suit meadmirably, and midnight shall be the hour. And now instruct me in thenature of the locality. "

"Come with me, and I will show you by which way you and your comradesmust effect an entry, " said Antonio. 

The valet and the robber-chief now moved away from the spot where theyhad stood to hold the above conversation; and the moment they had turnedthe adjacent angle of the mansion, Nisida hastened to regain herapartment by the private staircase--resolving, however, to see Wagner asearly as possible in the morning. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

THE LAST MEETING OF AGNES AND THE STRANGER LADY. 

While all nature was wrapped in the listening stillness of admiration atthe rising sun, Fernand Wagner dragged himself painfully toward hishome. 

His garments were besmeared with mud and dirt; they were torn, too, inmany places; and here and there were stains of blood, still wet, uponthem. 

In fact, had he been dragged by a wild horse through a thicket ofbrambles, he could scarcely have appeared in a more wretched plight. 

His countenance was ghastly pale; terror still flashed from his eyes, and despair sat on his lofty brow. 

Stealing through the most concealed part of his garden, he wasapproaching his own mansion with the air of a man who returns home inthe morning after having perpetrated some dreadful deed of turpitudeunder cover of the night. 

But the watchful eyes of a woman have marked his coming from the latticeof her window; and in a few minutes Agnes, light as a fawn, camebounding toward him, exclaiming, "Oh! what a night of uneasiness have Ipassed, Fernand! But at length thou art restored to me--thou whom I haveever loved so fondly; although, " she added, mournfully, "I abandonedthee for so long a time!"

And she embraced him tenderly. 

"Agnes!" cried Fernand, repulsing her with an impatience which she hadnever experienced at his hands before: "wherefore thus act the spy uponme? Believe me, that although we pass ourselves off as brother andsister, yet I do not renounce that authority which the real nature ofthose ties that bind us together----"

"Fernand! Fernand! this to me!" exclaimed Agnes, bursting into tears. "Oh! how have I deserved such reproaches?"

"My dearest girl, pardon me, forgive me!" cried Wagner, in a tone ofbitter anguish. "My God! I ought not to upbraid thee for thatwatchfulness during my absence, and that joy at my return, which provethat you love me! Again I say, pardon me, dearest Agnes. "

"You need not ask me, Fernand, " was the reply. "Only speak kindly tome----"

"I do, I will, Agnes, " interrupted Wagner. "But leave me now! Let meregain my own chamber alone; I have reasons, urgent reasons for sodoing; and this afternoon, Agnes, I shall be composed--collected again. Do you proceed by that path; I will take this. "

And, hastily pressing her hand, Wagner broke abruptly away. 

For a few moments Agnes stood looking after him in vacant astonishmentat his extraordinary manner, and also at his alarming appearance, butconcerning which latter she had not dared to question him. 

When he had entered the mansion by a private door, Agnes turned andpursued her way along a circuitous path shaded on each side by darkevergreens, and which was the one he had directed her to take so as toregain the front gate of the dwelling. 

But scarcely had she advanced a dozen paces, when a sudden rustlingamong the trees alarmed her; and in an instant a female form--tall, majestic, and with a dark veil thrown over her head, stood before her. 

Agnes uttered a faint shriek: for, although the lady's countenance wasconcealed by the veil, she had no difficulty in recognizing the strangerwho had already terrified her on three previous occasions, and whoseemed to haunt her. 

And, as if to dispel all doubt as to the identity, the majestic ladysuddenly tore aside her veil, and disclosed to the trembling, shrinkingAgnes, features already too well known. 

But, if the lightning of those brilliant, burning, black eyes had seemedterrible on former occasions, they were now absolutely blasting, andAgnes fell upon her knees, exclaiming, "Mercy! mercy! how have Ioffended you?"

For a few moments those basilisk-eyes darted forth shafts of fire andflame, and the red lips quivered violently, and the haughty browcontracted menacingly, and Agnes was stupefied, stunned, fascinated, terribly fascinated by that tremendous rage, the vengeance of whichseemed ready to explode against her. 

But only a few moments lasted that dreadful scene; for the lady, whoseentire appearance was that of an avenging fiend in the guise of abeauteous woman, suddenly drew a sharp poniard from its sheath in herbodice, and plunged it into the bosom of the hapless Agnes. 

The victim fell back; but not a shriek--not a sound escaped her lips. The blow was well aimed, the poniard was sharp and went deep, and deathfollowed instantaneously. 

For nearly a minute did the murderess stand gazing on the corpse--thecorpse of one erst so beautiful; and her countenance, gradually relaxingfrom its stern, implacable expression, assumed an air of deepremorse--of bitter, bitter compunction. 

But probably yielding to the sudden thought that she must provide forher own safety, the murderess drew forth the dagger from the white bosomin which it was buried: hastily wiped it upon a leaf; returned it to thesheath; and, replacing the veil over her countenance, hurried rapidlyaway from the scene of her fearful crime. 

CHAPTER XV. 

THE SBIRRI--THE ARREST. 

Scarcely ten minutes had elapsed since the unfortunate Agnes was thussuddenly cut off in the bloom of youth and beauty, when a lieutenant ofpolice, with his guard of sbirri, passed along the road skirtingWagner's garden. 

They were evidently in search of some malefactor, for, stopping in theircourse, they began to deliberate on the business which they had in hand. 

"Which way could he possibly have gone?" cried one, striking thebutt-end of his pike heavily upon the ground. 

"How could we possibly have missed him?" exclaimed another. 

"Stephano is not so easily caught, my men, " observed the lieutenant. "Heis the most astute and cunning of the band of which he is the captain. And yet, I wish we had pounced upon him, since we were so nicely uponhis track. "

"And a thousand ducats offered by the state for his capture, " suggestedone of the sbirri. 

"Yes; 'tis annoying!" ejaculated the lieutenant, "but I could have swornhe passed this way. "

"And I could bear the same evidence, signor, " observed the firstspeaker. "Maybe he has taken refuge in those bushes. "

"Not unlikely. We are fools to grant him a moment's vantage ground. Overthe fence, my men, and beat amongst these gardens. "

Thus speaking, the lieutenant set the example, by leaping the railing, and entering the grounds belonging to Wagner's abode. 

The sbirri, who were six in number, including their officer, dividedthemselves into two parties, and proceeded to search the gardens. 

Suddenly a loud cry of horror burst from one of the sections; and whenthe other hastened to the spot, the sbirri composing it found theircomrades in the act of raising the corpse of Agnes. 

"She is quite dead, " said the lieutenant, placing his hand upon herheart. "And yet the crime cannot have been committed many minutes, asthe corpse is scarcely cold, and the blood still oozes forth. "

"What a lovely creature she must have been, " exclaimed one of thesbirri. 

"Cease your profane remarks, my man, " cried the lieutenant. "This mustbe examined into directly. Does any one know who dwells in thatmansion?"

"Signor Wagner, a wealthy German, " was the reply given by a sbirro. 

"Then come with me, my man, " said the lieutenant; "and let us lose notime in searching his house. One of you must remain by the corpse--andthe rest may continue the search after the bandit, Stephano. "

Having issued these orders, the lieutenant, followed by the sbirro whomhe had chosen to accompany him, hastened to the mansion. 

The gate was opened by an old porter, who stared in astonishment when hebeheld the functionaries of justice visiting that peaceful dwelling. Butthe lieutenant ordered him to close and lock the gate; and havingsecured the key, the officer said, "We must search this house; a crimehas been committed close at hand. "

"A crime!" ejaculated the porter; "then the culprit is not here--forthere is not a soul beneath this roof who would perpetrate a misdeed. "

"Cease your prating, old man, " said the lieutenant, sternly. "We have aduty to perform--see that we be not molested in executing it. "

"But what is the crime, signor, of which----"

"Nay--that you shall know anon, " interrupted the lieutenant. "In thename of his serene highness, the duke, I command you in the first placeto lead me and my followers to the presence of your master. "

The old man hastened to obey this mandate, and he conducted the sbirriinto the chamber where Wagner, having thrown off his garments, waspartaking of that rest which he so much needed. 

At the sound of heavy feet and the clanking of martial weapons, Fernandstarted from the slumber into which he had fallen only a few minutespreviously. 

"What means this insolent intrusion?" he exclaimed, his cheeks flushingwith anger at the presence of the police. 

"Pardon us, signor, " said the lieutenant, in a respectful tone: "but adreadful crime has been committed close by--indeed within the inclosureof your own grounds----"

"A dreadful crime!" ejaculated Wagner. 

"Yes, signor; a crime----"

The officer was interrupted by an ejaculation of surprise which burstfrom the lips of his attendant sbirro; and, turning hastily round, hebeheld his follower intently scrutinizing the attire which Fernand hadere now thrown off. 

"Ah! blood-stains!" cried the lieutenant, whose attention was directedtoward those marks by the finger of his man. "Then is the guilty onespeedily discovered! Signor!" he added, turning once more toward Wagner, "are those your garments?"

An expression of indescribable horror convulsed the countenance ofFernand; for the question of the officer naturally reminded him of hisdreadful fate--the fate of a Wehr-Wolf--although, we should observe, henever remembered, when restored to the form of a man, what he might havedone during the long hours that he wore the shape of a ferociousmonster. 

Still, as he knew that his garments had been soiled, torn andblood-stained in the course of the preceding night, it was no wonderthat he shuddered and became convulsed with mental agony when histerrible doom was so forcibly called to his mind. 

His emotions were naturally considered to be corroborative evidence ofguilt: and the lieutenant laying his hand upon Wagner's shoulder, saidin a stern, solemn manner, "In the name of his highness our prince, Iarrest you for the crime of murder!"

"Murder!" repeated Fernand, dashing away the officer's arm; "you darenot accuse me of such a deed!"

"I accuse you of murder, signor, " exclaimed the lieutenant. "Within ahundred paces of your dwelling a young lady----"

"A young lady!" cried Wagner, thinking of Agnes, whom he had left in thegarden. 

"Yes, signor, a young lady has been most barbarously murdered!" addedthe officer in an impressive tone. 

"Agnes! Agnes!" almost screamed the unhappy man, as this dreadfulannouncement fell upon his ears. "Oh! is it possible that thou art nomore, my poor Agnes!"

He covered his face with his hands and wept bitterly. 

The lieutenant made a sign to his follower, who instantly quitted theroom. 

"There must be some mistake in this, signor, " said the old porter, approaching the lieutenant and speaking in a voice tremulous withemotion. "The master whom I serve, and whom you accuse, is incapable ofthe deed imputed to him. "

"Yes. God knows how truly you speak!" ejaculated Wagner, raising hishead. "That girl--oh! sooner than have harmed one single hair of herhead---- But how know you that it is Agnes who is murdered?" he criedabruptly, turning toward the lieutenant. 

"It was you who said it, signor, " calmly replied the officer, as hefixed his dark eyes keenly upon Fernand. 

"Oh! it was a surmise--a conjecture--because I parted with Agnes a shorttime ago in the garden, " exclaimed Wagner, speaking in hurried andbroken sentences. 

"Behold the victim!" said the lieutenant, who had approached the window, from which he was looking. 

Wagner sprung from his couch, and glanced forth into the garden beneath. 

The sbirri were advancing along the gravel pathway, bearing amongst themthe corpse of Agnes upon whose pallid countenance the morning sunbeamswere dancing, as if in mockery even at death. 

"Holy Virgin! it is indeed Agnes!" cried Wagner, in a tone of the mostprofound heart-rending anguish, and he fell back senseless in the armsof the lieutenant. 

An hour afterward, Fernand Wagner was the inmate of a dungeon beneaththe palace inhabited by the Duke of Florence. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

NISIDA AND THE CARMELITE ABBESS. 

Punctually at midday, the Lady Nisida of Riverola proceeded, alone andunattended, to the Convent of Carmelite Nuns, where she was immediatelyadmitted into the presence of the abbess. 

The superior of this monastic establishment, was a tall, thin, stern-looking woman, with a sallow complexion, an imperious compressionof the lips, and small, grey eyes, that seemed to flicker with malignityrather than to beam with the pure light of Christian love. 

She was noted for the austerity of her manners, the rigid disciplinewhich she maintained in the convent, and the inexorable dispositionwhich she showed toward those who, having committed a fault, came withinher jurisdiction. 

Rumor was often busy with the affairs of the Carmelite Convent; and thegrandams and gossips of Florence would huddle together around theirdomestic hearths, on the cold winter's evenings, and venture mysterioushints and whispers of strange deeds committed within the walls of thatsacred institution; how from time to time some young and beautiful nunhad suddenly disappeared, to the surprise and alarm of her companions;how piercing shrieks had been heard to issue from the interior of thebuilding, by those who passed near it at night, --and how the inmatesthemselves were often aroused from their slumbers by strange noisesresembling the rattling of chains, the working of ponderous machinery, and the revolution of huge wheels. 

Such food for scandal as those mysterious whispers supplied, was notlikely to pass without exaggeration; and that love of the marvelouswhich inspired the aforesaid gossips, led to the embellishment of therumors just glanced at--so that one declared with a solemn shake of thehead, how spirits were seen to glide around the convent walls atnight--and another averred that a nun, with whom she was acquainted, hadassured her that strange and unearthly forms were often encountered bythose inmates of the establishment who were hardy enough to venture intothe chapel, or to traverse the long corridors or gloomy cloisters afterdusk. 

These vague and uncertain reports did not, however, prevent some of thewealthiest families in Florence from placing their daughters in theCarmelite Convent. A nobleman or opulent citizen who had severaldaughters, would consider it a duty to devote one of them to the serviceof the church; and the votive girl was most probably compelled toperform her novitiate and take the veil in this renowned establishment. It was essentially the convent patronized by the aristocracy; and nofemale would be received within its walls save on the payment of aconsiderable sum of money. 

There was another circumstance which added to the celebrity andaugmented the wealth of the Carmelite Convent. Did a young unmarriedlady deviate from the path of virtue, or did a husband detect theinfidelity of his wife, the culprit was forthwith consigned to the careof the abbess, and forced to take up her abode in that monasticinstitution. Or, again--did some female openly neglect her religiousduties, or imprudently express an opinion antagonistic to the RomanCatholic Church, the family to which she belonged would remove her tothe spiritual care of the abbess. 

The convent was therefore considered to be an institution recognized bythe state as a means of punishing immorality, upholding the Catholicreligion, persuading the skeptical, --confirming the wavering, andexercising a salutary terror over the ladies of the upper class, at thatperiod renowned for their dissolute morals. The aristocracy of Florencepatronized and protected the institution--because its existence affordeda ready means to get rid of a dishonored daughter, or an unfaithfulwife; and it was even said that the abbess was invested withextraordinary powers by the rescript of the duke himself, powers whichwarranted her interference with the liberty of young females who weredenounced to her by their parents, guardians, or others who might have asemblance of a right to control or coerce them. 

Luther had already begun to make a noise in Germany; and the thunders ofhis eloquence had reverberated across the Alps to the Italian states. The priesthood was alarmed; and the conduct of the reformer was anexcuse for rendering the discipline of the monastic institutions morerigid than ever. Nor was the Abbess Maria a woman who hesitated to availherself of this fact as an apology for strengthening her despotism andwidening the circle of her influence. 

The reader has now heard enough to make him fully aware that the CarmeliteConvent was an establishment enjoying influence, exercising an authority, and wielding a power, which--if these were misdirected--constituted anenormous abuse in the midst of states bearing the name of a republic. But the career of the Medici was then hastening toward a close; and inproportion as the authority of the duke became more circumscribed, theencroachments of the ecclesiastical orders grew more extensive. 

The Abbess Maria, who was far advanced in years, but was endowed withone of those vigorous intellects against which Time vainly directs hisinfluence, received the Lady Nisida in a little parlor plainlyfurnished. The praying desk was of the most humble description; andabove it rose a cross of wood so worm-eaten and decayed that it seemedas if the grasp of a strong hand would crush it into dust. But thisemblem of the creed had been preserved in the Carmelite Convent sincethe period of the Second Crusade, and was reported to consist of a pieceof the actual cross on which the Saviour suffered in Palestine. 

Against the wall hung a scourge, with five knotted thongs, whereon theblood-stains denoted the severity of that penance which the abbessfrequently inflicted upon herself. On a table stood a small loaf ofcoarse bread and a pitcher of water; for although a sumptuous banquetwas every day served up in the refectory, the abbess was never known topartake of the delicious viands nor to place her lips in contact withwine. 

When Nisida entered the presence of the abbess, she sank on her knees, and folded her arms meekly across her bosom. The holy mother gave her ablessing, and made a motion for her to rise. Nisida obeyed, and took aseat near the abbess at the table. 

She then drew forth her tablets, and wrote a few lines, which thesuperior read with deep attention. 

Nisida placed a heavy purse of gold upon the table, and the abbessnodded an assent to the request contained in the lines inscribed on thetablet. 

The interview was about to terminate, when the door suddenly opened, andan elderly nun entered the room. 

"Ursula, " said the lady abbess, in a cold but reproachful tone, "didstthou not know that I was engaged? What means this abrupt intrusion?"

"Pardon me, holy mother!" exclaimed the nun: "but the rumor of such afrightful murder has just reached us----"

"A murder!" ejaculated the abbess. "Oh! unhappy Florence, when wilt thousay farewell to crimes which render thy name detestable among Italianstates?"

"This indeed, too, holy mother, is one of inordinate blackness, "continued Sister Ursula. "A young and beautiful lady----"

"We know not personal beauty within these walls, daughter, " interruptedthe abbess, sternly. 

"True, holy mother! and yet I did but repeat the tale as the porteressere now related it to me. However, " resumed Ursula, "it appears that ayoung female, whom the worldly-minded outside these sacred wallsdenominate beautiful, was barbarously murdered this morning--shortlyafter the hour of sunrise----"

"Within the precincts of Florence?" inquired the abbess. 

"Within a short distance of the convent, holy mother, " answered the nun. "The dreadful deed was accomplished in the garden attached to themansion of a certain Signor Wagner, whom the worldly-minded style ayoung man wondrously handsome. "

"A fair exterior often conceals a dark heart, daughter, " said theabbess. "But who was the hapless victim?"

"Rumor declares, holy mother----"

The nun checked herself abruptly, and glanced at Nisida, who, during theabove conversation, had approached the windows which commanded a view ofthe convent garden, and whose back was therefore turned toward theabbess and Ursula. 

"You may speak fearlessly, daughter, " said the abbess; "that unfortunatelady hears you not--for she is both deaf and dumb. "

"Holy Virgin succor her, " exclaimed Ursula, crossing herself. "I wasabout to inform your ladyship, " she continued, "that rumor representsthe murdered woman to have been the sister of this Signor Wagner of whomI spoke; but it is more than probable that there was no tie ofrelationship between them--and that----"

"I understand you, daughter, " interrupted the abbess. "Alas! how muchwickedness is engendered in this world by the sensual, fleshly passionwhich mortals denominate love! But is the murderer detected?"

"The murderer was arrested immediately after the perpetration of thecrime, " responded Ursula; "and at this moment he is a prisoner in thedungeon of the palace. "

"Who is the lost man that has perpetrated such a dreadful crime?"demanded the abbess, again crossing herself. 

"Signor Wagner himself, holy mother, " was the reply. 

"The pious Duke Cosmo bequeathed gold to this institution, " said theabbess, "that masses might be offered up for the souls of those who fallbeneath the weapon of the assassin. See that the lamented prince'sinstructions be not neglected in this instance, Ursula. "

"It was to remind your ladyship of this duty that I ventured to breakupon your privacy, " returned the nun, who then withdrew. 

The abbess approached Nisida, and touched her upon the shoulder tointimate to her that they were again alone together. 

She had drawn down her veil, and was leaning her forehead against one ofthe iron bars which protected the window--apparently in a mood of deepthought. 

When the abbess touched her, she started abruptly round--then, pressingthe superior's hand with convulsive violence, hurried from the room. 

The old porteress presented the alms-box as she opened the gate of theconvent; but Nisida pushed it rudely aside, and hurried down the stepsas if she were escaping from a lazar-house, rather than issuing from amonastic institution. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

WAGNER IN PRISON--A VISITOR. 

It was evening; and Wagner paced his narrow dungeon with agitated steps. 

Far beneath the level of the ground, and under the ducal palace, wasthat gloomy prison, having no window, save a grating in the massive doorto admit the air. 

A lamp burned dimly upon the table, whereon stood also the coarse prisonfare provided for the captive, but which was untouched. 

The clanking of the weapons of the sentinels, who kept guard in thepassage from which the various dungeons opened, fell mournfully uponFernand's ears, and every moment reminded him of the apparentimpossibility to escape--even if such an idea possessed him. 

The lamp had burned throughout the day in his dungeon; for the light ofheaven could not penetrate that horrible subterranean cell--and it wasonly by the payment of gold that he had induced the jailer to permit himthe indulgence of the artificial substitute for the rays of the glorioussun. 

"Oh! wretched being that I am!" he thought within himself, as he pacedthe stone floor of his prison-house; "the destiny of the accursed ismine! Ah! fool--dotard that I was to exchange the honors of old age forthe vicissitudes of a renewed existence! Had nature taken her course, Ishould probably now be sleeping in a quiet grave--and my soul might bein the regions of the blessed. But the tempter came, and dazzled me withprospects of endless happiness--and I succumbed! Oh! Faust! would thatthou hadst never crossed the threshold of my humble cottage in the BlackForest! How much sorrow--how much misery should I have been spared!Better--better to have remained in poverty--solitude--helplessness--worndown by the weight of years--and crushed by the sense of utterloneliness--oh! better to have endured all this, than to have taken onmyself a new tenure of that existence which is so marked with misery andwoe!"

He threw himself upon a seat, and endeavored to reflect on his positionwith calmness; but he could not!

Starting up, he again paced the dungeon in an agitated manner. 

"Holy God!" he exclaimed aloud, "how much wretchedness has fallen uponme in a single day! Agnes murdered--Nisida perhaps forever estrangedfrom me--myself accused of a dreadful crime, whereof I am innocent--andcircumstances all combining so wonderfully against me! But who couldhave perpetrated the appalling deed? Can that mysterious lady, whomAgnes spoke of so frequently, and who, by her description, so closelyresembled my much-loved Nisida--can she----"

At that moment the bolts were suddenly drawn back from the door of thedungeon--the clanking chains fell heavily on the stone pavementoutside--and the jailer appeared, holding a lamp in his hand. 

"Your brother, signor, is come to visit you, " said the turnkey. "Butpray let the interview be a brief one--for it is as much as my situationand my own liberty are worth to have admitted him without an order fromthe chief judge. "

"With these words the jailer made way for a cavalier to enter thedungeon;" and as he closed the door, he said, "I shall return shortly tolet your brother out again. "

Surprise had hitherto placed a seal upon Wagner's lips; but even beforethe visitor had entered the cell, a faint suspicion--a wild hope hadflashed to his mind that Nisida had not forgotten him, that she wouldnot abandon him. 

But this hope was destroyed almost as soon as formed, by the suddenrecollection of her affliction;--for how could a deaf and dumb womansucceed in bribing and deceiving one so cautious and wary as the jailerof a criminal prison?

Nevertheless the moment the visitor had entered the cell--and in spiteof the deep disguise which she wore, the eyes of the lover failed not torecognize the object of his adoration in that elegant cavalier who nowstood before him. 

Scarcely had the jailer closed and bolted the massive door again, whenFernand rushed forward to clasp Nisida in his arms;--but, imperiouslywaving her hand, she motioned him to stand back. 

Then, with the language of the fingers, she rapidly demanded--"Will youswear upon the cross that the young female who has been murdered, wasnot your mistress?"

"I swear, " answered Fernand in the same symbolic manner; and, as thelight of the lamp played on his handsome countenance, his featuresassumed so decided an expression of truth, frankness, and sincerity, that Nisida was already more than half convinced of the injustice of hersuspicions. 

But still she was determined to be completely satisfied; and, drawingforth a small but exquisitely sculptured crucifix from her doublet, shepresented it to her lover. 

He sank upon one knee, received it respectfully, and kissed it withouthesitation. 

Nisida then threw herself into his arms, and embraced him with afondness as warm, as wild, as impassioned as her suspicions had ere nowbeen vehement and fearfully resentful. 

Her presence caused Fernand to forget his sorrow--to forget that he wasin a dungeon--to forget, also, the tremendous charge that hung over hishead. For never had his Nisida appeared to him so marvelously beautifulas he now beheld her, disguised in the graceful garb of a cavalier ofthat age. Though tall, majestic, and of rich proportions for a woman, yet in the attire of the opposite sex she seemed slight, short, andeminently graceful. The velvet cloak sat so jauntily on her slopingshoulder;--the doublet became her symmetry so well;--and the rich lacecollar was so arranged as to disguise the prominence of the chest--thatvoluptuous fullness which could not be compressed. 

At length a sudden thought struck Fernand, and he inquired, in the usualmanner, how Nisida had gained access to him?

"A faithful friend contrived the interview for me, " she replied, withher wonted rapidity of play upon the fingers. "He led the jailer tobelieve that I was a German, and totally unacquainted with the Italiantongue. Thus not a word was addressed to me; and gold has opened thedoor which separated me from you. The same means shall secure yourescape. "

"Dearest Nisida, " signaled Wagner, "I would not escape were the door ofmy dungeon left open and the sentinels removed. I am innocent--and thatinnocence must be proved!"

The lady exhibited extraordinary impatience at this reply. 

"You do not believe me guilty?" asked Wagner. 

She shook her head in a determined manner, to show how profound was herconviction of his innocence. 

"Then do not urge me, beloved one, to escape and be dishonored forever, "was the urgent prayer he conveyed to her. 

"The evidence against you will be overwhelming, " she gave him tounderstand: then with an air of the most heart appealing supplication, she added, "Escape, dearest Fernand, for my sake!"

"But I should be compelled to fly from Florence--and wouldst thouaccompany me?"

She shook her head mournfully. 

"Then I will remain here--in this dungeon! If my innocence be proved, Imay yet hope to call the sister of the Count of Riverola my wife: if Ibe condemned----"

He paused:--for he knew that, even if he were sentenced to death, hecould not die, --that some power, of which, however, he had only a vaguenotion, would rescue him, --that the compact, which gave him renewedyouth and a long life on the fatal condition of his periodicaltransformation into a horrid monster, must be fulfilled; and, though hesaw not--understood not how all this was to be, still he knew that it_would_ happen if he should really be condemned!

Nisida was not aware of the motive which had checked her lover as he wasconveying to her his sense of the dread alternatives before him; and shehastened to intimate to him the following thought:--

"You would say that if you be condemned, you will know how to meet deathas becomes a brave man. But think of _me_--of Nisida, who loves you!"

"Would you continue to love a man branded as a murderer?"

"I should only think of you as my own dear Fernand!"

He shook his head--as much as to say, "It cannot be!"--and then oncemore embraced her fondly--for he beheld, in her anxiety for his escape, only a proof of her ardent affection. 

At this moment the jailer returned: and while he was unbolting the door, Nisida made one last, imploring appeal to her lover to give his assentto escape, if the arrangements were made for that purpose. 

But he conveyed to her his resolute determination to meet the charge, with the hope of proving his innocence: and for a few moments Nisidaseemed convulsed with the most intense anguish of soul. 

The jailer made his appearance; and Wagner, to maintain the deceit whichNisida informed him to have been practiced on the man, said a few wordsaloud in German--as if he was really taking leave of a brother. 

Nisida embraced him tenderly; and covering her countenance, as much aspossible, with her slouched hat, the waving plumes of which she made tofall over her face, this extraordinary being issued from the cell. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

FLORA FRANCATELLI--THE THREE NUNS--THE CHAIR. 

Nisida regained her apartment, by the private staircase, without anymolestation. Having laid aside her male attire, she assumed a loosewrapper, and then, throwing herself into an armchair, gave way to herreflections. 

These were apparently of no pleasurable nature; for they were frequentlyinterrupted by convulsive starts and rapid glancings around the room--asif she were fearful lest some terrible specter were present to scareher. 

Once or twice her eyes lingered on her mother's portrait; and thenprofound sighs escaped her bosom. 

Presently the beautiful Flora Francatelli entered the apartment; butNisida made her a sign of dismissal. 

The maiden withdrew; and we must now follow her to her own chamber. 

On reaching her bedroom, Flora did not immediately retire to rest. Shefelt that she should not sleep, even were she to seek her pillow: forshe had much--very much to ponder upon!

There was a marked, undisguised reserve about her mistress whichmaterially affected her. Although she could not control her affections, yet she felt as if she were acting with duplicity toward the Lady Nisidain having listened to the love-tale of Francisco, and, retaining thatrevelation of his affection a secret in her own breast. 

Yet--had he not implored, had he not enjoined her to keep that avowal toherself? Yes, and when she looked at the matter, as it were, face toface, she could not justly reproach herself:--nevertheless, that secretlove weighed upon her conscience like a crime!

She could not understand wherefore Nisida's manner had changed towardher. Francisco had assuredly made no communication to his sister; andnothing had transpired to excite a suspicion of the real truth in hermind. Still there _was_ a coolness on the part of that lady:--or mightit not be that Flora's imagination deceived her?

There was another, and even a more serious cause of grief weighing uponher mind. Dispatches had been received from the nobleman in whose suither brother Alessandro had repaired to Constantinople; and the secretaryof the council of Florence had intimated to Signora Francatelli (Flora'saunt) that Alessandro had abjured the faith of his forefathers and hadembraced the Mussulman creed. It was also stated that the young man hadentered the service of grand vizier; but whether he had become arenegade through love for some Turkish maiden, or with the hope ofameliorating his condition in a worldly point of view, whether, indeed, self-interest or a conscientious belief in the superiority of the Moslemdoctrines over those of Christianity, had swayed Alessandro, no onecould say. 

His aunt was almost heart-broken at the news. Father Marco, throughwhose influence he had obtained the post of secretary to the FlorentineEnvoy, was shocked and grieved; and Flora was not the less afflicted atan event which, as she had been taught to believe, must inevitably placeher much-loved brother beyond the hope of spiritual salvation. 

Amidst the gloomy reflections excited by the Lady Nisida's coolness, andthe disagreeable tidings which had been received concerning her brother, there was nevertheless one gleam of consolation for Flora Francatelli. 

This was the love which Francisco entertained for her, and which she sotenderly, so sincerely reciprocated. 

Yes, a maiden's first love is ever a source of solace amidst the gloomof affliction; because it is so intimately intertwined with hope! Forthe soul of the innocent, artless girl who fondly loves, soars aloft ina heaven of her own creation, dove-like on the wings of faith!

It was already late when Flora began to unbraid and set at liberty herdark brown tresses, preparatory to retiring to rest, when a low knock atthe chamber-door startled her in the midst of her occupation. 

Thinking it might be the Lady Nisida who required her attendance shehastened to open the door; and immediately three women, dressed inreligious habits and having black veils thrown over their heads so ascompletely to conceal their faces, entered the room. 

Flora uttered a faint scream--for the sudden apparition of thosespecter-like figures, at such a late hour of the night, was wellcalculated to alarm even a person of maturer age and stronger mind thanSignora Francatelli. 

"You must accompany us, young lady, " said the foremost nun, advancingtoward her. "And beware how you create any disturbance--for it willavail you nothing. "

"Whither am I to be conducted?" asked Flora, trembling from head tofoot. 

"That we cannot inform you, " was the reply. "Neither must you know atpresent; and therefore our first duty is to blindfold you. "

"Pity me--have mercy upon me!" exclaimed Flora, throwing herself on herknees before the nun who addressed her in so harsh, so stern a manner. "I am a poor, unprotected girl: have mercy upon me!"

But the three nuns seized upon her; and while one held the palm of herhand forcibly over her mouth so as to check her utterance, the othershastily blindfolded her. 

Flora was so overcome by this alarming proceeding, that she fainted. 

When she came to her senses, she found herself lying on a hard and sorrycouch in a large apartment, almost entirely denuded of furniture andlighted by a feebly-burning lamp suspended to the low ceiling. 

For a moment she thought she was laboring under the influence of ahideous dream; but, glancing around, she started with affright, and ascream burst from her lips, when she beheld the three nuns standing bythe bed. 

"Why have you brought me hither?" she demanded, springing from thecouch, and addressing the recluses with frantic wildness. 

"To benefit you in a spiritual sense, " replied the one who had beforeacted as spokeswoman: "to purge your mind of those mundane vanitieswhich have seized upon it, and to render you worthy of salvation. Pray, sisters--pray for this at present benighted creature!"

Then, to the surprise of the young maiden, the three nuns all fell upontheir knees around her, and began to chant a solemn hymn in mostlugubrious notes. 

They had thrown aside their veils, and the flickering light of the dimlamp gave a ghastly and unearthly appearance to their pale and severecountenances. They were all three elderly persons: and their aspect wasof that cold, forbidding nature, which precludes hope on the part of anyone who might have to implore mercy. 

The young maiden was astounded--stupefied--she knew not what toconjecture. Where was she? who were those nuns that had treated her soharshly? why was she brought to that cold, cheerless apartment? whatmeant the hymn that seemed chanted expressly on her account?

She could not bear up against the bewilderment and alarm produced bythese questions which she asked herself, and none of which she couldsolve. An oppressive sensation came over her; and she was about to sinkback upon the couch from which she had risen, when the hymn suddenlyceased--the nuns rose from their suppliant posture--and the foremost, addressing the poor girl in a reproachful tone, exclaimed, "Oh!wicked--worldly-minded creature, repent--repent--repent!"

There was something so awful--so appalling--in this strange conduct onthe part of the nuns, that Flora began to doubt whether she were notlaboring under some terrible delusion. She feared lest her senses wereleaving her: and, covering her face with her hands, so as to close hereyes against external objects, she endeavored to look inward, as itwere, and scrutinize her own soul. 

But she was not allowed time to reflect; for the three nuns seized uponher, the foremost saying, "You must come with us!"

"Mercy! mercy!" screamed the wretched girl, vainly struggling in thepowerful grasp of the recluses. 

Her long hair, which she had unbraided before she was carried off fromthe Riverola mansion, floated over her shoulders, and enhanced theexpression of ineffable despair which her pallid countenance now wore. 

Wildly she glanced around, as she was being hurried from the room; andfrantic screams escaped her lips. But there was no one nigh tosuccor--no one to melt at the outbursts of her anguish!

The three nuns dragged, rather than conducted her to an adjacentapartment, which was lighted by a lamp of astonishing brilliancy, andhung in a skylight raised above the roof. 

On the floor, immediately beneath this lamp, stood an armchair ofwicker-work; and from this chair two stout cords ascended to theceiling, through which they passed by means of two holes perforated forthe purpose. 

When Flora was dragged by the nuns to the immediate vicinity of thechair, which her excited imagination instantly converted into an engineof torture, that part of the floor on which the chair stood seemed totremble and oscillate beneath her feet, as if it were a trap-door. 

The most dreadful sensations now came over her: she felt as if her brainwas reeling--as if she must go mad. 

A fearful scream burst from her lips, and she struggled with the energyof desperation, as the nuns endeavored to thrust her into the chair. 

"No--no!" she exclaimed, frantically; "you shall not torture me--youdare not murder me! What have I done to merit this treatment! Mercy!mercy!"

But her cries and her struggles were alike useless; for she was nowfirmly bound to the chair, into which the nuns had forced her to seatherself. 

Then commenced the maddening scene which will be found in the ensuingchapter. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

THE DESCENT--THE CHAMBER OF PENITENCE. 

Having bound Flora Francatelli to the chair in the manner justdescribed, the three nuns fell back a few paces, and the wretched girlfelt the floor giving way under her. 

A dreadful scream burst from her lips, as slowly--slowly the chair sankdown, while the working of hidden machinery in the roof, and the steady, monotonous revolution of wheels, sounded with ominous din upon her ears. 

An icy stream appeared to pour over her soul; wildly she cast around hereyes, and then more piercing became her shrieks, as she found herselfgradually descending into what seemed to be a pit or well--only that itwas square instead of round. 

The ropes creaked--the machinery continued its regular movement, and thelamp fixed in the skylight overhead became less and less brilliant. 

And bending over the mouth of this pit into which she was descendingwere the three nuns--standing motionless and silent like hideousspecters, on the brink of the aperture left by the square platform ortrap, whereon the chair was fixed. 

"Mercy! Mercy!" exclaimed Flora, in a voice expressive of the most acuteanguish. 

And stretching forth her snowy arms (for it was round the waist and bythe feet that she was fastened to the chair), she convulsively placedher open palms against the wooden walls of the pit, as if she could bythat spasmodic movement arrest the descent of the terrible apparatusthat was bearing her down into that hideous, unknown gulf! But the wallswere smooth and even, and presented nothing whereon she could fix hergrasp. 

Her brain reeled, and for a few minutes she sat motionless, in dumb, inert despair. 

Then again, in obedience to some mechanical impulse, she glanced upward;the light of the lamp was now dimly seen, like the sun through a densemist--but the dark figures were still bending over the brink of theabyss, thirty yards above. 

The descent was still progressing and the noise of the machinery stillreached her ears, with buzzing, humming, monotonous indistinctness. 

She shrieked not now--she screamed not any more; but it was notresignation that sealed her lips;--it was despair!

Suddenly she became aware of the gradual disappearance of the threenuns; as she descended, the wall seemed to rise slowly upward and coverthem from her view. 

Then, for an instant there was a slight shock given to the platformwhereon the chair was placed--as if it rested on something beneath. 

But no;--the fearful descent still went on--for, when she againstretched forth her hand to touch the walls, they appeared to be slowlyrising--rising!

She was now involved in almost total darkness; but far--far overhead thedim luster of the lamp was seen; and the four walls of the gulf nowappeared to touch the ceiling of the room above, and to inclose thatfaint but still distinct orb within the narrow space thus shut in. 

The noise of the machinery also reached her still--but merely with ahumming sound that was only just audible. 

For an instant she doubted whether she was still descending; but, alas!when her arms were a third time convulsively stretched forth, her fairhands felt the walls slipping away from her touch--gliding upward, as itwere, with steady emotion. 

Then she knew that the descent had not ceased. 

But whither was she going? to what awful depth was she progressing?

Already she conjectured, was she at least sixty yards beneath that dimyellow orb which every instant appeared to shine as through a deeper, deepening mist. 

For what fate was she reserved? and where was she?

Suddenly it struck her that she was an inmate of the Carmelite Convent;for the rumors alluded to in a preceding chapter had often met her ears;and her imagination naturally associated them with the occurrences ofthat dreadful night. 

The piercing shrieks--the noise of machinery--the disappearance fromtime to time of some member of that monastic institution, all theincidents, in fine, to which those rumors had ever pointed, now seemedto apply to her own case. 

These reflections flashed, with lightning rapidity, through her brain, and paralyzed her with horror. 

Then she lost all further power of thought; and though not absolutelyfainting, she was stunned and stupefied with the tremendous weight ofoverwhelming despair. 

How long she remained in this condition she knew not; but she wassuddenly aroused by the opening of a low door in the wall in front ofher. 

Starting as from a dreadful dream, she stretched forth her arms, andbecame aware that the descent had stopped; and at the same moment shebeheld a nun, bearing a lamp, standing on the threshold of the doorwhich had just opened. 

"Sister, welcome to the chamber of penitence!" said the recluse, approaching the terrified Flora. 

Then, placing the lamp in a niche near the door, the nun proceeded toremove the cords which fastened the young maiden to the chair. 

Flora rose, but fell back again on the seat--for her limbs were stiff inconsequence of the length of time they had been retained in oneposition. The nun disappeared by the little door for a few minutes; and, on her return, presented the wretched girl a cup of cold water. Floraswallowed the icy beverage, and felt refreshed. 

Then, by the light of the lamp in the niche, she hastily examined thecountenance of the nun; but its expression was cold--repulsive--stern:and Flora knew that it was useless to seek to make a friend of her. 

A frightful sense of loneliness, as it were, struck her like anice-shaft penetrating to her very soul; and clasping her hands together, she exclaimed: "Holy Virgin! protect me!"

"No harm will befall you, daughter, " said the nun, "if you manifestcontrition for past errors and a resolution to devote your future yearsto the service of Heaven. "

"My past errors!" repeated Flora, with mingled indignation andastonishment. "I am not aware that I ever injured a living soul by aword or deed--nor entertained a thought for which I need to blush!Neither have I neglected those duties which manifest the gratitude ofmortals for the bounties bestowed upon them by Providence. "

"Ah! daughter, " exclaimed the nun, "you interpret not your own heartrightly. Have you never abandoned yourself to those carnalnotions--those hopes--those fears--those dreams of happiness--whichconstitute the passion which the world calls love?"

Flora started, and a blush mantled on her cheeks, before so pale!

"You see that I have touched a chord which vibrates to your heart'score, daughter, " continued the nun, on whom that sudden evidence ofemotion was not lost. "You have suffered yourself to be deluded by thewhisperings of that feeling whose tendency was to wean your soul fromHeaven. "

"And is it possible that a pure and virtuous love can be construed intoa crime?" demanded the young maiden, her indignation overpowering herfears. 

"A love that is founded on, and fostered by ambition is a sin, " repliedthe nun. "Marriage is doubtless an institution ordained by Heaven; butit becomes a curse, and is repulsive to all pious feelings, when itunites those whose passion is made up of sensuality and selfishness. "

"You dare not impute such base considerations to me!" exclaimed Flora, her cheeks again flushing, but with the glow of conscious innocenceshamefully outraged by the most injurious suspicions. 

"Nay, daughter, " continued the nun, unmoved by the manner of the youngmaiden; "you are unable to judge rightly of your own heart. You possessa confidence in integrity of purpose, which is but a mental blindness onyour part. "

"Of what am I accused? and wherefore am I brought hither?" asked Flora, beginning to feel bewildered by the sophistry that characterized thenun's discourse. 

"Those who are interested in your welfare, " replied the nun evasively, "have consigned you to the care of persons devoted to the service ofHeaven, that your eyes may be opened to the vanity of the path which youhave been pursuing, but from which you are so happily rescued. "

"And where am I? is this the Convent of the Carmelites? why was Isubjected to all the alarms--all the mental tortures through which Ihave just passed?" demanded the young maiden, wildly and rapidly. 

"Think not that we have acted toward you in a spirit of persecution, "said the nun. "The mysteries which have alarmed you will be explained ata future period, when your soul is prepared by penance, self-mortification, and prayer to receive the necessary revelation. Inthe meantime, ask no questions, forget the world, and resolve to embracea life devoted to the service of Heaven. "

"To embrace a conventual existence!" almost shrieked the wretched girl. "Oh! no, never!"

"Not many days will elapse ere your mind will undergo a salutarychange, " said the nun, composedly. "But if you will follow me--as youappear to be somewhat recovered--I will conduct you to your celladjoining the Chamber of Penitence. "

Flora, perceiving that any further attempt to reason with the reclusewould be fruitlessly made, rose and followed her into a narrow, darkpassage, at the end of which was a door standing half open. 

The nun extinguished her lamp, and led the way into a large apartmenthung with black. At the further end there was an altar, surmounted by acrucifix of ebony, and lighted up with four wax candles, which onlyserved to render the gloom of the entire scene more apparent. 

At the foot of the altar knelt five women, half naked, and holdingscourges in their hands. 

"These are the penitents, " whispered the nun to Flora. "Pause for amoment and contemplate them. "

A minute elapsed, during which the five penitents remained motionless asstatues, with their heads bowed upon their bosoms, and their handshanging down by their sides, as if those limbs were lifeless--save inrespect to the hands that held the scourges. But, suddenly, one ofthem--a young and beautiful woman--exclaimed, in a tone of piercinganguish, "It is my fault! it is my fault! it is my fault!"--and theothers took up the wail in voices equally characteristic of heartfeltwoe. 

Then they lacerated their shoulders with the hard leathern thongs oftheir scourges; and a faintness came over Flora Francatelli when sheobserved the blood appear on the back of the young and beautifulpenitent who had given the signal for this self-mortification. 

The nun, perceiving the effect thus produced upon the maiden, touchedher upon the shoulder as a signal to follow whither she was about tolead; and, opening one of the several doors communicating with theChamber of Penitence, she said in a low whisper--"This is your cell. Maythe Virgin bless you!"

Flora entered the little room allotted to her, and the nun retired, simply closing, but not bolting the door behind her. 

A taper burnt before a crucifix suspended to the wall; and near it hunga scourge, from which last mentioned object Flora averted her eyes withhorror. 

A bed, a simple toilet-table, a praying-desk, and a single chair, completed the furniture of the cell, which was of very narrowdimensions. 

Seating herself on the bed, Flora burst into an agony of tears. 

What would her aunt think when she received the news of herdisappearance? for she could not suppose that any friendly feeling onthe part of her persecutors would induce them to adopt a course whichmight relieve that much-loved relative's mind concerning her. What wouldFrancisco conjecture? Oh! these thoughts were maddening!

Anxious to escape from them, if possible, the almost heartbroken girlproceeded to lay aside her garments and retire to rest. 

Physical and mental exhaustion cast her into a deep sleep; but thehorrors of her condition pursued her even in her dreams; so that whenshe awoke she was not startled to find herself in that gloomy cell. 

Casting her eyes around, she observed two circumstances which showed herthat some one had visited her room during the hours she slept; for a newtaper was burning before the crucifix, and her own garments had beenremoved, --the coarse garb of a penitent now occupying their place on thechair. 

"Oh! is it possible that I am doomed to bid farewell to the worldforever?" exclaimed Flora, in a voice of despair, as she clasped herhands convulsively together. 

CHAPTER XX. 

FRANCISCO AND NISIDA--DR. DURAS AND THE LETTER. 

The greatest confusion prevailed in the Riverola Palace, when, in themorning, the disappearance of Flora Francatelli was discovered. 

Nisida hastened, at an early hour, to her brother's apartment, andintimated to him the fact that she was nowhere to be found. 

Francisco, who was already dressed, was overwhelmed with grief at thisannouncement, and, in the first excess of excitement, conveyed to herhis intention of seeking the young maiden throughout the city. 

He was hastening to quit the room, when Nisida held him back, andintimated to him that his anxiety in this respect would createsuspicions injurious alike to his reputation and that of FloraFrancatelli--the more so, as she was but a menial in the household. 

Francisco paused and reflected for a few moments; then, having tenderlyembraced his sister, he hastily addressed her by the symbolic languagein which they were accustomed to converse:

"Pardon me, beloved Nisida, for having kept a secret from thee--the onlyone that my heart has ever so selfishly cherished. "

Nisida appeared to be profoundly astonished at this communication, andmade an impatient sign for him to proceed. 

"You will not be surprised at my anxiety to seek after the missinggirl, " he continued, "when I intimate to you that I love her--and that, next to yourself, she is dearer to me than I can express. "

"Your passion can scarcely be an honorable one, Francisco, " was thereproach conveyed by Nisida, while her countenance wore a correspondingexpression. 

"I would sooner die than harbor an injurious thought in respect to thatvirtuous and beautiful creature!" responded the young count, his faceflushed with the glow of generous emotions. "My happiness is intimatelyconnected with this attachment, Nisida, and I feel convinced that youwould rather forward my views than oppose them. "

"Yes, dear brother, " was the reply which she conveyed to him: "yourhappiness is my only consideration. "

But, as she gave this assurance, an ill-subdued sigh escaped her breast, and she compressed her lips tightly to crush the emotions that wereagitating her. A cloud evanescently appeared on the broad and marbleforehead; the penciled brows contracted, and the eyes flashedbrightly--oh! far more brightly than glanced the ray of the morning sunthrough the windows, upon the glossy surface of her luxuriant hair. Amomentary spasm seemed to convulse the full and rounded form; and thesmall, elegantly shaped foot which peered from beneath her flowing robe, tapped the floor twice with involuntary movement. 

Mistress as she usually was of even her most intense feelings, andwonderfully habituated by circumstances to exercise the most completecommand over her emotions, she was now for an instant vanquished by thegush of painful sentiments which crowded on her soul. 

Francisco did not, however, observe that transitory evidence of acutefeeling on the part of his sister--a feeling which seemed to partake ofthe nature of remorse, as if she were conscience-stricken!

For she loved her brother deeply--tenderly, but after the fashion of herown wild and wonderful disposition--a love that was not calculatedalways to prove friendly to his interests. 

Francisco paced the room in an agitated manner. 

At length he stopped near where his sister was standing, and intimatedto her that Flora might perhaps have repaired to the residence of heraunt. 

Nisida conveyed to him this answer: "The moment that I missed Flora erenow, I dispatched a domestic to her aunt's cottage; but she has not beenthere since Sunday last. "

"Some treachery is at work here, Nisida, " was the young count'sresponse. "Flora has not willingly absented herself. "

At this moment Francisco's page entered the apartment to announce thatDr. Duras was in the reception-room. 

The young count made a sign to his sister to accompany him; and theyproceeded to the elegant saloon where the physician was waiting. 

Having saluted the count and Nisida with his usual urbanity, Dr. Durasaddressed himself to the former, saying, "I have just learnt from yourlordship's page that the favorite attendant on your sister has mostunaccountably disappeared. "

"And both Nisida and myself are at a loss what to conjecture, or how toact, " replied Francisco. 

"Florence is at this moment the scene of dreadful crimes, " observed thephysician. "Yesterday morning a young female was murdered by a nearneighbor of mine----"

"I was astounded when I heard of the arrest of Signor Wagner on such acharge, " interrupted the count. "He was latterly a frequent guest atthis house: although, I believe, you never happened to meet him here?"

"No, " answered the physician; "but I saw him at the funeral of yourlamented father, and once or twice since in the garden attached to hismansion; and I certainly could not have supposed, from his appearance, that he was a man capable of so black a crime. I was, however, about toobserve that Florence is at this moment infested by a class of villainswho hesitate at no deed of turpitude. This Signor Wagner is a foreigner, possessed of immense wealth, the sources of which are totally unknown;and, moreover, it is declared that the sbirri, yesterday morning, actually traced the robber-captain Stephano to the vicinity of hismansion. All this looks black enough, and it is more than probable thatWagner was in league with the redoubtable Stephano and his banditti. Then the mysterious disappearance of Flora is, to say the least, alarming, for I believe she was a well conducted, virtuous, estimableyoung woman. "

"She was--she was indeed!" exclaimed Francisco. "At least, " he added, perceiving that the physician was somewhat astonished at the enthusiasmwith which he spoke--"at least, such is my firm impression; such, too, is the opinion of my sister. "

"The motive which brought me hither this morning, " said Dr. Duras, "wasto offer you a little friendly advice, which my long acquaintance withyour family, my dear count, will prevent you from taking amiss. "

"Speak, doctor--speak your thoughts!" cried Francisco, pressing thephysician's hand gratefully. 

"I would recommend you to be more cautious how you form an intimacy withstrangers, " continued Dr. Duras. "Rumor has a thousand tongues--and itis already reported in Florence that the alleged murderer was onfamiliar terms with the noble Count of Riverola and Lady Nisida. "

"The duke himself is liable to be deceived in respect to the realcharacter of an individual, " said Francisco proudly. 

"But his highness would not form hasty acquaintances, " replied thephysician. "After all, it is with the best possible feeling that I offeryou my counsel--knowing your generous heart, and also how frequentlygenerosity is imposed upon. "

"Pardon the impatience with which I answered you, my dear friend, "exclaimed the young count. 

"No pardon is necessary, " said the physician; "because you did notoffend me. One word more and I must take my leave. Crimes aremultiplying thickly in Florence, and Stephano's band becomes each daymore and more daring; so that it is unsafe to walk alone in the cityafter dusk. Beware how you stir unattended, my dear Francisco, atunseasonable hours. "

"My habits are not of that nature, " replied the count. "I, however, thank you cordially for your well-meant advice. But you appear toconnect the disappearance of Flora Francatelli, " he added, veryseriously, "with the dreadful deed supposed to be committed by SignorWagner!"

"I merely conjecture that this Wagner is associated with that lawlesshorde who have become the terror of the republic, " answered thephysician; "and it is natural to suppose that these wretches are guiltyof all the enormous crimes which have lately struck the city withalarm. "

Francisco turned aside to conceal the emotions which these remarksexcited within him; for he began to apprehend that she whom he loved sofondly had met with foul play at the hands of the bravoes and bandittiwhom Stephano was known to command. 

Dr. Duras seized that opportunity to approach Nisida, who was standingat the window; and as he thrust into her hand a note, which wasimmediately concealed in her dress, he was struck with surprise andgrief at the acute anguish that was depicted on her countenance. 

Large tears stood on her long, dark lashes, and her face was ashy pale. 

The physician made a sign of anxious inquiry; but Nisida, subduing heremotions with an almost superhuman effort, pressed his hand violentlyand hurried from the room. 

Dr. Duras shook his head mournfully, but also in a manner which showedthat he was at a loss to comprehend that painful manifestation offeeling on the part of one whom he well knew to be endowed with almostmiraculous powers of self-control. 

His meditations were interrupted by Francisco, who, addressing himabruptly, said, "In respect to the missing young lady, whose absencewill be so acutely felt by my sister, the only course which I can atpresent pursue, is to communicate her mysterious disappearance to thecaptain of police. "

"No time should be lost in adopting that step, " responded the doctor. "Iam about to visit a sick nobleman in the neighborhood of the captain'soffice: we will proceed so far in each other's company. "

The young count summoned his page to attend upon him, and then quittedthe mansion in company with the physician. 

In the meantime Nisida had retired to her own apartment, where she threwherself into a seat, and gave vent to the dreadful emotions which hadfor the last hour been agitating within her bosom. 

She wept--oh! she wept long and bitterly: it was terrible and strange tothink how that woman of iron mind now yielded to the outpourings of heranguish. 

Some time elapsed ere she even attempted to control her feelings; andthen her struggle to subdue them was as sudden and energetic as hergrief had a moment previously been violent and apparently inconsolable. 

Then she recollected the note which Dr. Duras had slipped into her hand, and which she had concealed in her bosom; and she hastened to peruse it. The contents ran as follows:

 "In accordance with your request, my noble-hearted and much-enduring friend, I have consulted eminent lawyers in respect to the will of the late Count of Riverola. The substance of their opinion is unanimously this: The estates are inalienably settled on yourself, should you recover the faculties of hearing and speaking at any time previous to your brother's attainment of the age of thirty; and should you enter into possession of the estates, and allow your brother to enjoy the whole or greater part of the revenues, in direct contradiction to the spirit of your father's will, the estates would become liable to confiscation by his highness the duke. In this case your brother and yourself would alike be ruined. 

 "Now, the advice that these lawyers give is this: A memorial should be addressed to his highness, exhibiting that you refuse to undergo any surgical treatment or operation for the restoration of the faculties of hearing and speech, inasmuch as you would not wish to deprive your brother of the enjoyment of the estates nor of the title conferred by their possession: that you therefore solicit a decree, confirming his title of nobility, and dispensing with the prerogative of confiscation on the part of the prince, should you recover the faculties of hearing and speech, and act in opposition to the will of your late father in respect to the power of alienating the estates from your own possession. 

 "Such, my generous-minded friend, is the counsel offered by eminent advocates; and, by the memory of your sainted mother, if not for the sake of your own happiness, I implore you to act in accordance with these suggestions. You will remember that this advice pretty accurately corresponds with that which I gave you, when, late on the night that the will was read, you quitted your sleepless couch and came to my dwelling to consult me on a point so intimately connected with your felicity in this world. 

 "Your sincerely devoted friend, "JERONYMO DURAS. "

While Nisida was occupied in the perusal of the first paragraph of thisletter, dark clouds lowered upon her brow; but as she read the secondparagraph, wherein the salutary advice of the lawyers was conveyed toher, those clouds rapidly dispersed, and her splendid countenance becamelighted up with joyous, burning, intoxicating hope!

It was evident that she had already made up her mind to adopt thecounsel proffered her by the eminent advocates whom the friendlyphysician had consulted on her behalf. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

THE SUBURB OF ALLA CROCE--THE JEW--THE ROBBER CHIEF'S LOVE. 

It was past the hour of ten on Saturday night, when a tall, powerfullybuilt man emerged from what might be termed the fashionable portion ofthe city of Florence, and struck into the straggling suburb of AllaCroce. 

This quarter of the town was of marvelously bad reputation, beinginfested by persons of the worst description, who, by herding, as itwere, together in one particular district, had converted the entiresuburb into a sort of sanctuary where crime might take refuge, and intowhich the sbirri, or police-officers, scarcely dared to penetrate. 

The population of Alla Croce was not, however, entirely composed ofindividuals who were at variance with the law, for poverty as well ascrime sought an asylum in that assemblage of forbidding-lookingdwellings, which formed so remarkable a contrast with the marblepalaces, noble public buildings, and handsome streets of the city ofFlorence itself. 

And not only did the denizens of penury and crushing toil, the artisans, the vine-dressers, the gardeners, the water-carriers, and the porters ofFlorence occupy lodgings in the suburb of Alla Croce, but even wealthypersons--yes, men whose treasures were vast enough to pay the ransom ofprinces--buried themselves and their hoards in this horribleneighborhood. 

We allude to that most undeservedly-persecuted race, the Jews--a raceendowed with many virtues and generous qualities, but whose charactershave been blackened by a host of writers whose narrow minds andilliberal prejudices have induced them to preserve all the exaggerationsand misrepresentations which tradition hands down in the Christian worldrelative to the cruelly-treated Israelite. 

The enlightened commercial policy of those merchant princes, the Medici, had, during the primal glories of their administrative sway in theFlorentine Republic, relaxed the severity of the laws against the Jews, and recognizing in the persecuted Israelites those grand trading andfinancial qualities which have ever associated the idea of wealth withtheir name, permitted them to follow unmolested their specific pursuits. 

But at the time of which we are writing--the year 1521--the prince whohad the reins of the Florentine Government, had yielded to therepresentations of a bigoted and intolerant clergy, and the Jews hadonce more become the subjects of persecution. The dissipated noblesextorted from them by menace those loans which would not have beengranted on the security proffered; and the wealthy members of the"scattered race" actually began to discover that they could reposegreater confidence in the refuse of the Florentine population than inthe brilliant aristocracy, or even in the famous sbirri themselves. Thushad many rich Jews established themselves in the quarter of Alla Croce;and by paying a certain sum to the syndic, or magistrate of thissuburb--a functionary elected by the inhabitants themselves, and invirtue of a law of their own enactment--the persecuted Israelitesenjoyed comparative security and peace. 

We now return to the man we left plunging into the suburbs of which wehave afforded a short and necessary account. 

This individual was dressed in simple attire, but composed of excellentmaterials. His vest was of dark velvet, slashed, but not embroidered;and on his breast he wore a jazeran, or mailed cuirass, which was notonly lighter than a steel corselet, but was equally proof againstponiard or pike. In his broad leather belt were stuck two pairs ofpistols, and a long dagger; a heavy broadsword also hung by his side. His black boots came up nearly to the knee--in contravention of theprevailing fashion of that age, when these articles of dress seldomreached above the swell of the leg. A large slouched hat, withoutplumage or any ornament, was drawn down as much as possible over hisfeatures; and the broad _mantello_, or cloak, was gathered round thebody in such a manner that it covered all the left side and the weaponsfastened in the belt, but left the sword arm free for use in any suddenemergency. 

Behind the wayfarer stretched the magnificent city of Florence, spreading over the deep vale, on both sides of the Arno, and, as usual, brilliant with light, like a world of stars shining in mimic rivalry ofthose that studded the purple vault above. 

Before him were the mazes of the Alla Croce, the darkness of whichsuburb was only interrupted by a few straggling and feeble lightsgleaming from houses of entertainment, or from huts whose povertyrequired not the protection of shutters to the casements. 

And now, as one of those faint lights suddenly fell upon the wayfarer'scountenance, as he passed the abode in which it shone--let us availourselves of the opportunity afforded by that glimpse, to state thatthis man's features were handsome, but coarse, bearing the traces of adissolute life. His age was apparently forty; it might even have been afew years more matured--but his coal-black hair, mustachio, and bushywhiskers, unstreaked by silver, showed that time sat lightly on hishead, in spite of the evident intimacy with the wine-cup above alludedto. 

Having threaded the greater portion of the suburb, which was almostknee-deep in mud--for it had been raining nearly all day, and had onlycleared up after sunset--the individual whom we have been describingstopped at the corner of a street, and gave a shrill whistle. 

The signal was immediately answered in a similar fashion, and in a fewminutes a man emerged from the darkness of a by-street. He also waswell-armed, but much more plainly dressed than the other; and hiscountenance was such as would not have proved a very friendly witness inhis favor in a court of justice. 

"Lomellino?" said the first individual whom we have described in thischapter. 

"Captain Stephano!" responded the other. 

"All right, my fine lad, " returned the bandit-captain. "Follow me. "

The two robbers then proceeded in silence until they reached a houselarger and stronger in appearance than any other in the same street. Theshutters which protected the casements were massive and strengthenedwith iron bars and huge nails, somewhat after the fashion of churchdoors. 

The walls were of solid gray stones, whereas those of the adjacent hutswere of mud or wood. In a word, this dwelling seemed a little fortressin the midst of an exposed and unprotected town. 

Before this house the robbers stopped. 

"Do you remain on the other side of the street, Lomellino, " said thebandit-chief; "and if need be, you will answer to my accustomed signal. "

"Good, captain, " was the reply; and Lomellino crossed over the way tothe deep shade of the houses on that side. 

Stephano then gave a low knock at the door of the well-defended dwellingabove described. 

Several minutes elapsed; and no sounds were heard within. 

"The old usurer is at home, I know, " muttered Stephano to himself; forthe moment he had knocked a gleam of light, peeping through a crevice inan upper casement, had suddenly disappeared. He now rapped more loudlyat the door with the handle of his heavy broadsword. 

"Ah! he comes!" muttered the bandit-chief, after another long pause. 

"Who knocks so late?" demanded a weak and tremulous voice from within. 

"I--Stephano Verrina!" cried the brigand pompously: "open--and fearnot. "

The bolts were drawn back--a chain fell heavily on the stone floorinside--and the door opened, revealing the form of an old andvenerable-looking man, with a long white beard. He held a lamp in hishand: and, by its fitful glare, his countenance, of the Jewish cast, manifested an expression denoting the terror which he vainly endeavoredto conceal. 

"Enter. Signor Stephano, " said the old man. "But wherefore here solate?"

"Late, do ye call it. Signor Isaachar?" ejaculated the bandit, crossingthe threshold. "Meseems there is yet time to do a world of business thisnight, for those who have the opportunity and the inclination. "

"Ah! but you and yours turn night into day, " replied the Jew, with achuckle intended to be of a conciliatory nature: "or rather you performyour avocations at a time when others sleep. "

"Every one to his calling, friend Isaachar, " said the brigand chief. "Come! have you not made that door fast enough yet? you will have toopen it soon again--for my visit will be none of the longest. "

The Jew having replaced the chains and fastened the huge bolts whichprotected the house-door, took up the lamp and led the way to a smalland meanly-furnished room at the back of his dwelling. 

"What business may have brought you hither to-night, good CaptainVerrina?" he inquired in a tone of ill-subdued apprehension. 

"Not to frighten thee out of thy wits, good Isaachar, " respondedStephano, laughing. 

"Ah! ha!" exclaimed the Jew, partially reassured: "perhaps you have cometo repay me the few crowns I had the honor to lend you--withoutsecurity, and without interest----"

"By my patron saint! thou wast never more mistaken in thy life, friendIsaachar!" interrupted the robber chief. "The few crowns you speak of, were neither more nor less than a tribute paid on consideration that mymen should leave unscathed the dwelling of worthy Isaachar ben Solomon:in other words, that thy treasures should be safe at least from them. "

"Well--well! be it so!" cried the Jew. "Heaven knows I do not grudge theamount in question--although, " he added slowly, "I am compelled to payalmost an equal sum to the syndic. "

"The syndic of Alla Croce and the captain of the banditti are two verydifferent persons, " returned Stephano. "The magistrate protects you fromthose over whom he has control: and I, on my side, guaranty you againstthe predatory visits of those over whom I exercise command. But let usto business. "

"Ay--to business!" echoed the Jew, anxious to be relieved from the stateof suspense into which this visit had thrown him. 

"You are acquainted with the young, beautiful, and wealthy Countess ofArestino, Isaachar?" said the bandit. 

The Jew stared at him in increased alarm, now mingled with amazement. 

"But, in spite of all her wealth, " continued Stephano, "she wascompelled to pledge her diamonds to thee, to raise the money wherewithto discharge a gambling debt contracted by her lover, the high-born, handsome, but ruined Marquis of Orsini. "

"How knowest thou all this?" inquired the Jew. 

"From her ladyship's own lips, " responded Stephano. "At least she toldme she had raised the sum to accommodate a very particular friend. Now, as the transaction is unknown to her husband, and as I am well assuredthat the Marquis of Orsini is really on most excellent terms with herladyship--moreover, as this same marquis did pay a certain heavygambling debt within an hour after the diamonds were pledged to you--itrequires but little ingenuity to put all these circumstances together, to arrive at the result which I have mentioned. Is it not so, Isaachar?"

"I know not the motive for which the money was raised, " answered theJew, wondering what was coming next. 

"Oh! then the money was raised with you, " cried Stephano, "andconsequently you hold the diamonds. "

"I did not say so--I----"

"A truce to this fencing with my words!" ejaculated the bandit, impatiently. "I have an unconquerable desire to behold thesediamonds----"

"You, good captain!" murmured Isaachar, trembling from head to foot. 

"Yes, I! And wherefore not? Is there anything so marvelous in a man ofmy refined tastes and exquisite notions taking a fancy to inspect thejewels of one of the proudest beauties of gay Florence? By my patronsaint! you should thank me that I come in so polite a manner to requesta favor, the granting of which I could so easily compel without all thistedious circumlocution. "

"The diamonds!" muttered the Jew, doubtless troubled at the idea ofsurrendering the security which he held for a very considerable loan. 

"Perdition seize the man!" thundered Stephano, now waxing angry. "Yes, the diamonds, I say; and fortunate will it be for you if they areproduced without further parley. "

Thus speaking the bandit suffered his cloak to fall from over his belt, and the Jew's quick eye recoiled from the sight of those menacingweapons, with which his visitor was armed, as it were, to the teeth. 

Then without further remonstrance, but with many profound sighs, Isaachar proceeded to fetch a small iron box from another room; and in afew moments the diamond case, made of sandal wood inlaid withmother-of-pearl, was in the bandit captain's hands. 

"Let me convince myself that it is all right!" exclaimed Stephano, examining the lid of the case. "Yes, there are the arms of Arestino, with the ciphers of the Countess, G. A. --Giulia Arestino--a very prettyname, by my troth! Ah, how the stones sparkle!" he cried, as he openedthe case. "And the inventory is complete, just as it was described to meby her ladyship. You are a worthy man, Isaachar, a good man; you willhave restored tranquillity to the mind of the beautiful countess, "continued Stephano, in a bantering tone: "and she will be enabled toappear at court to-morrow, with her husband. Good-night, Isaachar; mybrave men shall receive orders to the effect that the first who dares tomolest you may reckon upon swinging to the highest tree that I can findfor his accommodation. "

"You violate your compact, Signor Verrina!" exclaimed the Jew, his ragenow mastering his fears. "Wherefore should I pay you tribute to protectme, when you enter my house and rob me thus vilely?"

"In this case a lady is concerned, good Isaachar, " responded the bandit, calmly; "and you know that with all true cavaliers the ladies arepre-eminent. Once more, a fair night's repose, my much respectedfriend. "

Thus saying, Stephano Verrina rose from the seat on which he had beenlounging; and the Jew, knowing that altercation and remonstrance wereequally useless, hastened to afford the means of egress to so unwelcomea visitor. 

Stephano lingered a moment opposite the house until he heard the doorbolted and chained behind him; then crossing the street, he rejoined hisfollower, Lomellino. 

"All right, captain?" said the latter, inquiringly. 

"All right!" answered Stephano. "Poor Isaachar is inconsolable, nodoubt; but the countess will be consoled at his expense. Thus it is withthe world, Lomellino; what is one person's misery is another'shappiness. "

"Dost grow sentimental, good captain?" exclaimed the man, whose earswere entirely unaccustomed to such language on the part of his chief. 

"Lomellino, my friend, " answered Verrina, "when a man is smitten in acertain organ, commonly called the heart, he is apt to give utterance tothat absurdity which the world denominates sentiment. Such is my case. "

"You are, then, in love, captain?" said Lomellino, as they retracedtheir way through the suburb of Alla Croce. 

"Just so, " replied the bandit chief. "I will tell you how it happened. Yesterday morning, when those impertinent sbirri gave me a harder runthan I have ever yet experienced, I was fain to take refuge in thegarden of that very same Signor Wagner----"

"Who was yesterday arrested for murder?" interrupted Lomellino. 

"The identical one, " returned Stephano. "I concealed myself so well thatI knew I might bid defiance to those bungling sbirri--although theirscent was sharpened by the hope of the reward set on my head by theprince. While I thus lay hidden, I beheld a scene that would have donegood to the heart of even such a callous fellow as yourself--I meancallous to female qualifications. In a word, I saw one woman stabanother as effectually as----"

"But it was Wagner who killed the woman!" ejaculated Lomellino. 

"No such thing, " said Stephano quietly. "The murderess is of the gentlesex--though she can scarcely be gentle in disposition. And such asplendid creature, Lomellino! I beheld her countenance for a fewminutes, as she drew aside her veil that her eyes might glare upon hervictim; and I whispered to myself, 'That woman must be mine; she isworthy of me!' Then the blow descended--her victim lay motionless at herfeet--and I never took my eyes off the countenance of the murderess. 'She is an incarnate fiend, ' I thought, 'and admirably fitted to matewith the bandit captain. ' Such was my reflection then; and the lapse ofa few hours has only served to strengthen the impression. You may nowjudge whether I have formed an unworthy attachment!"

"She _is_ worthy of you, captain!" exclaimed Lomellino. "Know you whoshe is?"

"Not a whit, " replied Stephano Verrina. "I should have followed her whenshe left the garden, and complimented her on her proficiency in handlinga poniard, but I was not so foolhardy as to stand the chance of meetingthe sbirri. Moreover, I shall speedily adopt measures to discover whoand what she is; and when I present myself to her, and we comparequalifications, I do not think there can arise any obstacle to ourhappiness--as lovers are accustomed to say. "

"Then it was _she_ who murdered the Lady Agnes?" said Lomellino. 

"Have I not told you so? Signor Wagner is as innocent of that deed asthe babe unborn; but it is not for me to step forward in his behalf, andthereby criminate a lady on whom I have set my affections. "

"That were hardly to be expected captain, " returned Lomellino. 

"And all that I have now told thee thou wilt keep to thyself, " addedStephano; "for to none else of the band do I speak so freely as tothee. "

"Because no one is so devoted to his captain as I, " rejoined Lomellino. "And now that we are about to separate, " added the man, as they reachedthe verge of the suburb, which was then divided by a wide, open spacefrom the city itself, and might even be termed a detached village--"nowthat we are about to separate, captain, allow me to ask whether theaffair of Monday night still holds good?"

"The little business at the Riverola Palace, you mean?" said Stephano. "Most assuredly! You and Piero will accompany me. There is little dangerto be apprehended; and Antonio has given me the necessary information. Count Francisco sleeps at a great distance from the point where we mustenter; and as for his sister--she is as deaf as if she had her earssealed up. "

"But what about the pages, the lackeys----"

"Antonio will give them all a sleeping draught. Everything, " added therobber-chief, "is settled as cleverly as can be. "

"Antonio is your cousin, if I err not?" said Lomellino. 

"Something of the kind, " replied Stephano; "but what is better and morebinding--we are friends. And yet, strange to say, I never was within theprecincts of the Riverola mansion until the night before last, and--moresingular still--I have never, to my knowledge, seen any members of thefamily in whose service Antonio has been so long. "

"Why, Florence is not much honored with your presence during theday-time, " observed Lomellino; "and at night the great lords andhigh-born ladies who happen to be abroad, are so muffled up--the formerin their cloaks, the latter in their veils----"

"True--true; I understand all you would say, Lomellino, " interrupted thecaptain; "but you know how to be rather tedious at times. Here weseparate, I repair to the Arestino Palace, and you----"

"To the cavern, " replied Lomellino: "where I hope to sleep better than Idid last night, " he added. 

"What! a renewal of those infernal shriekings and screamings, that seemto come from the bowels of the earth?" exclaimed the captain. 

"Worse than ever, " answered Lomellino. "If they continue much longer, Imust abandon my office of treasure-keeper, which compels me to sleep inthe innermost room----"

"That cannot be allowed, my worthy friend, " interrupted the captain;"for I should not know whom to appoint in your place. If it were notthat we should not betray our own stronghold, " continued Stephano, emphatically, "we would force our way into the nest of our noisyneighbors, and levy such a tribute upon them as would put them on theirgood behavior for the future. "

"The scheme is really worth consideration, " remarked Lomellino. 

"We will talk more of it another time, " said the captain. "Good-night, Lomellino. I shall not return to the cavern until very late. "

The two banditti then separated--Lomellino striking off to the right, and Stephano Verrina pursuing his way toward the most aristocraticquarter of Florence. 

Upon entering the sphere of marble palaces, brilliantly lighted villas, and gay mansions, the robber chief covered his face with a black mask--amode of disguise so common at that period, not only amongst ladies, butalso with cavaliers and nobles, that it was not considered at allsuspicious, save as a proof of amatory intrigue, with which the sbirrihad no right of interference. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

THE COUNTESS OF ARESTINO. 

We must now introduce our readers to a splendid apartment in theArestino Palace. 

This room was tastefully decorated and elegantly furnished. The tapestrywas of pale blue; and the ottomans, ranged round the walls in Orientalstyle, were of rich crimson satin embroidered with gold. In the middlestood a table covered with ornaments and rich trinkets lately arrivedfrom Paris--for France already began to exercise the influence of itssuperior civilization and refinement over the south of Europe. 

The ceiling of that room was a master-piece of the united arts ofsculpture and painting. First, the hand of the sculptor had carved itinto numerous medallions, on which the pencil of the painter had thendelineated the most remarkable scenes in early Florentine history. Roundthe sides, or cornices, were beautifully sculptured in marble the headsof the principal ancestors of the Count of Arestino. 

It was within half an hour of midnight, and the beautiful GiuliaArestino was sitting restlessly upon an ottoman, now holding her breathto listen if a step were approaching the private door behind thetapestry--then glancing anxiously toward a clepsydra on the mantel. 

"What can detain him thus? will he deceive me?" she murmured to herself. "Oh! how foolish--worse than foolish--mad--to confide in the promise ofa professed bandit! The jewels are worth a thousand times the reward Ihave pledged myself to give him! wretched being that I am!"

And with her fair hand she drew back the dark masses of her hair thathad fallen too much over her polished brow: and on this polished browshe pressed that fair hand, for her head ached with the intensity ofmingled suspense and alarm. 

Her position was indeed a dangerous one as the reader is already aware. In the infatuation of her strong, unconquerable, but not less guiltylove for the handsome spendthrift Orsini, she had pledged her diamondsto Isaachar ben Solomon for an enormous sum of money, every ducat ofwhich had passed without an hour's delay into the possession of theyoung marquis. 

Those diamonds were the bridal gift of her fond and attached, but, alas!deceived husband, who, being many years older than herself, studiedconstantly how to afford pleasure to the wife of whom he was so proud. He was himself an extraordinary judge of the nature, purity and value ofprecious stones; and, being immensely rich, he had collected a perfectmuseum of curiosities in that particular department. In fact, it was hisamateur study, or, as we should say in these times, his peculiar hobby;and hence the impossibility of imposing on him by the substitution of ahired or a false set of diamonds for those which he had presented to hiswife. 

It was, therefore, absolutely necessary to get these diamonds back fromIsaachar, by fair means or foul. The fair means were to redeem them bythe payment of the loan advanced upon them; but the sum was so largethat the countess dared not make such a demand upon her husband's purse, because the extravagances of her lover had lately compelled her to applyso very, very frequently to the count for a replenishment of her funds. The foul means were therefore resorted to--an old woman, who had beenthe nurse of the countess in her infancy, and to whom in her distressshe applied for advice, having procured for the patrician lady theservices of Stephano Verrina, the bandit-captain. 

It is not to be wondered at, then, if the Countess of Arestino were aprey to the most poignant anxiety, as each successive quarter of an hourpassed without bringing either Stephano or any tidings from him. Even ifshe feigned illness, so as to escape the ceremony of the following day, relief would only be temporary, for the moment she should recover, oraffect to recover, her husband would again require her to accompany himto the receptions of the prince. 

Giulia's anguish had risen to that point at which such feelings becomeintolerable, and suggest the most desperate remedies--suicide, --when alow knock behind the pale-blue arras suddenly imparted hope to her soul. 

Hastily raising the tapestry on that side whence the sound had emanated, she drew back the bolt of a little door communicating with a privatestaircase (usually found in all Italian mansions at that period), andthe robber chief entered the room. 

"Have you succeeded?" was Giulia's rapid question. 

"Your ladyship's commission has been executed, " replied Stephano, who, we should observe, had laid aside his black mask ere he appeared in thepresence of the countess. 

"Ah! now I seem to live--breathe again!" cried Giulia, a tremendousweight suddenly removed from her mind. 

Stephano produced the jewel-case from beneath his cloak; and as thecountess hastily took it--nay, almost snatched it from him, heendeavored to imprint a kiss upon her fair hand. 

Deep was the crimson glow which suffused her countenance--her neck--evenall that was revealed of her bosom, as she drew haughtily back, and witha sublime patrician air of offended pride. 

"I thank you--thank you from the bottom of my soul, Signor Verrina, " shesaid in another moment; for she felt how completely circumstances hadplaced her in the power of the bandit-chief, and how useless it was tooffend him. "Here is your reward, " and she presented him a heavy purseof gold. 

"Nay, keep the jingling metal, lady, " said Stephano; "I stand in no needof it--at least for the present. The reward I crave is of a differentnature, and will even cost you less than you proffer me. "

"What other recompense can I give you?" demanded Giulia, painfullyalarmed. 

"A few lines written by thy fair hand to my dictation, " answeredStephano. 

Giulia cast upon him a look of profound surprise. 

"Here, lady, take my tablets, for I see that your own are not at hand, "cried the chief. "Delay not--it grows late, and we may be interrupted. "

"We may indeed, " murmured Giulia, darting a rapid look at thewater-clock. "It is within a few minutes of midnight. "

She might have added--"And at midnight I expect a brief visit fromManuel d'Orsini, ere the return of my husband from a banquet at afriend's villa. " But of course this was her secret; and anxious to ridherself of the company of Stephano, she took the tablets with tremblinghands and prepared to write. 

"I, Giulia, Countess of Arestino, " began the brigand, dictating to her, "confess myself to owe Stephano Verrina a deep debt of gratitude for hiskindness in recovering my diamonds from the possession of the JewIsaachar, to whom they were pledged for a sum which I could not pay. "

"But wherefore this document?" exclaimed the countess, looking up in asearching manner at the robber-chief; for she had seated herself at thetable to write, and he was leaning over the back of her chair. 

"'Tis my way at times, " he answered, carelessly, "when I perform someservice for a noble lord or a great lady, to solicit an acknowledgmentof this kind in preference to gold. " Then, sinking his voice to a lowwhisper, he added with an air of deep meaning, "Who knows but that thisdocument may some day save my head?"

Giulia uttered a faint shriek, for she comprehended in a moment howcruelly she might sooner or later be compromised through that document, and how entirely she was placing herself in the bandit's power. 

But Stephano's hand clutched the tablets whereon the countess had, almost mechanically, written to his subtle dictation; and he said, coolly: "Fear not, lady--I must be reduced to a desperate strait indeedwhen my safety shall depend on the use I can make of this fairhandwriting. "

Giulia felt partially relieved by this assurance: and it was withill-concealed delight that she acknowledged the ceremonial bow withwhich the bandit-chief intimated his readiness to depart. 

But at that moment three low and distinct knocks were heard at thelittle door behind the arras. 

Giulia's countenance became suffused with blushes: then, instantlyrecovering her presence of mind, she said in a rapid, earnest tone, "Hewho is coming knows nothing concerning the jewels, and will be surprisedto find a stranger with me. Perhaps he may even recognize you--perhapshe knows you by sight----"

"What would you have me do, lady?" demanded Stephano. "Speak, and I obeyyou. "

"Conceal yourself--here--and I will soon release you. "

She raised the tapestry on the side opposite to that by which Stephanohad entered the room; and the robber-chief hid himself in the wideinterval between the hangings in the wall. 

All this had scarcely occupied a minute; and Giulia now hastened to openthe private door, which instantly gave admittance to the young, handsome, and dissipated Marquis of Orsini. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

THE LOVE OF WOMAN--GIULIA AND HER LOVER. 

Silence, and calmness, and moonlight were without the walls of theArestino villa; for the goddess of night shone sweetly but coldly on thecity of Florence, and asserted her empire even over the clouds that erenow had seemed laden with storm. Nor beamed she there alone--that fairDiana; for a countless host of handmaidens--the silver-faced stars--hadspread themselves over the deep purple sky; and there--there--they allshone in subdued and modest glory--those myriads of beacons floating onthe eternal waves of that far-off and silent sea!

Shine on, sweet regent of the night--and ye, too, silver-faced stars, whose countenances are reflected and multiplied endlessly, as they arerocked to and fro, on the deep blue bosom of the Arno; while on thebanks of that widely-famed stream, Nature herself, as if wearied of hertoils, appears to be sleeping. 

Would that the soul of man could thus lie down in its night of sorrow orof racking passion, on the margin of the waters of hope, confident thatthe slumber of contentment and peace will seal his eyelids, heavy withlong vigils in a world where conflicting interests need constantwatching, and that the stillness of the unfathomable depths of thosewaters will impart its influence unto him!

For, oh! if calmness, silence, and moonlight prevail without the wallsof the Arestino villa, yet within there be hearts agitated by passionsand emotions, from which the gentle genius of slumber shrinks backaghast. 

In the brilliantly lighted apartment, to which we have alreadyintroduced our readers, the Countess Giulia receives her lover, thedissipated but handsome Marquis of Orsini; the bandit-captain isconcealed behind the richly-worked tapestry; and at the door--not thelittle private one--of that room, an old man is listening; an old manwhose ashy pale countenance, clinched hands, quivering white lips, andwildly rolling eyes indicate how terrible are the feelings which agitatewithin his breast. 

This old man was the Count of Arestino, one of the mightiest nobles ofthe republic. Naturally his heart was good, and his disposition kind andgenerous--but, then, he was an Italian--and he was jealous! Need we saymore to account for the change which had now taken place in his usuallycalm, tranquil, yet dignified, demeanor? Or shall we inform our readersthat at the banquet to which he had been invited at a friend's villathat evening, he had overheard two young nobles, in a conversation whichthe generous wine they had been too freely imbibing renderedindiscreetly loud, couple the names of Giulia Arestino, his ownmuch-loved wife, and Manuel d'Orsini, in a manner which suddenly exciteda fearful, a blasting suspicion in his mind? Stealing away unperceivedfrom the scene of revelry, the count had returned unattended to theimmediate vicinity of his mansion; and from the shade of a detachedbuilding he had observed the Marquis of Orsini traverse the gardens andenter a portico leading to the private staircase communicating with thatwing of the palace which contained the suit of apartments occupied byGiulia. 

This was enough to strengthen the suspicion already excited in the oldnobleman's mind; but not quite sufficient to confirm it. The countesshad several beautiful girls attached to her person; and the marquismight have stooped to an intrigue with one of them. The Lord of Arestinowas therefore resolved to act with the caution of a prudent man: but hewas also prepared to avenge, in case of the worst, with the spirit of anItalian. 

He hurried round to the principal entrance of his palace, and gave somebrief but energetic instructions to a faithful valet, who instantlydeparted to execute them. The count then ascended the marble staircase, traversed the corridors leading toward his lady's apartments, and placedhimself against the door of that one wherein Giulia had already receivedher lover. 

Thus, while silence, and calmness, and moonlight reign without--yetwithin the walls of the Arestino mansion a storm has gathered, toexplode fearfully. And all through the unlawful, but not less ardent, love of Giulia for the spendthrift Marquis of Orsini!

Sober-minded men, philosophic reasoners, persons of business-habits, stern moralists--all these may ridicule the poet or the novelist whomakes Love his everlasting theme; they may hug themselves, in the apathyof their own cold hearts, with the belief that all the attributes of thepassion have been immensely exaggerated; but they are in error, deeply, profoundly, indisputably in error. For Love, in its various phases, among which are Jealousy, Suspicion, Infidelity, Rivalry, and Revenge, has agitated the world from time immemorial--has overthrown empires, hasengendered exterminating wars, and has extended its despotic sway alikeover the gorgeous city of a consummate civilization, and the miserablewigwam of a heathen barbarism! Who, then, can wonder--if the theme ofLove be universal--that it should have evoked the rude and ironeloquence of the Scandinavian Scald as well as the soft and witchingpoesy of the bards of more genial climes, or that its praises or itssorrows should be sung on the banks of the Arno, the Seine, or theThames, as well as amidst the pathless forests of America, or theburning sands of Africa, or in the far-off islands of the Southern Seas. 

But, alas! it is thou, O woman! who art called on to make the most cruelsacrifices at the altar of this imperious deity--love! If thou lovesthonorably, 'tis well; but if thou lovest unlawfully how wretched is thyfate! The lover, for whose sake thou hast forgotten thy duties as awife, has sacrificed nothing to thee, whilst thou hast sacrificedeverything to him. Let the _amour_ be discovered, and who suffers? Thou!He loses not caste, station, name, nor honor;--thou art suddenly robbedof all these! The gilded saloons of fashion throw open their doors tothe seducer; but bars of adamant defend that entrance against theseduced. For his sake thou risketh contumely, shame, reviling, scorn, and the lingering death of a breaking heart, --for _thee_ he would notrisk one millionth part of all that! Shouldst thou be starving, say tohim, "Go forth and steal to give me bread; dare the dishonor of thedeed, and make the sacrifice of thy good name for me. Or go and forge, or swindle, or lie foully, so that thou bringest me bread; for have Inot dared dishonor, made the sacrifice of my good name, and done asmuch, ay, far more than all that, for thee?"

Shouldst thou, poor, seduced, weak one, address thy seducer thus, hewill look upon thee as a fiend-like tempter--he will rush from thysight--he will never see thee more; his love will be suddenly convertedinto hatred! Yes, man demands that woman should dishonor herself for_his_ sake; but he will not allow a speck to appear upon what he calls_his_ good name--no, not to save that poor, confiding, lost creaturefrom the lowest depths and dregs of penury into which her frailty mayhave plunged her!

Such is the selfishness of man! Where is his chivalry?

But let us return to the Arestino Palace. 

The moment Manuel d'Orsini entered the apartment by means of the privatedoor, he embraced Giulia with a fondness which was more than halfaffected--at least on that occasion--and she herself returned the kissless warmly than usual--but this was because she was constrained andembarrassed by the presence of the bandit-captain, who was concealedbehind the tapestry. 

"You appear cool--distant, Giulia, " said Manuel, casting upon her aninquiring glance. 

"And you either love me less, or you have something on your mind, "returned the countess, in a low tone. 

"In the first instance you are wrong--in the second you are right, mywell-beloved, " answered the marquis. "But tell me----"

"Speak lower, Manuel--we may be overheard. Some of my dependents are inthe adjacent room, and----"

"And you wish me to depart as soon as possible, no doubt?" said themarquis, impatiently. 

"Oh! Manuel--how can you reproach me thus?" asked Giulia, in a voicescarcely above a whisper; for that woman who dared be unfaithful to herhusband revolted from the thought that a coarse-minded bandit should bein a position to overhear her conversation with her lover:--"how can youreproach me thus, Manuel?" she repeated;--"have I not given thee all theproofs of tenderest love which woman can bestow? Have I not riskedeverything for thee?"

"I do not reproach you, Giulia, " he replied, pressing his hand to hisbrow, "but I am unhappy--miserable!"

And he flung himself upon the nearest ottoman. 

"Oh! what has occurred to distract thee thus?" exclaimed the countess, forgetting the presence of Stephano Verrina in the all-absorbinginterest of her lover's evident grief. 

"Am I ever to find thee oppressed with care--thee, who art so young--andso gloriously handsome?" she added, her voice suddenly sinking to awhisper. 

Manuel gazed for a few moments, without speaking, on the countenance ofhis mistress as she leant over him: then, in a deep, hollow tone--a tonethe despair of which was too real and natural to be in the slightestdegree affected, he said, "Giulia, I am a wretch, --unworthy of all thissweet love of thine!--I have broken the solemn vow which I pledgedthee--I have violated my oath----"

"Oh, Manuel!" ejaculated the countess, still forgetting the presence ofthe bandit: "thou hast----"

"Gambled once more--and lost!" cried the marquis wildly. "And the sumthat I am bound in honor to pay on Monday--by noon, is nearly equal inamount to that which thy generosity lent me the other day. "

"Holy Virgin aid you, my unhappy Manuel!" said Giulia. 

"For thou canst not?" exclaimed the young noble, with a profound sigh. "Oh! I am well aware that I have no claim upon thee----"

"Ah! wherefore that reproach?--for a reproach it is!" interrupted thecountess. "No claim on me! Hast thou not my heart? and in giving theethat, Manuel, I laid at thy feet a poor offering, which, though so poor, yet absorbs all others of which I may dispose! Do not reproach me, Manuel--for I would lay down my life to save thy soul from pain, or thyname from dishonor!"

"Now art thou my own Giulia!" cried the marquis, pressing her hand tohis lips. "An accursed fatality seems to hang over me! This habit ofgaming entraps me as the wine cup fascinates the bibber who would fainavoid it, but cannot. Listen to me for one moment, Giulia. In the publiccasino--which, as thou well knowest, is a place of resort where fortunesare lost and won in an hour--ay, sometimes in a minute--I have met a manwhose attire is good, and whose purse is well filled, but whosecountenance I like as little as I should that of the captain of thesbirri, or his lieutenant, if I had committed a crime. This individualof whom I speak--for I know not his name--was the favored votary of DameFortune who won of me that sum which thy kindness, Giulia, alone enabledme to pay but a few days past. And now am I a second time this man'sdebtor. An hour ago he entered the casino; he stayed but for tenminutes--and in that time----"

"Oh! Manuel, is not this conduct of thine something bordering onmadness?" interrupted the countess. "And if thou art thus wedded to thatfatal habit, how canst thou find room in thy heart for a single gleam ofaffection for me?"

"Now dost thou reproach me in thy turn, Giulia!" exclaimed the youngmarquis. "But believe me, my angel, " he continued, exerting all hispowers to bend her to his purpose, --"believe me when I declare--oh! mostsolemnly declare, by all that I put faith in, and by all I hope forhereafter--that could I be relieved from this embarrassment--extricatedfrom this difficulty----"

"Heavens! how can it be done?" interrupted the countess, casting hereyes wildly round; for the time was passing--she suddenly rememberedthat the bandit was still concealed in the room--and then, her husbandmight return earlier than was expected. 

"Oh! if you despair of the means, Giulia, " said the marquis, "I must flyfrom Florence--I must exile myself forever from the city of my birth, and which is still more endeared to me because, " he added, sinking hisvoice to a tender tone, --"because, my well-beloved, it contains thee!"

"No, Manuel--you must not quit Florence and leave a dishonored namebehind thee!" exclaimed this lovely woman, who was thus sublimelycareful of the reputation of him for whom she had so long compromisedher own. "What can be done? would that I had the means to raise thissum----"

"It is with shame that I suggest----" said Manuel. 

"What? Speak--speak! The means?"

"Thy jewels, dearest--thy diamonds----"

"Merciful heavens! if you did but know all!" cried Giulia, almostfrantically. "These diamonds were pledged to the Jew Isaachar benSolomon, to raise the sum with which thy last debt was paid, Manuel;and--but forgive me if I did not tell thee all this before--not half anhour has elapsed since----"

She stopped short; for she knew that the bandit overheard every syllableshe uttered. 

Nor had she time, even if she possessed the power, to continue her mostpainful explanation; for scarcely had she thus paused abruptly, when thedoor burst open, and the Count of Arestino stood in the presence of theguilty pair. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

THE INJURED HUSBAND--THE GUILTY WIFE--AND THE INSOLENT LOVER. 

In fury of heart and agony of mind, rushed the old lord into thatapartment. Oh! how had he even been able to restrain himself so long, while listening at the door? It was that the conversation between hiswife and the marquis had, as the reader is aware, been carried on in solow a tone--especially on the side of the countess, that he had not beenable to gather sufficient to place beyond all doubt the guilt of thatfair creature; and even in the midst of his Italian ire, he had clung tothe hope that she might have been imprudent--but not culpable, as yet!

Oh! in this case, how gladly would that old lord have forgiven the past, on condition of complete reformation for the future! He would haveremoved his young wife afar from the scene of temptation--to a distantestate which he possessed; and there by gentle remonstrances andredoubled attention, he would have sought to bind her to him by thelinks of gratitude and respect, if not by those of love. 

But this dream--so honorable to that old man's heart--was not to berealized; for scarcely was it conceived, when the discourse of theyouthful pair turned upon the diamonds--those diamonds which he hadgiven her on the bridal day!

Giulia spoke clearly and plainly enough _then_--in spite of the presenceof the bandit in that chamber; for she was about to explain to her loverhow willingly she would comply with his suggestion to raise upon thejewels the sum he again required--a readiness on her part which might becorroborated by the fact that she had already once had recourse to thisexpedient, and for _him_--but she dared not adopt the same course again, as her husband might detect the absence of the valuables ere she couldobtain funds to redeem them. 

When she acknowledged to her lover that "these diamonds were pledged tothe Jew Isaachar ben Solomon, to raise the sum with which his last debtwas paid, " it flashed to the old nobleman's mind that his wife hadexhibited some little confusion when he had spoken to her a day or twopreviously concerning her jewels: and now it was clear that they hadbeen used as the means to supply the extravagances of an unprincipledspendthrift. How could he any longer cling to the hope that Giulia wasimprudent only, and not guilty? Must she not be guilty, to have made solarge a sacrifice and run so great a risk for the sake of the Marquis ofOrsini?

It was under the influence of these excited feelings that the Count ofArestino burst into the room. 

Fortunately--so far as outward appearance went--there was nothing moreto confirm the old nobleman's suspicions; the youthful pair were notlocked in each other's arms; their hands were not even joined. Manuelwas seated on the sofa, and Giulia was standing at a short distance fromhim. 

But conscious guilt elicited a faint scream from her lips; and theboiling blood, after rushing to her countenance, seemed to ebb away asrapidly again--leaving her beauteous face as pale as marble; while sheclung to the mantel-piece for support. 

"I am glad that your lordship is returned, " said the marquis, risingfrom his seat and advancing toward the count in a manner so insolentlycool and apparently self-possessed, that Giulia was not only astonishedbut felt her courage suddenly revive: "I was determined--howeveruncourteous the intrusion and unseemly the hour--to await yourlordship's coming; and as her ladyship assured me that you would nottarry late----"

"My lord marquis, " interrupted the old nobleman, who was himself sotaken by surprise at this unembarrassed mode of address, that he beganto fancy his ears must have deceived him and his suspicions beguiledhim; "on what business could you possibly have needed my services atthis late hour?"

"I will explain myself, " returned Orsini, who was a perfect adept in theart of dissimulation, and who, never losing his presence of mind, embraced at a glance the whole danger of Giulia's position and his own, and the probability that their conversation might have been overheard;"I was explaining to her ladyship the temporary embarrassment underwhich I lay, and from which I hoped that your friendship might probablyrelease me----"

"And her ladyship spoke of her diamonds--did she not?" demanded thecount, addressing himself to the marquis, but fixing a keen andpenetrating glance on Giulia. 

"Her ladyship was remonstrating with me on my extravagancies, " hastilyreplied the marquis, "and was repeating to me--I must say in a mannertoo impressive to be agreeable--the words which my own sister had usedto me a few days ago, when explaining, as her motive for refusing me thesuccor which I needed, that she actually had been compelled to pledgeher diamonds----"

"Ah! they were your sister's diamonds that were pledged to Isaachar theJew?" said the count, half ironically and half in doubt; for he wasfairly bewildered by the matchless impudence of the young marquis. 

"Yes, my lord--my dear sister, who, alas! is ruining herself to supplyme with the means of maintaining my rank. And as my sister and herladyship, the countess, are on the most friendly terms, as you are wellaware, it is not surprising if she should have communicated the secretof the diamonds to her ladyship, and also beg her ladyship toremonstrate with me----"

"Well, my lord, " interrupted the count impatiently, "your own privateaffairs have no particular interest for me--at this moment; and as forany business on which you may wish to speak to me, I shall be pleased ifyou postpone it till to-morrow. "

"Your lordship's wishes are commands with me, " said Manuel, with apolite salutation. And having made a low bow to Giulia, he quitted theroom--not by the private door, be it well understood, but by that whichhad ere now admitted the Count of Arestino. 

The moment the door had closed behind the Marquis of Orsini, the countapproached his wife, and said in a cold, severe manner: "Your ladyshipreceives visitors at a late hour. "

He glanced as he spoke toward the dial of the clepsydra, and Giuliafollowed his look in the same direction; it was half an hour aftermidnight. 

"The marquis explained to your lordship, or partially so, the motive ofhis importunate visit, " said Giulia, endeavoring to appear calm andcollected. 

"The marquis is an unworthy--reckless--unprincipled young man, "exclaimed the count, fixing a stern, searching gaze upon Giulia'scountenance, as if with the iron of his words he would probe the depthsof her soul. "He is a confirmed gamester--overwhelmed with debts--andhas tarnished, by his profligacy, the proud name that he bears. Even thefriendship which existed for many, many years between his deceasedfather and myself, shall no longer induce me to receive at this house ayoung man whose reputation is all but tainted, even in a city ofdissipation and debauchery, such as, alas! the once glorious Florencehas become! For his immorality is not confined to gaming and wantonextravagance, " continued the count, his glance becoming more keen, ashis words fell like drops of molten lead upon the heart of Giulia; "buthis numerous intrigues amongst women--his perfidy to those confiding anddeceived fair ones----"

"Surely, my lord, " said the countess, vainly endeavoring to subdue thewrithings of torture which this language excited, --"surely the Marquisd'Orsini is wronged by the breath of scandal?"

"No, Giulia, he is an unprincipled spendthrift, " returned the count, whonever once took his eyes off his wife's countenance while he wasspeaking:--"an unprincipled spendthrift, " he added emphatically, --"a manlost to all sense of honor--a ruined gamester--a heartless seducer--ashame, a blot, a stigma upon the aristocracy of Florence;--and now thatyou are acquainted with his real character, you will recognize theprudence of the step which I shall take to-morrow--that is, to informhim that henceforth the Count and Countess of Arestino must decline toreceive him again at their villa. What think you, Giulia?"

"Your lordship is the master to command, and it is my duty to obey, "answered the countess; but her voice was hoarse and thick, the acutestanguish was rending her soul, and its intensity almost choked herutterance. 

"She is guilty!" thought the count within himself; and to subdue anabrupt explosion of his rage, until he had put the last and most certaintest to his lady's faith, he walked twice up and down the room; then, feeling that he had recovered his powers of self-control, he said, "To-morrow, Giulia, is the reception day of his highness the duke, and Ihope thou hast made suitable preparations to accompany me in the mannerbecoming the wife of the Count of Arestino. "

"Can your lordship suppose for an instant that I should appear in theducal presence otherwise than is meet and fitting for her who has thehonor to bear your name?" said Giulia, partially recovering her presenceof mind, as the conversation appeared to have taken a turn no longerpainful to her feelings--for, oh! cannot the reader conceive theanguish, the mortal anguish, she had ere now endured when her husbandwas heaping ashes on the reputation of her lover!

"I do not suppose that your ladyship will neglect the preparations dueto your rank and to that name which you esteem it an honor to bear, andwhich no living being should _dishonor_ with impunity!"

Giulia quailed--writhed beneath the searching glance which now literallyglared upon her. 

"Nevertheless, " continued the count, "I was fearful you might haveforgotten that to-morrow is the reception day. And while I think of it, permit me to examine your diamonds for a few minutes--to convince myselfthat the settings are in good order, as you know, " he added, with astrange, unearthly kind of laugh, "that I am skilled in the jewelers'craft. "

The old man paused; but he thought within himself, "Now what subterfugecan she invent if my suspicions be really true, and if my ears did notere now deceive me?"

How profound then was his astonishment, when Giulia, with the calm andtranquil demeanor which innocence usually wears, but with the least, least curl of the upper lip, as if in haughty triumph, leisurely anddeliberately drew the jewel-case from beneath the cushion of the ottomanwhereon she was seated, and, handing it to him, said, "Your lordshipperceives that I had not forgotten the reception which his highnessholds to-morrow, since I ere now brought my diamonds hither to selectthose which it is my intention to wear. "

The count could have pressed her hand as he took the case in his own--hecould have fallen at her feet and demanded pardon for the suspicionswhich he had entertained, for it now seemed certain beyond allpossibility of doubt, that the explanation volunteered by the marquiswas a true one--yes, he could have humbled himself in her presence--buthis Italian pride intervened, and he proceeded to examine the diamondswith no other view than to gain time to reflect how he should accountfor the abrupt manner in which he had entered the room ere now, and forthe chilling behavior he had maintained toward his wife. 

On her side Giulia, relieved of a fearful weight of apprehension, wasonly anxious for this scene to have a speedy termination, that she mightrelease the robber-captain from his imprisonment behind the tapestry. 

Three or four minutes of profound silence now ensued. 

But suddenly the count started, and uttered an ejaculation of mingledrage and surprise. 

Giulia's blood ran cold to her very heart's core, she scarcely knew why. 

The suspense was not, however, long--though most painful; for, dashingthe jewel-case with its contents upon the table, the old noblemanapproached her with quivering lips and a countenance ghastly white, exclaiming, "Vile woman! thinkest thou to impose upon me thus? Thediamonds I gave thee are gone--the stones set in their place arecounterfeit!"

Giulia gazed up toward her husband's countenance for a few moments in amanner expressive of blank despair; then falling on her knees beforehim, clasping her hands together, she screamed frantically, "Pardon!pardon!"

"Ah! then it is all indeed too true!" murmured the unhappy nobleman, staggering as if with a blow: but, recovering his balance, he stampedhis foot resolutely upon the floor, and drawing himself up to his fullheight, while he half averted his eyes from his kneeling wife, heexclaimed: "Lost--guilty--abandoned woman, how canst thou implore pardonat my hands? For pardon is mercy, and what mercy hast thou shown to me?Giulia, I am descended from an old and mighty race, and traditionaffords no room to believe that any one who has borne the name ofArestino has dishonored it--until now! Oh! fool--dotard--idiot that Iwas to think that a young girl could love an aged man like me! For oldage is a weed, which, when twined round the plant of love, becomes likethe deadly nightshade, and robs the rose-bush of its health! Alas! alas!I thought that in my declining years, I should have one to cheer me, onewho might respect me, if she could not love me--one who would manifestsome gratitude for the proud position I have given her--and theboundless wealth that it would have been my joy to leave her. And nowthat hope is gone--withered--crushed--blighted, woman, by thy perfidy!Oh! wherefore did you accompany the old man to the altar, if only todeceive him? Wherefore did you consent to become his bride, if but toplunge him into the depth of misery? You weep! Ah! weep on; and allthose tears, be they even so scalding as to make seams on that too fairface, cannot wipe away the stain which is now affixed to the haughtyname of Arestino! Weep on, Giulia; but thy tears cannot move me now!"

And the old lord's tone changed suddenly from the deep, touching pathosof tremulousness to a stern, fixed, cold severity, which stifled thegerms of hope that had taken birth in the heart of his guilty wife. 

"Mercy! mercy!" she shrieked, endeavoring to grasp his hand. 

"No!" thundered the Count of Arestino; and he rang violently a silverbell which stood upon the table. 

"Holy Virgin, what will become of me? For what fate am I destined?"implored Giulia, frantically. 

The old nobleman approached her, gazed on her sternly for nearly aminute, then bending down said, in a hollow, sepulchral tone:

"Thou art doomed to eternal seclusion in the convent of the Carmelites!"

He then turned hastily round and advanced to the door, to which stepswere already distinctly heard drawing near in the corridor. 

For an instant Giulia seemed paralyzed by the dreadful announcement thathad been made to her; but suddenly a ray of hope flashed on her mind, and darting toward that part of the tapestry behind which the robber wasconcealed, she said, in a low and rapid tone:

"Thou hast heard the fate that awaits me. I charge thee to seek Manueld'Orsini, and let him know all. "

"Fear not, lady; you shall be saved!" answered Stephano, in a scarcelyaudible but yet profoundly emphatic whisper. 

She had only just time to turn away when the count's faithful valet, accompanied by three nuns, wearing their black veils over their faces, entered the room. 

Half an hour afterward the Carmelite Convent received another inmate. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

THE MARQUIS OF ORSINI. 

Upon quitting the Arestino palace, the Marquis of Orsini suddenly lostthat bold, insolent, self-sufficient air with which he had endeavored todeceive the venerable count, whose wife he had dishonored. 

For dishonor now menaced _him_!

Where could he raise the sum necessary to liquidate the debt which hehad contracted with the stranger at the Casino, or gaming-house? And asthe person to whom he found himself thus indebted _was_ a stranger--atotal stranger to him, he had no apology to offer for a delay in thepayment of the money due. 

"Perdition!" he exclaimed aloud, as he issued rapidly from the groundsattached to the Arestino mansion; "is there no alternative save flight?Giulia cannot assist me--her jewels are gone, they are pledged to theJew Isaachar--she was telling me so when the count broke in upon us. What course can I adopt? what plan pursue? Shall the name of Orsini bedishonored--that proud name which for three centuries has beenmaintained spotless? No, no--this must not be!"

And in a state of most painful excitement--so painful, indeed, that itamounted almost to a physical agony--the marquis hastened rapidlythrough the mazes of the sleeping city, reckless whither he was going, but experiencing no inclination to repair to his own abode. 

The fact of the diamonds of his mistress having been pledged to Isaacharben Solomon was uppermost in his mind: for the reader must remember thathe was unaware of the circumstance of their restoration to Giulia--as itwas at the moment when she was about to give him this explanation thatthe old Lord of Arestino had interrupted their discourse. 

The diamonds, then, constituted the pivot on which his thoughts nowrevolved. They seemed to shine like stars amidst the deep haze whichhung upon his mind. Could he not possess himself of them? The name ofOrsini would be dishonored if the gambling debt were not paid; and onebold--one desperate step might supply him with the means to save himselffrom the impending ruin--the imminent disgrace. 

But as the thoughts encouraged by those simple words--"thediamonds"--assumed a more palpable shape in his imagination, he shrankback dismayed from the deed which they suggested: for gamester, debauchee, spendthrift as he was, he had never yet perpetrated an actthat could be termed a crime. The seduction of the Countess of Arestinowas not a crime in his estimation--oh! no, because man may seduce, andyet may not be dishonored in the eyes of the world. It is his victim, orthe partner of his guilty pleasure, only, who is dishonored. Such is thelaw written in society's conventional code. Vile, detestable, unjustlaw!

To weigh and balance the reasons for or against the perpetration of acrime, to pause only for an instant to reflect whether the deed shall orshall not be done--this is to yield at once to the temptation. Thedesperate man who hovers hesitatingly between right and wrong, invariably adopts the latter course. 

And Manuel of Orsini was not an exception to the general rule. 

Silence, and calmness, and moonlight were still spread over the City ofFlowers, while the marquis pursued the path leading to the suburb ofAlla Droce. And the silver-faced stars shone on--shone on, brightly andsweetly, as the young nobleman knocked at the well-protected door ofIsaachar ben Solomon. 

For a long time his summons remained unanswered; and he repeated itseveral times ere it received the slightest attention. 

At last a casement was opened slowly on the upper story; and the Jewdemanded who sought admittance at that hour. 

"'Tis I, the Marquis of Orsini!" exclaimed the nobleman. 

"A thousand pardons, my lord; I come directly, " answered the Jew, notdaring to offend a scion of the omnipotent aristocracy of Florence, yetfilled with some misgivings, the more painful because they were so vagueand undefined. 

In a few moments Manuel was admitted into the abode of Isaachar benSolomon, who carefully barred and bolted the door again, ere he eventhought of alleviating his acute suspense by inquiring the nobleman'sbusiness. 

"Deign to enter this humble apartment, my lord, " said the Jew, atlength, as he conducted the marquis into the same room where he had afew hours previously received the bandit-captain. 

"Isaachar, " exclaimed Manuel, flinging himself upon a seat, "you beholda desperate man before you!"

"Alas! my lord, what can a poor, aged, and obscure individual likemyself do to assist so great and powerful a noble as your lordship?"said the Jew in a trembling tone. 

"What can you do?" repeated the marquis: "much--everything, old man! Butlisten patiently, for a few moments only. A noble lady's fame, honor, reputation are at stake; and I am the guilty, unhappy cause of thedanger that threatens her. To minister to my necessities she has pledgedher jewels----"

"Yes, yes, my lord--I understand, " said Isaachar, trembling from head tofoot, "'tis a plan by no means unusual nowadays in Florence. "

"Her husband suspects the fact, and has commanded her to produce herdiamonds to-morrow----"

"Her diamonds!" articulated the Jew in a stifling tone. 

"Yes, _her diamonds_, " exclaimed Manuel emphatically; "and they are inyour possession. Now do you understand me?"

"I--I--my lord----"

"Let us not waste time in idle words, Isaachar, " cried the marquis. "Will you permit this scandal to be discovered, and involve the Countessof Arestino--myself--ay, and _yourself_, old man, in danger, and perhapsruin? Perhaps, did I say? Nay, that ruin is certain to fall upon_her_--certain also to overwhelm _you_--for the Count of Arestino is acouncilor of state, and, " added Manuel, with slow, measured emphasis, "_the dungeons of the inquisition open at his commands_ to receive theheretic or the Jew!"

Isaachar ben Solomon vainly endeavored to reply; fear choked hisutterance; and he sank trembling and faint upon a low ottoman, where hesat, the picture of dumb despair. 

"Ruin, then, awaits the countess, ruin, and the inquisition yawn toingulf you; and dishonor in having involved that noble lady in such alabyrinth of perils attends upon me, " continued Orsini, perceiving thathis dark threats had produced the effect which he desired. 

"My lord--my lord, " gasped the unfortunate Israelite, who could notclose his eyes against the truth, the terrible truth of the prospectsubmitted to his contemplation. 

"It is for you to decide against the ruin of one, two, three persons, yourself being he who will, if possible, suffer most, " resumed themarquis, impressively--"it is, I say, for you to decide between exposureand the inquisition on one hand, and the surrender of those paltrydiamonds on the other!"

"The diamonds, the diamonds, they are gone!" exclaimed the Jew, hisvoice becoming almost frantic with the wild hope that suddenly struckhim of being able to shift the danger from his own head to that ofanother. "The captain of banditti, Stephano Verrina, was here a fewhours ago, here, in this very room, and he sat where your lordship nowsits!"

"Well, well?" cried the marquis, impatiently; for his heart began togrow sick with the fear of disappointment in respect to his plan ofobtaining the diamonds of his mistress. 

"And Stephano Verrina took them from me--basely, vilely, wrenched themas it were from my grasp!" continued the Jew. 

"'Tis false! a miserable subterfuge on your part!" ejaculated themarquis, starting from his seat and striding in a menacing manner towardIsaachar ben Solomon. 

"'Tis true!--I will give your lordship the proof!" cried the Jew: andManuel fell back a few paces. "Stephano came and told me all. He saidthat the countess had pledged her jewels for the sake of her lover--ofyou, my lord--you, the Marquis of Orsini. 'Twas to pay a gambling debtwhich your lordship had contracted; and that debt was paid within anhour or two from the moment when the sum was advanced on the diamonds. Moreover, " continued Isaachar, still speaking in a rapid, excitedtone--"moreover, Stephano was hired by the countess to regain them fromme!"

"Liar!" thundered the marquis, again rushing toward the defenseless oldman. 

"Patience, my lord--patience for an instant--and you will see that I amno utterer of base falsehoods. The robber-captain examined the diamondscarefully--yes, most carefully--and, while occupied in the scrutiny, helet drop expressions which convinced me that he was hired by thecountess. 'The inventory is complete, ' he said, 'just as it wasdescribed to me by her ladyship. You are a worthy man, Isaachar, ' headded; 'you will have restored tranquillity to the mind of thisbeautiful countess; and she will be enabled to appear at court to-morrowwith her husband. ' Now does your lordship believe me?"

The marquis was staggered; for several minutes he made no answer. Was itpossible that the Countess of Arestino could have employed the dreadedchieftain of the Florentine banditti to wrest her diamonds from thepossession of Isaachar? or had the Jew invented the tale for an obviouspurpose? The latter alternative scarcely seemed feasible. How couldIsaachar have learned that the sum raised was for the payment of agambling debt? Giulia would not have told him so. Again, how had helearned that this debt had been paid within an hour or two after themoney was procured? and how had he ascertained that the countess hadactually required her diamonds to accompany her husband the count?

"Perdition!" ejaculated Orsini, bewildered by conflicting ideas, suspicions, and alarms: and he paced the room with agitated steps. 

Nearly a quarter of a hour elapsed--the silence being occasionallybroken by some question which the marquis put to the Jew, and to whichthe latter had his reply ready. And each question thus put, and everyanswer thus given, only served to corroborate Isaachar's tale, andbanish hope still further from the breast of the ruined nobleman. 

At length the latter stopped short--hesitated for a few moments, as ifwrestling with some idea or scheme that had taken possession of hismind;--then turning abruptly toward the Jew, he said in a deep, hollowtone--"Isaachar, I need gold!"

"Gold--gold, my lord!" ejaculated the Jew, all his fears returning;"surely--surely, my lord, her ladyship will supply you with----"

"Fool--dolt!" cried the marquis, terribly excited; "do you not see thatshe herself is menaced with ruin--that the villain Stephano must havekept the diamonds for himself? that is, granting your tale to betrue----"

At this moment there was an authoritative knock at the house-door. 

"This is Stephano Verrina himself!" exclaimed the Jew. "I know hismanner of knocking with the rude handle of his sword. What can he want?What will become of me?"

"Stephano Verrina, say you?" cried the marquis, hastily. "Then admit himby all means; and the possession of the diamonds of the countess shallbe disputed between him and me at the sword's point. "

Manuel d'Orsini was naturally brave, and the desperate position in whichhe was placed, rendered his tone and bearing so resolute--so determined, that Isaachar feared lest blood should be shed in his dwelling. 

"My lord--my lord, " he said in an imploring tone, "depart, or concealyourself----"

"Silence, signor!" ejaculated the marquis; "and hasten to admit thecaptain of banditti. I have heard much of Stephano Verrina, and wouldfain behold this formidable chieftain. "

The Jew proceeded, with trembling limbs and ghastly countenance, to obeythe orders of the marquis; and in a few moments he returned to the room, accompanied by Stephano Verrina. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

A COMBAT--THE DESPISED AND PERSECUTED ISRAELITE. 

Isaachar had taken away the lamp with him to give admission to thebandit, and the marquis had remained for a few instants in the dark. 

When the Jew reappeared, bearing the light, Orsini's first and naturalimpulse was to cast a rapid, searching glance at the brigand captain. Atthe same moment this individual burst into a loud, coarse, joyous laugh;and the marquis, to his profound surprise, recognized in StephanoVerrina the person with whom he had twice played so unsuccessfully atthe gambling house. 

"Good, my lord!" exclaimed Verrina, flinging himself upon the ottomanwhich the Jew had ere now occupied; "there is not in all Florence a manwhom I would rather have encountered than yourself. "

"You are somewhat pressing for the trifle--the miserable trifle in whichI am indebted to you, signor, " said the marquis haughtily; "seeing thatscarce two hours have elapsed since I lost the amount at the casino. "

"Pshaw! who alluded to the affair, save yourself?" cried Stephano. "Itwas for another motive----"

"Yes; and I also wished to see Signor Stephano Verrina for anothermotive, " exclaimed Manuel emphatically. 

"Ah! then you know me, my lord?" said the bandit. "And yet methought Iwas a stranger to you, although you were none to me at the casino. "

"You were a stranger until now, " continued Orsini; "but Isaachar knew bythe knock which you dealt so lustily on his door, who was his visitor. "

"And your lordship was desirous to see me?"

"Very much so. I believe you expressed a similar wish?"

"Precisely, my lord, " returned Stephano. "But as you hold the higherrank in the world, precedence in the way of explanation belongs to yourlordship. "

"It is rather an explanation which I seek, than one which I have togive, " rejoined Manuel, in a cold but resolute manner. "In a word, mybusiness with thee is touching the diamonds of the Duchess of Arestino. "

"And my business with your lordship is touching the countess herself, "observed Verrina, also in a cool and deliberate manner. 

"Ah!" cried the marquis, with a sudden start. 

"Yes, my lord. But this is no place for explanations on that head, "added Stephano, glancing toward the Jew. 

"I understand you, signor; we must confer alone, " said the marquis. "Wewill go out together presently; but in the meantime, one word concerningthe diamonds which the Countess of Arestino----"

"Employed me to procure for her, " exclaimed Stephano, finishing thenobleman's sentence for him. "I presume that old Isaachar here hasinformed you of the particulars of my previous visit to him thisnight--or rather last night, for it is now the Sabbath morning. "

"I am well informed of those particulars, Sir Captain, " returned Manuel;"but I would fain know what has become of the jewels which you obtainedfrom Isaachar. "

"I might with reason question your lordship's right to catechise me----"

"Ah! villain--would you dare?" exclaimed the marquis, his countenancebecoming flushed with rage: for he imagined that the robber chief wastrifling with him. "Far as you are beneath me--wide as is the gulf thatseparates the Marquis of Orsini from the proscribed bravo--yet will Icondescend to wreak upon thee, base-born as thou art, that vengeancewhich the law has not yet been able to inflict. "

And Manuel unsheathed his weapon with such rapidity that the polishedblade of Milan steel flashed like lightning in the glare of the lamp. 

"Since this is your object, I will bear with your humor, " mutteredStephano, starting from his seat and drawing his heavy sword. 

"My lord--good Signor Verrina--in mercy--not here--I implore----"ejaculated the Jew, speaking in a piteous tone, and wringing his handsin alarm at this hostile demonstration. 

"Stand back!" thundered the bandit chief; and the Jew retreated to themost remote corner of the room, where he fell upon his knees and beganto offer up prayers that no blood would be spilt--for he was a humaneand kind-hearted man. 

The marquis and the captain of banditti crossed their weapons; and thecombat began. The former was lighter, younger, and therefore, moreactive than his opponent; but the latter was far more experienced in theuse of his sword; and, moreover, the space was too narrow to enable themarquis to gain any advantage from his superior agility. The fightlasted about ten minutes, when the bandit parried a desperate thrustthat was made at him by his opponent, and at the next moment wounded themarquis in the sword arm. The weapon fell from Manuel's hand, and hestood at the mercy of his conqueror. 

"You are wounded, my lord--and the blood is flowing!" cried Stephano. "Hasten, friend Isaachar--and fetch water, bandages----"

"It is nothing--a mere scratch, " exclaimed the marquis, tearing awaywith his left hand the right sleeve of his doublet, and displaying atolerably severe gash, which ran down the forearm lengthwise, and fromwhich the blood trickled on the floor. "Be kind enough to bind it withmy scarf, Signor Verrina, and let us continue in a more peaceful mannerthe discourse which has been somewhat rudely interrupted. "

Isaachar, however, supplied water in an ewer, and linen bandages; andthe old man, forgetting the object of Manuel's predatory visit to hisabode, hastened himself to wash and bind up the wounded arm. 

"Thou art a good Jew--and hast something of the feeling of the Christianin thee, " said the marquis, when the operation was completed. 

"Didst thou ever suppose that different creeds made different hearts, mylord?" asked the old man, in a half melancholy, half reproachful tone. 

"Isaachar, I shall not forget this kindness on your part, " said themarquis, blushing with shame at himself, when he reflected on thepurpose for which he had sought the Jew's dwelling. "Heaven knows it isnot in my power to reward you with gold; but whenever I may henceforthhear your race traduced, reckon upon me as its champion. "

The old man cast a look of gratitude upon the marquis; and, after somelittle hesitation, he said in a tremulous tone, "Your lordship hintedere now--at least methought I understood as much--that you requiredgold. I take Father Abraham above to witness that I am not so rich as yeChristians deem me to be; but--since your lordship can say a kind wordof the Jew--I--I will lend you such sum as you may need--withoutinterest--without bond----"

Orsini, in whose breast all generous feeling had not been entirelycrushed by the vices which had proved his ruin, extended his lefthand--for his right now hung in a sling--to the kind-hearted Jew, exclaiming, "There is the signor to whom I am indebted, worthy Isaachar;it is for him to say whether he will press me immediately for the sumthat I have fairly lost to him with the dice. "

"Not I!" ejaculated Stephano, in his blunt, coarse manner. "Andtherefore your lordship need not lay yourself under any obligation tothe Jew, who, after all, is a worthy signor in his way. "

"Yes, " exclaimed the marquis, "I shall ever lie under an obligation tohim; nor shall I be ashamed to proclaim the fact in the presence of allFlorence. "

"And now, my lord, " resumed Stephano, "I will give you that explanationrelative to the diamonds which you might have had without bloodshed; butpatience and aristocracy are as much at variance as a thief and theheadsman. Read this paper, my lord; it is not the worst testimonialwhich I could produce in proof of good character. "

And he handed to the marquis the document which he had compelled theCountess of Arestino to sign. 

Manuel read it with astonishment. 

"Then she _has_ the diamonds in her possession!" he exclaimed; "and youmust have seen her since I was there!"

"My lord, " replied Stephano, as he received back the paper, "I was atthe Arestino Palace ere now, at the same time, and in the same room, asyourself. But this is a mystery I will explain presently. As for thediamonds--Isaachar here can tell your lordship what he has done with the_real_ stones, for those that I received from him which I handed to herladyship were _false_. "

Orsini glanced toward the Jew, who was now pale and trembling. 

"It was to make inquiries on this point, " continued Stephano, "that Icame here on the present occasion. And to speak truly, it was also withthe intention of making the old Israelite disgorge his plunder. "

"Plunder!" repeated the Jew, in a tone almost of indignation, in spiteof the terror with which the bandit-captain inspired him. "Did I notlend my good golden ducats upon those diamonds? and must I be blamed, ifknowing--ah! knowing too well, the base artifices of which many of eventhe best-born Florentine nobles and great ladies are capable, must I beblamed, I say, if aware of all this, I adopted a device which thewickedness of others, and not our own, has rendered common amongst thoseof our race who traffic in loans upon jewels and precious stones. "

"Isaachar speaks naught save the pure truth, " remarked Orsini, blushingat the justice which dictated these reproaches against the aristocracywhereof he was a member. "Signor Verrina, " he continued, "you are abrave man--and I believe you to be a generous one. Confirm this opinionon my part, by refraining from further molestation toward the Jew, andthou wilt doubly render me thy debtor. "

"Be that as you will, my lord, " grumbled the bandit-chief. "And now letus depart--for I have much to communicate to your lordship. "

"I am ready to accompany you, " returned the marquis, putting on hisplumed hat, and settling his cloak with his left hand. 

"One word, my lord, " said Isaachar, in his habitual nervous andtrembling tone. "Should the Countess of Arestino _really_ need herdiamonds--_really_ need them, my lord--I--should not--object--that is, my lord, " he added in a firmer voice, as if ashamed at the hesitationwith which he was expressing his readiness to do a good action, "I willat once give them up to her, trusting to her ladyship's honor to pay memy moneys at her most befitting convenience. "

"Her ladyship does not require them now!" exclaimed the bandit-chief, emphatically. 

The marquis looked at Stephano inquiringly, for there was somethingominously mysterious in his words; but the brigand stalked in a doggedmanner toward the door, as if anxious to hurry the departure so longprotracted, and Manuel, having renewed the expressions of his gratitudetoward Isaachar ben Solomon, hastily followed Verrina from the house. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

STEPHANO AND THE MARQUIS--THE STRONGHOLD OF THE BANDITTI. 

The moment Stephano and the marquis were alone together in the openstreet the former related all the incidents which had occurred at theArestino Palace after the departure of Manuel himself; and the youngnobleman now learned, with feelings of remorse and sorrow, that theunfortunate countess had been hurried away to the convent of theCarmelites--that species of inquisition the gates of which so seldomopened more than once for each new female victim. 

"But you promised to save her, signor!" he exclaimed, with enthusiasticwarmth. 

"I gave this pledge in the manner described to your lordship, " returnedVerrina, "and I shall not swerve from it. "

"Think you that her liberation can be effected?" demanded Manuel. "Remember that the convent is protected by the highest personages in thestate--that violence never will succeed in accomplishing the object--forshould an armed man dare to pass that sacred threshold, every sbirro inFlorence would fly to the spot----"

"It is, then, your lordship who is afraid of attempting the rescue ofthe countess!" interrupted Stephano, in a contemptuous tone. 

"That observation is hardly fair, Signor Verrina, " said the youngnobleman; "considering that my right arm is disabled, and that the woundwas received in combat with yourself. "

"I crave your lordship's pardon, " exclaimed the bandit-captain. "Myremark was most uncourteous--particularly to one who has ere now givenno equivocal proof of his valor. But I pretend not to courtly manners;and such as I am you will find me faithfully devoted to your service andthat of the Lady Giulia. The attempt to rescue her will be somewhathazardous; it is, however, tolerably sure of success. But it can only beundertaken on certain conditions; and these regard your lordship's self. Indeed, had I not so opportunely met you at the Jew's house, I shouldhave sent one of my fellows to you to-morrow. "

"In what way do the conditions that you speak of, regard myself?"inquired the marquis. 

"To this extent, " returned the robber-chief; "that you accompany me tomy stronghold, wherever it may be; that you join us in any project orplan that may be undertaken with a view to liberate the Countess ofArestino; and that you remain with us until such project or plan beattempted; then, whether it succeed or fail, you shall be at liberty totake your departure. "

"Agreed!" exclaimed Manuel; "and now permit me to ask you onequestion:--On what ground do you manifest this interest in behalf of thecountess and myself? You are well aware that from me you have little tohope in the shape of reward; and that the countess will be in no bettercondition than myself to recompense you, even if you succeed ineffecting her rescue. "

"I am well aware of this, my lord, " answered Stephano; "and I will giveyou an explanation of my motives as frankly as you solicit it. In thefirst place it suits my projects to make friends as much as possiblewith nobles and great ladies; as no one can say how or when suchinterest may be available to me or to those connected with me. Secondly, I am not sorry to have an excuse for paying a visit to the CarmeliteConvent; and in case of failure, it will be as well to have a Florentinenoble amongst us. Because the statutes of our glorious Republic aresomewhat unequal in their application; thus, for instance, if a plebeiancommit sacrilege, he is punished with death; but a patrician is merelyreprimanded by the judge and mulcted in a sum which is devoted toreligious purposes. In this latter case, too, the companions of thepatrician are punished only as he himself is. Now, therefore, yourlordship's presence amongst us will be a guarantee for our safety. Lastly, for I have another and less selfish motive, I admire the spiritwith which your lordship spends money, drinks a flagon of good wine, andloses your thousands at dice; for saving your lordship's presence, thereis much in all those facts which finds sympathy with my owninclinations. Thus, everything considered, Stephano Verrina and fifty asgallant fellows as ever bore the name of banditti, are completely atyour lordship's service, and that of the dear lady who has the goodtaste to prefer a dashing roistering blade like yourself, to a gentlemanno doubt very worthy of esteem, but certainly old enough to be herfather. "

The marquis made no reply to this tirade; but he reflected profoundlyupon all that the robber-chieftain said as they walked leisurely alongthrough the suburb of Alla Croce, and toward the city. 

He reflected because he now saw all the dangers that were associatedwith the step he was taking, the chance of being arrested with the wholeband of lawless freebooters, and the dishonor that would attach itselfto his name, were such an event to occur. But on the other hand, Giuliawas immured in consequence of her love for him; and his naturallychivalrous disposition triumphed over selfish considerations. Could herliberation be effected, he would fly with her into another state; andthe revenues arising from her own little patrimony which had beensettled on herself at her marriage would enable them to livecomfortably, if not affluently. And who could tell but that her husbandmight die intestate? and then all his wealth would become hers by law. 

Thus did he reason with himself. 

"Well, my lord--you do not reply?" exclaimed the robber-captain, impatient of the long silence which had followed his explanations. "Areyou content to abide by the conditions I ere now proposed?"

"Perfectly content, " answered the marquis. 

He knew that it was useless to reason with the brigand against thespoliation of the convent, which he had more than hinted at; for it wasnot likely that the robbers would incur so great a risk as that involvedin the sacrilegious invasion of the sacred establishment, unless it werewith the hope of reaping an adequate reward. 

The bandit-chief and the young nobleman had now reached the boundary ofthe city; but instead of entering the streets, they turned abruptly tothe right, Stephano acting as guide, and plunged into a thick grove ofevergreens. 

"Here, my lord, " said Stephano, stopping short, "you must consent to beblindfolded. "

"And wherefore?" demanded Manuel, indignantly. "Think you that I shallbetray the secrets of your dwelling, wherever and whatever it may be?"

"I entertain no such base suspicion, " returned Verrina. "But we bandittiare governed by a code of laws which none of us--not even I, thechief--dare violate. To the observance of this code we are bound by anoath of so deadly--so dreadful a nature, that bold and reckless as weare, we could not forget _that_. And I should alike break our laws anddepart from my oath, were I to conduct an uninitiated stranger to ourstronghold otherwise than blindfolded. "

"I offer no further opposition, Signor Verrina, " said the marquis. "Fixon the bandage. "

Stephano tied his scarf over the nobleman's eyes, and then conducted himslowly through the mazes of the grove. 

In this manner they proceeded for nearly a quarter of an hour, when theystopped, and Stephano, quitting Manuel's hand, said in a low tone, "Stand still just where you are for a moment, while I give the signal, and do not move a single step--for it is a dangerous neighborhood. "

About half a minute elapsed, during which it struck Manuel that he hearda bell ring far--far under ground. The sound was very faint: but stillhe felt convinced that he did hear it, and that it appeared to come fromthe bowels of the earth. 

But he had not much time for reflection; for Stephano once more took hishand, saying, "You are now about to descend a flight of steps. "

They proceeded downward together for some distance, when the stepsceased, and they pursued their way on a flat surface of pavement; butthe echoes of their footsteps convinced the marquis that he was treadinga subterranean cavern or passage. 

Presently a huge door, sounding as if it were made of iron, was closedbehind them, and Stephano exchanged a few words in a whisper with someone who spoke to him at that point. Then they descended a few moresteps, and at the bottom another door was banged heavily, when they hadpassed its threshold, --the echoes resounding like pistol-shotsthroughout the place. 

For a few minutes more did they proceed on another level-paved floor:and then the gurgling rush of a rapid stream met the ears of themarquis. 

"Be careful in following me, " said Stephano; "for you are about to crossa narrow bridge, my lord--and one false step is destruction. "

Slowly they passed over the bridge, which seemed to be a single plank ofabout thirty feet in length and excessively narrow, he had no doubt, both from the caution which he had received and the elasticity of thatdangerous pathway. 

On the opposite side, the level-paved surface was continued; and at theexpiration of another minute, heavy folding-doors closed behind them. 

"Take off the bandage, my lord, " said Stephano, as he untied the knotwhich fastened the scarf at the back of the young nobleman's head. 

The Marquis of Orsini gladly availed himself of this permission; andwhen the bandage fell from his eyes, he found himself in a spaciouscavern, paved with marble, hung with rich tapestry, and lighted by fourchandeliers of massive silver. 

Six pillars of crystal supported the roof, and rendered the luster ofthe chandeliers almost insupportably brilliant by means of reflection. 

In the midst of this subterranean apartment stood a large table, coveredwith flagons, empty wine flasks, and drinking-cups; but the revelers hadretired to rest--and the marquis and Stephano were alone in thatbanqueting-hall. 

"Follow me, my lord, " said the bandit-captain; "and I will conduct youto a place where you will find as dainty a couch as even a nobleman soaccustomed to luxury as your lordship need not despise. "

Thus speaking Stephano opened an iron door at the end of the hall, andled the way along a narrow and low corridor, lighted by lamps placed inniches at short intervals. At the end of this corridor he knocked atanother door, which was opened in a few moments by a man who hadevidently been aroused from his slumber. 

"I bring a guest, Lomellino, " said Verrina. "See that his lordship bewell cared for. "

Stephano then retraced his way along the corridor, and Lomellino closedand bolted the iron door. 

But no pen can describe the astonishment of the marquis when he foundhimself in a spacious room, heaped all around with immense riches. Massive plate, splendid chandeliers, gorgeous suits of armor and martialweapons incrusted with gold or set with precious stones, chalices anddishes of silver, bags of money piled in heaps, an immense quantity ofjewelry spread upon shelves, and an infinite assortment of the richestwearing apparel--all these, suddenly bursting upon the young nobleman'sview by the light of a lamp suspended to the roof, produced an effect atonce brilliant and astounding. 

When Lomellino addressed him with a request to follow whither he shouldlead, it seemed as if some rude voice were suddenly awaking him from adelicious dream--save that the cause of his pleasure and wonder wasstill present. Then, ashamed at having allowed himself to be soattracted by the spectacle of boundless wealth around him, he followedLomellino to an alcove at the further end of the caverned room, and theentrance of which was covered by a purple velvet curtain, richly fringedwith gold. 

Within were two beds, having a screen between them. These couches wereof the most comfortable description, and such as in those times were notusually seen elsewhere than in the dwellings of the wealthy. Near eachbed stood a toilet-table and wash-stand, with ewers of massive silverand towels of fine linen; and to the walls hung two largemirrors--articles of exclusive luxury at that period. The floor wasrichly carpeted, and a perfumed lamp burned in front of the dial of awater-clock. 

Lomellino respectfully informed the marquis that one division of thealcove was at his service; and Manuel was too much wearied by theadventures of the evening not to avail himself of the information. 

The brigand seeing that he was wounded, but without asking any questionsas to the cause, proffered his aid to divest the marquis of his upperclothing; and at length the young nobleman was comfortably stretched inone of the voluptuous beds. 

Sleep had just closed his eyelids, and he had even already entered upona vision of fairy enchantment, --doubtless conjured up to his imaginationby the gorgeous spectacle of the treasure-room, --when he was startled byscreams which appeared to issue from the very wall of the alcove, at thehead of his bed. 

He listened--and those screams became more and more piercing in theirnature, although their tone was subdued, as if by the existence of athick intervening partition. 

"Holy Virgin! what sounds are those?" he exclaimed, more in pity than infear--for they were unmistakably female shrieks which he heard. 

"Perdition seize on those Carmelite nuns!" cried Lomellino; "they seemto have got another victim!"

"_Another victim!_" murmured the marquis falling back in his bed, a preyto the most torturing feelings; and then his lips framed the sweet andtender name of "GIULIA!"

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

A FEARFUL ACCUSATION. 

Fair and beauteous art thou, O City of Flowers! with thy domes andspires, and turrets overlooking the Arno's silver stream, and crowdingtogether in that river's classic pale; surrounded, too, by oak-coveredhills, and cypress groves, and gardens of olives and evergreens, andpresenting to the view of the spectator who stands on the lofty summitof Monte Senario, so vast an assemblage of palaces as to justify thesaying of Ariosto, that it seemed as if the very soil produced them!

Or seen from the olive-crowned hill of Fesole, consecrated by the geniusof Milton, how glorious is thy rich combination of beauty, thou Athensof Etruria!

The sun dawned upon the eventful night, the incidents of which haveoccupied so many chapters. The golden flood poured upon the Florentinescene, so fair even in winter, bathing in yellow luster the mighty domeof the cathedral of St. Mary, the ducal palace on its left, and thecupola of the Medicean chapel on its right, and bringing out into strongrelief against the deep foliage of the evergreens the marble fronts ofpalaces, villas, and convents, seated amidst the hills, or scatteredthrough the vale--the whole affording a rich and varied view, as ifeternal summer reigned in that delightful region and beneath the purplecanopy of that warm Italian sky!

Alas! that the selfish interests, dark passions, conflicting feeling, clashing aims, and black, black crimes of men should mar the serenityand peace which ought to maintain an existence congenial to this scene!

Scarcely had the orient beams penetrated through the barred casements ofthe Jew Isaachar's house in the suburb of Alla Croce, when the old manwas awakened from a repose to which he had only been able to withdraw acouple of hours previously, by a loud and impatient knocking at hisgate. 

Starting from his couch, he glanced from the window, and, to his dismay, beheld the lieutenant of police, accompanied by half a dozen of histerrible sbirri, and by an individual in the plain, sober garb of acitizen. 

A cold tremor came over the unhappy Israelite, for he knew that thisofficial visit could bode him no good: and the dread of havingencountered the resentment of the Count of Arestino, immediatelyconjured up appalling scenes of dungeons, chains, judgment-halls andtortures, to his affrighted imagination. 

The dark hints which Manuel d'Orsini had dropped relative to thepossibility of the count's discovering the affair of the diamonds, andthe certain vengeance that would ensue, flashed to the mind of Isaacharben Solomon; and he stood, as it were, paralyzed at the window, gazingwith the vacancy of despair upon the armed men, on whose steel morionsand pikes the morning sunbeams now fell in radiant glory. 

The knocking was repeated more loudly and with greater impatience thanbefore; and Isaachar, suddenly restored to himself, and remembering thatit was dangerous as well as useless to delay the admittance of those whowould not hesitate to force a speedy entry, huddled on his garments, anddescended to the door. 

The moment it was opened, the sbirri and the citizen entered; and thelieutenant, turning shortly round upon the Jew, said, "His Excellencythe Count of Arestino demands, through my agency, the restoration ofcertain diamonds which his lordship has good reason to believe are inyour possession. But think not that his lordship is desirous ofplundering you of these jewels which you hold as security for certainmoneys advanced, for here is the gold to repay thee. "

Thus speaking, the lieutenant produced from beneath his cloak a heavybag of gold; and Isaachar, now considerably relieved of hisapprehensions, led the way into the apartment where he had received theMarquis of Orsini and Stephano de Verrina during the past night. 

"Hast thou heard my message, Israelite?" demanded the lieutenant. 

"Yes, yes; and his lordship is a worthy man--an estimable man. Nooppressor of the poor defenseless Jew is he! Would that Florenceabounded in such nobles as the Count of Arestino!"

"Cease thy prating, Jew, and let us dispatch this business, " cried theofficer. "You see, " he added, glancing toward his men, "that with theseat my disposal, the ransacking of your dwelling would be a light andeasy matter. "

"I will not render it necessary, " returned the Jew. "Tarry ye here a fewmoments and the diamonds shall be delivered up. "

Isaachar proceeded into another apartment, the lieutenant following himas far as the passage to see that he did not escape. When the old manreturned, he had a small rosewood case in his hand: and from this box heproduced the stones which had been extracted from the settings the veryday the jewels were first mortgaged to him. 

"Now, signor, " said the lieutenant, turning to the citizen in the plainsober garb, "as you are the diamond merchant of whom his lordship thecount originally purchased the precious stones which have been traced tothe possession of Isaachar, it is for you to declare whether those bethe true diamonds or not. "

The citizen examined the stones, and having pronounced them to be thegenuine ones, took his departure, his services being no longer required. 

The lieutenant secured the rosewood case with its valuable contentsabout his person, and then proceeded to settle with interest the amountclaimed by the Jew, as the sum which he had advanced on the jewels. 

While this transaction was in progress, the notice of one of the sbirriwas attracted by the marks of blood which appeared on the floor, andwhich, as the reader will recollect, had been caused by the wound thatthe Marquis of Orsini had received from the robber Stephano. 

"It is decidedly blood, " whispered the sbirro to one of his companions. 

"Not a doubt of it, " observed another. "We must mention it to thelieutenant when he has done counting out that gold. "

"Do you know what I have heard about the Jews?" asked the first speaker, drawing his comrades still further aside. 

"What?" was the general question. 

"That they kill Christian children to mix the blood in the dough withwhich they make the bread used at their religious ceremonies, " answeredthe sbirro. 

"Depend upon it. Isaachar has murdered a Christian child for thatpurpose!" said one of his companions. 

This atrocious idea gained immediate belief among the ignorant sbirri;and as the Jew now quitted the room for a few moments to secure the goldwhich he had just received, in his coffer in the adjacent apartment, thepolice officers had leisure to point out to their superior the traces ofblood which they had noticed, and the suspicion which these marks hadengendered. 

The lieutenant was not further removed beyond the influence of popularprejudice and ridiculous superstition than even his men: and though byno means of a cruel disposition, yet he thought it no sin nor injusticeto persecute the Hebrew race, even when innocent and unoffending. But, now that suspicion, or what he chose to consider suspicion, pointed atIsaachar ben Solomon as a dreadful criminal, the lieutenant did nothesitate many moments how to act. 

Thus, when the Jew returned to the room with the fond hope of seeing hisvisitors take their speedy departure, he was met by the terrible words, uttered by the officer of the sbirri. "In the name of the most highinquisition, Isaachar, do I make you my prisoner!"

The unhappy Jew fell upon his knees, stunned, terrified by the appallingannouncement; and although he assumed this attitude of supplication, hehad not the power to utter a syllable of intercession or of prayer. Horror had for the moment stricken him dumb: and a thousand images ofterror, conjured up by the fearful words, "the inquisition, " suddenlysprung up to scare, bewilder and overwhelm him. 

"Bind him, gag him!" ejaculated the lieutenant: and this order wasimmediately obeyed: for whenever a prisoner was about to be conveyed tothe dungeons of the inquisition, he was invariably gagged, in order thatno questions on his part might evoke answers at all calculated to affordhim a clew to the cause of his arrest. 

This precaution was originally adopted in reference to those only whowere ignorant of the charges laid against them: but it had subsequentlybecome common in all cases of arrest effected in the name or on the partof the holy brotherhood. 

The Palazzo del Podesta, or ducal palace, was one of the most celebratededifices in Florence. In strong contrast with the various beautifulspecimens of composite Tuscan, combined with a well-assimilated portionof the Grecian character, which abounded in Florence, the ducal palacewas remarkable for the stern and gloomy character of its architecture. Its massive and heavy tower, crowned with embattled and overhangingparapets, seemed to frown in sullen and haughty defiance at the lapse ofTime. The first range of windows were twelve feet from the ground, andwere grated with enormous bars of iron, producing a somber and ominouseffect. Within were the apartments of the duke's numerous dependents;and the lower portion of the palace had been rendered thus strong toenable the edifice to withstand a siege in those troublous times, whenthe contentions of the Guelphs and Ghibelines desolated Florence. On thesecond floor there was in front a plain and simple architrave, and onthat story the windows were high and arched; for those casementsbelonged to the ducal apartments. The upper stories were in the samestyle; but the general aspect was stern and mournful to a degree. 

The palace was built, as indeed nearly all the Florentine mansions thenwere, and still are, in the form of a square; and around this court, which was of an antique and gloomy cast, were numerous monumentalstones, whereon were inscribed the names of the nobles and citizens whohad held high offices in the state previous to the establishment of thesway of the Medici. 

It was beneath the Palazzo del Podesta that the dungeons of the criminalprison and also those of the inquisition were situated. 

In a cell belonging to the former department, Fernand Wagner was alreadya captive; and Isaachar ben Solomon now became the inmate of a narrow, cold, and damp stone chamber, in that division of the subterrane whichwas within the jurisdiction of the holy office. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

THE VISIT OF THE BANDITTI TO THE RIVEROLA PALACE. 

It was Monday night, and within an hour of the time appointed byStephano for the meditated invasion of the Riverola Palace. 

Francisco had already retired to rest, for he was wearied with vain andineffectual wandering about the city and its environs in search of sometrace that might lead him to discover his lost Flora. 

Indeed, the few days which had now elapsed since her mysteriousdisappearance had been passed by the young count in making everypossible inquiry and adopting every means which imagination couldsuggest to obtain a clew to her fate. But all in vain. And never for amoment did he suspect that she might be an inmate of the CarmeliteConvent, for, although he was aware of the terrible power wielded bythat institution, yet feeling convinced that Flora herself was incapableof any indiscretion, it never struck him that the wicked machinations ofanother might place her in the custody of the dreaded Carmelite abbess. 

We said that Francisco had retired to rest somewhat early on theabove-mentioned night, and the domestics, yielding to the influence of asoporific which Antonio, the faithless valet, had infused into the winewhich it was his province to deal out to them under the superintendenceof the head butler, had also withdrawn to their respective chambers. 

Nisida had dismissed her maids shortly before eleven, but she did notseek her couch. There was an expression of wild determination, of firmresolve, in her dark black eyes and her compressed lips which denotedthe courage of her dauntless but impetuous mind. For of that mind thelarge piercing eyes seemed an exact transcript. 

Terrible was she in the decision of her masculine--oh! even more thanmasculine--character, for beneath that glorious beauty with which shewas arrayed beat a heart that scarcely knew compunction, or that, at allevents, would hesitate at nothing calculated to advance her interests orher projects. 

Though devoured with ardent passions, and of a temperament naturallyvoluptuous and sensual even to an extreme, she had hitherto remainedchaste, as much for want of opportunity to assuage the cravings of hermad desires, as through a sentiment of pride--but since she had lovedWagner--the first and only man whom she had ever loved--her warmimagination had excited those desires to such a degree, that she feltcapable of making any sacrifice, save one--to secure him to herself. 

And that one sacrifice which she could not make was not her honor: no, of that she now thought but little in the whirlwind of her impetuous, ardent, heated imagination. But, madly as she loved Fernand Wagner--thatis, loved him after the fashion of her own strange and sensualheart--she loved her brother still more; and this attachment was atleast a pure, a holy sentiment, and a gloriously redeeming trait in thecharacter of this wondrous woman, of a mind so darkly terrible. 

And for her brother's sake it was that there was one sacrifice--asacrifice of a tremendous, but painfully persevered-in project--whichshe would not make even to her love for Fernand Wagner! No, rather wouldshe renounce him forever--rather would she perish, consumed by theraging fires of her own ungratified passions, than sacrifice one tittleof what she deemed to be her brother's welfare to any selfish feeling ofher own!

Wherefore do we dwell on this subject now?

Because such was the resolution which Nisida vowed within her own heart, as she stood alone in her chamber, and fixed her eyes upon a document, bearing the ducal seal that lay upon the table. 

That document contained the decision of his highness in respect to thememorial which she had privately forwarded to him in accordance with theadvice given her a few days previously by Dr. Duras. The duke lost notime in vouchsafing a reply; and this reply was unfavorable to the hopesof Nisida. His highness refused to interfere with the provisions of thelate count's will; and this decision was represented to be final. 

Therefore it was that Nisida solemnly vowed within herself to perseverein a course so long ago adopted, and ever faithfully, steadily, sternlyadhered to since the day of its commencement; and, as if to confirmherself in the strength of this resolution, she turned her eyes withadoring, worshiping look toward the portrait of her maternal parent, those eloquent, speaking orbs seeming almost to proclaim the words whichher lips could not utter, "Yes, mother--sainted mother! thou shalt beobeyed!"

Then she hastily secured the ducal missive in an iron box where she wasin the habit of keeping her own private papers, and which opened with asecret spring. 

But did she, then, mean to renounce her love for Wagner? Did shecontemplate the terrible alternative of abandoning him in hismisfortune, in his dungeon?

No--far from that! She would save him if she could; she would secure himto herself, if such were possible; but she would not sacrifice to theseobjects the one grand scheme of her life, that scheme which had formedher character as we now find it, and which made her stand alone, as itwere, among the millions of her own sex!

And it was to put into execution the plan which she had devised toeffect Wagner's freedom, that she was now arming herself with all theresolution, all the magnanimity, all the firmness with which hermasculine soul was capable. 

The dial on the mantel in the chamber marked the hour of eleven; andNisida commenced her preparations. 

Having divested herself of her upper garment, she put on a thin, butstrong, and admirably formed corselet, made so as to fit the precisecontour of her ample bust, and completely to cover her bosom. Then sheassumed a black velvet robe, which reached up to her throat, andentirely concealed the armor beneath. Her long flexible dagger was nextthrust carefully into a sheath formed by the wide border of herstomacher; and her preparations for defense in case of peril werecompleted. 

She now took from a cupboard six small bags, which were neverthelessheavy, for they were filled with gold; and these she placed on a table. Then seating herself at that table, she wrote a few lines on severalslips of paper, and these she thrust into her bosom. 

Having accomplished her arrangements thus far, the Lady Nisida took alamp in her hand, and quitted her apartments. 

Ascending a staircase leading to the upper story, she paused at one ofseveral doors in a long corridor, and slowly and noiselessly drew thebolt, by which that door might be fastened outside. 

This was Antonio's room; and thus, by Nisida's precaution, was he made aprisoner. 

She then retraced her way to the floor below, and proceeded to theapartment in which her father breathed his last, and where themysterious closet was situated. 

No one until now had entered that room since the day of the late count'sfuneral; and its appearance was gloomy and mournful in the extreme; notonly on account of the dark, heavy hangings of the bed, and the drawncurtains of the windows, but also from the effect of the ideasassociated with that chamber. 

And as Nisida glanced toward the closet-door, even she trembled, and hercountenance became ashy pale; for not only did she shudder at thethought of the horrors which that closet contained, but through herbrain also flashed the dreadful history revealed to her by themanuscript--of which, however, only a few lines have as yet beencommunicated to the reader. But she knew all--she had read the whole;and well--oh! well might she shudder and turn pale. 

For terrible indeed must have been the revelations of a manuscriptwhereof the few lines above alluded to gave promise of such appallinginterest, --those lines which ran thus: "Merciless scalpel hacked andhewed away at the still almost palpitating flesh of the murdered man, inwhose breast the dagger remained deeply buried, --a ferocious joy--asavage, hyena-like triumph now----"

But we are to some extent digressing from the thread of our narrative. 

Nisida placed the lamp in the chimney, in such a way that its light wasconcealed so as to leave all the immediate vicinity of the door in astate of complete darkness; and she seated herself in a chair close by, to await the expected events of midnight. 

Slowly, slowly passed the intervening twenty minutes; and the lady hadample leisure to reflect upon all the incidents of her life--ay, and toshudder too at one which had dyed her hand with blood--the blood ofAgnes!

Yet, though she shuddered thus, she did not look upon it with thatunbounded, tremendous horror that would be experienced by a ladysimilarly placed in these times; for jealousy was a feeling that, by thetacit convention of a vitiated society, was an excuse for even murder;and, moreover, she possessed the true Italian heart, which deemed thedeath of a rival in love a justifiable act of vengeance. 

But she felt some compunction, because she had learnt, when it was toolate, that Agnes was not the mistress of Fernand Wagner; and she wasconvinced that in affirming this much he had uttered the strictesttruth. 

Thus was she rather grieved at the fatal mistake than appalled by thedeed itself; and she shuddered because she knew that her fearfulimpetuosity of disposition had led to the unnecessary deed which hadentailed so dark a suspicion and so much peril upon her lover. 

She was in the midst of these and other reflections connected with thevarious salient features of her life, when the door of the room wasslowly and cautiously opened, and a man entered, bearing a lantern inhis hand. 

Two others followed close behind him. 

"Shut the door, Lomellino, " said the foremost. 

"But are you sure that this is the room?" asked the man thus addressed. 

"Certain, " was the reply. "Antonio described its situation soclearly----"

"Then why did he not join us?"

"How do I know? But that need not prevent us----"

Nisida at this moment raised the lamp from the fire-place, and the lightflashing at that end of the room, produced a sudden start andejaculation on the part of the banditti. 

"Perdition!" cried Stephano, "what can this mean?"

Nisida advanced toward the robbers in a manner so calm, so dignified, soimperious, and so totally undaunted by their presence, that they werefor a moment paralyzed and rooted to the spot as if they were confrontedby a specter. 

But at the next instant Stephano uttered an exclamation of mingledsurprise and joy, adding, "By my patron saint! Lomellino, this is thevery lady of whom I spoke to you the other evening!"

"What, the one who did the business so well in----"

"Yes, yes, " cried Stephano hastily; "you know what I mean--in Wagner'sgarden! But----"

Nisida had in the meantime drawn from her bosom one of the slips ofpaper before alluded to; and, handing it to the bandit-chief, she made ahasty and imperious motion for him to read it. 

He obeyed her with the mechanical submission produced by astonishmentand curiosity, mingled with admiration for that bold and daring woman, whom he already loved and resolved to win: but his surprise wasincreased a hundred-fold, when he perused these lines:--"I am the LadyNisida of Riverola. Your design is known to me; it matters not how. Rumor has doubtless told you that I am deaf and dumb; hence this mode ofcommunicating with you. You have been deluded by an idle knave--forthere is no treasure in the closet yonder. Even if there had been, Ishould have removed it the moment your intended predatory visit was madeknown to me. But you can serve me; and I will reward you well for yourpresent disappointment. "

"What does the paper say?" demanded Lomellino and Piero, the captain'stwo companions, almost in the same breath. 

"It says just this much, " returned Stephano--and he read the writingaloud. 

"The Lady Nisida!" ejaculated Lomellino. "Then it is she who used herdagger so well in Wagner's garden. "

"Peace, silly fool!" cried Stephano. "You have now let out the secret toPiero. True, 'tis no matter, as he is as stanch to me as you are; andtherefore he may as well know that this lady here was the murderess ofthe young female in Wagner's garden: for I saw her do the deed when Iwas concealed among the evergreens there. She is as much in our power aswe are in hers, and we will let her know it if she means any treachery. "

"But how could she have discovered that we meant to come here to-night, and what our object was?" asked Piero. 

"Antonio must have peached, that's clear!" returned Stephano; "andtherefore he did not join us, as agreed, in the hall down-stairs. But nomatter. It seems there's gold to be earned in this lady's service: andeven if there wasn't I have such an affection for her I would cut thethroat of the duke or the cardinal archbishop himself merely to give herpleasure. "

Then turning toward Nisida, whose courage seemed partially to haveabandoned her, for her countenance was ghastly pale, and her handtrembled so that it could scarcely hold the lamp, Stephano made a lowbow, as much as to imply that he was entirely at her service. 

Nisida made a powerful effort to subdue the emotions that were agitatingher: and, advancing toward the door, she made a sign for the banditti tofollow her. 

She led them to her own suit of apartments, and to the innermostroom--her own bed-chamber--having carefully secured the several doorsthrough which they passed. 

The banditti stood round the table, their eyes wandering from the sixtempting-looking money-bags to the countenance of Nisida, and then backto the little sacks; but Stephano studied more the countenance than theother objects of attraction; for Nisida's face once more expressed firmresolution and her haughty, imperious, determined aspect, combined withher extraordinary beauty, fired the robber-chieftain's heart. 

Taking from her bosom another slip of paper, she passed it to Stephano, who read its contents aloud for the benefit of his companions--"Thetrial of Fernand Wagner will take place this day week. If he beacquitted, your services will not be required. If he be condemned, areye valiant and daring enough (sufficiently numerous ye are, being upwardof fifty in all) to rescue him on his way back from the judgment-hall tothe prison of the ducal palace? The six bags of gold now upon the tableare yours, as an earnest of reward, if ye assent. Double that amountshall be yours if ye succeed. "

"It is a generous proposition, " observed Lomellino. 

"But a dangerous one, " said Piero. 

"Nevertheless, it shall be accepted, if only for her fair self's sake, "exclaimed Stephano, completely dazzled by Nisida's surpassing majesty ofloveliness; then, with a low bow, he intimated his readiness toundertake the enterprise. 

Nisida handed him a third paper, on which the following lines werewritten:--"Take the gold with you, as a proof of the confidence I placein you. See that you deceive me not; for I have the power to avenge aswell as to reward. On Sunday evening next let one of you meet me, at teno'clock, near the principal entrance of the Cathedral of St. Mary, and Iwill deliver the written instructions of the mode of proceeding whichcircumstances may render necessary. "

"I shall keep the appointment myself, " said Stephano to his companions;and another obsequious but somewhat coarse bow denoted full compliancewith all that Nisida had required through the medium of the slips ofpaper. 

She made a sign for the banditti to take the bags of gold from thetable, an intimation which Piero and Lomellino did not hesitate to obey. 

The private staircase leading into the garden then afforded them themeans of an unobserved departure; and Nisida felt rejoiced at thesuccess of her midnight interview with the chiefs of the Florentinebanditti. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

FLORA'S CAPTIVITY--A COMPANION--THE LIVING TOMB. 

Six days had now elapsed since Flora Francatelli became an inmate of theCarmelite Convent. 

During this period she was frequently visited in her cell by SisterAlba, the nun who had received her at the bottom of the pit or well intowhich she descended by means of the chair; and that recluse graduallyprepared her to fix her mind upon the necessity of embracing aconventual life. 

It was not, however, without feelings of the most intense--the mostacute--the most bitter anguish, that the unhappy maiden received theannouncement that she was to pass the remainder of her existence in thatmonastic institution. 

All the eloquence--all the sophistry--all the persuasion of Sister Alba, who presided over the department of the penitents, failed to make herbelieve that such a step was necessary for her eternal salvation. 

"No, " exclaimed Flora, "the good God has not formed this earth so fairthat mortals should close their eyes upon its beauties. The flowers, thegreen trees, the smiling pastures, the cypress groves were not intendedto be gazed upon from the barred windows of a prison-house. "

Then the nun would reason with her on the necessity of self-denial andself-mortification; and Flora would listen attentively; but if she gaveno reply, it was not because she was convinced. 

When she was alone in her cell she sat upon her humble pallet, ponderingupon her mournful condition, and sometimes giving way to all the anguishof her heart, or else remaining silent and still in the immovability ofdumb despair. 

Her suspicions often fell upon the Lady Nisida as the cause of herterrible immurement in that living tomb--especially when she rememberedthe coldness with which her mistress had treated her a day or twoprevious to her forced abduction from the Riverola Palace. Thosesuspicions seemed confirmed, too, by the nature of the discourse whichSister Alba had first addressed to her, when she upbraided her withhaving given way to "those carnal notions--those hopes--thosefears--those dreams of happiness, which constitute the passion that theworld calls love. "

The reader will remember that Flora had suspected the coolness of Nisidato have risen from a knowledge of Francisco's love for the young maiden;and every word which Sister Alba had uttered in allusion to the passionof love seemed to point to that same fact. 

Thus was Flora convinced that it was this unfortunate attachment, inwhich for a moment she had felt herself so supremely blest, that was thesource of her misfortunes. But then, how had Nisida discovered thesecret? This was an enigma defying conjecture; for Francisco was toohonorable to reveal his love to his sister, after having so earnestlyenjoined Flora herself not to betray that secret. 

At times a gleam of hope would dawn in upon her soul, even through themassive walls of that living tomb to which she appeared to have beenconsigned. Would Francisco forget her? Oh! no, she felt certain that hewould leave no measure untried to discover her fate, no means unessayedto effect her deliverance. 

But, alas! then would come the maddening thought that he might bedeceived with regard to her real position; that the same enemy orenemies who had persecuted her might invent some specious tale toaccount for her absence, and deter him from persevering in his inquiriesconcerning her. 

Thus was the unhappy maiden a prey to a thousand conflicting sentiments;unable to settle her mind upon any conviction save the appalling onewhich made her feel the stern truth of her captivity. 

Oh! to be condemned so young to perpetual prisonage, was indeed hard, too hard--enough to make reason totter on its throne and paralyze thepowers of even the strongest intellect. 

Sister Alba had sketched out to her the course of existence on which shemust prepare to enter. Ten days of prayer and sorry food in her own cellwere first enjoined as a preliminary, to be followed by admission intothe number of penitents who lacerated their naked forms with scourges atthe foot of the altar. Then the period of her penitence in this mannerwould be determined by the manifestations of contrition which she mightevince, and which would be proved by the frequency of herself-flagellations, the severity with which the scourge was applied, andthe anxiety which she might express to become a member of the holysisterhood. When the term of penitence should arrive, the maiden wouldbe removed to the department of the convent inhabited by the professednuns; and then her flowing hair would be cut short, and she would enteron her novitiate previously to taking the veil, that last, last step inthe conventual regime, which would forever raise up an insuperablebarrier between herself and the great, the beautiful, the glorious worldwithout!

Such was the picture spread for the contemplation of this charming, buthapless maiden. 

Need we wonder if her glances recoiled from her prospects, as if fromsome loathsome specter, or from a hideous serpent preparing to dart fromits coils and twine its slimy folds around her?

Nor was the place in which she was a prisoner calculated to dissipateher gloomy reflections. 

It seemed a vast cavern hollowed out of the bowels of the earth, rendered solid by masonry and divided into various compartments. Nowindows were there to admit the pure light of day; an artificial luster, provided by lamps and tapers, prevailed eternally in that earthlypurgatory. 

Sometimes the stillness of death, the solemn silence of the tomb reignedthroughout that place: then the awful tranquillity would be suddenlybroken by the dreadful shrieks, the prayers, the lamentations, and thescourges of the penitents. 

The spectacle of these unfortunate creatures, with their naked formswrithing and bleeding beneath the self-inflicted stripes, which theydoubtless rendered as severe as possible in order to escape the soonerfrom that terrible preparation for their novitiate--this spectacle, wesay, was so appalling to the contemplation of Flora, that she seldomquitted her own cell to set foot in the chamber of penitence. But therewere times when her thoughts became so torturing, and the solitude ofher stone chamber so terrible, that she was compelled to open the doorand escape from those painful ideas and that hideous loneliness, eventhough the scene merely shifted to a reality from which her gentlespirit recoiled in horror and dismay. 

But circumstances soon gave her a companion in her cell. For, on thesecond night of her abode in that place, the noise of the well-knownmachinery was heard; the revolution of wheels and the play of thedreadful mechanism raised ominous echoes throughout the subterrane. Another victim came: all the cells were tenanted: and the new-comer wastherefore lodged with Flora, whose own grief was partially forgotten, orat all events mitigated, in the truly Christian task of consoling afellow-sufferer. 

Thus it was that the Countess of Arestino and Flora Francatelli becamecompanions in the Carmelite convent. 

At first the wretched Giulia gave way to her despair, and refused allcomfort. But so gentle, so willing, so softly fascinating were the waysof the beautiful Flora, and so much sincerity did the charming girlmanifest in her attempts to revive that frail but drooping flower whichhad been thrown as it were at her feet; at the feet of her, a purethough also drooping rosebud of innocence and beauty: so earnest did themaiden seem in her disinterested attentions, that Giulia yielded to thebenign influence, and became comparatively composed. 

But mutual confidence, that outpouring of the soul's heavy secrets, which so much alleviates the distress of the female mind, did not springup between the countess and Flora; because the former shrank fromrevealing the narrative of her frailty, and the latter chose not toimpart her love for the young Count of Riverola. Nevertheless, thecountess gave her companion to understand that she had friends without, who were acquainted with the fact of her removal to the Carmeliteconvent, and on whose fidelity as well as a resolute valor she couldreckon; for the promise made to her by the robber-captain, and the ideathat the Marquis of Orsini would not leave her to the dreadful fate ofeternal seclusion in that place, flashed to her mind when the firstaccess of despair had passed. 

Flora was delighted to hear that such a hope animated the Countess ofArestino: and throwing herself at her feet, she said, "Oh! lady, should'st thou have the power to save me----"

"Thinkest thou that I would leave thee here, in this horrible dungeon?"interrupted the countess, raising Flora from her suppliant position onthe cold pavement of the cell, and embracing her. "No, if those on whomI rely fulfill the hope that we have entertained we shall go forthtogether. And, oh!" added the countess, "were all Florence to rise upagainst this accursed institution, pillage it, and sack it, and raze itto the ground, so that not one stone shall remain upon another, heavencould not frown upon the deed! For surely demons in mortal shape musthave invented that terrible engine by means of which I was consigned tothis subterrane!"

The recollection of the anguish she had suffered during the descent, amental agony that Flora herself could fully appreciate, she havingpassed through the same infernal ordeal, produced a cold shudder whichoscillated throughout Giulia's entire form. 

But we shall not dwell upon this portion of our tale; for the reader isabout to pass to scenes of so thrilling a nature, that all he has yetread in the preceding chapters are as nothing to the events which willoccupy those that are to follow. 

We said then, at the opening of this chapter, that six days had elapsedsince Flora became an inmate of the convent, and four sincecircumstances had given her a companion in the person of Giulia ofArestino. 

It was on the sixth night, and the two inmates of the gloomy cell werepreparing to retire to their humble pallet, after offering their prayersto the Virgin, for adversity had already taught the countess to pray, and to pray devoutly, too, when they were startled and alarmed by thesudden clang of a large bell fixed in some part of the subterrane. 

The echoes which it raised, and the monotonous vibration of the airwhich it produced, struck terror to their souls. 

A minute elapsed, and again the bell struck. 

Flora and the countess exchanged glances of terror and mysterious doubt, so ominous was that sound. 

Again a minute passed, and a third time clanged that heavy iron tongue. 

Then commenced a funeral hymn, chanted by several female voices, andemanating as yet from a distance, sounding, too, as if the mournfulmelody was made within the very bowels of the earth. 

But by degrees the strain became louder, as those who sang approachednearer; and in a short time the sound of many light steps on the stonepavement of the chamber of penitence were heard by Giulia and hercompanion in their cell. 

Again did they exchange terrified glances, as if demanding of each otherwhat this strange interruption of night's silence could mean. But atthat instant the hymn ceased--and again the loud bell clanged, as if insome far-off gallery hollowed out of the earth. 

Oh! in that convent where all was mysterious, and where a terrificdespotism obeyed the dictates of its own wild will, such sounds as thatfuneral chant, and that deafening bell, were but too fairly calculatedto inspire the souls of the innocent Flora and the guilty Giulia withthe wildest apprehension!

Suddenly the door opened, and Sister Alba, who presided over the chamberof penitence, appeared on the threshold. 

"Come forth, daughters!" she exclaimed; "and behold the punishment dueto female frailty. "

The Countess of Arestino and Flora Francatelli mechanically obeyed thiscommand; and a strange--a heart-rending sight met their eyes. 

The chamber of penitence was filled with nuns in their convent-garbs;and the penitents in a state of semi-nudity. On one side of theapartment, a huge door with massive bolts and chains stood open, allowing a glimpse, by the glare of the lamps, tapers, and torches, ofthe interior of a small cell that looked like a sepulcher. Near theentrance to that tomb, for such, indeed, it was--stood the lady abbess:and on the pavement near her knelt a young and beautiful girl, withhands clasped and countenance raised in an agony of soul which no humanpen can describe. The garments of this hapless being had been torn awayfrom her neck and shoulders, doubtless by the force used to drag herthither: and her suppliant attitude, the despair that was depicted byher appearance, her extreme loveliness, and the wild glaring of her deepblue eyes, gave her the appearance of something unearthly in the glareof that vacillating light. 

"No, daughter, " said the abbess, in a cold, stern voice; "there is nomercy for you on earth. "

Then echoed through the chamber of penitence a scream, a shriek so wild, so long, so full of agony, that it penetrated to the hearts of Flora, the countess, and some of the penitents, although the abbess and hernuns seemed unmoved by that appalling evidence of female anguish. At thesame instant the bell struck again; and the funeral hymn was recommencedby the junior recluses. 

Sister Alba now approached Flora and the countess, and said in a lowwhisper, "The vengeance of the conventual discipline is terrible onthose who sin! That miserable girl completed her novitiate five monthsago; and the night before she was to take the veil she escaped. Thisawful crime she committed for the sake of some man she had known ere shefirst entered the convent, and for whom she thus endangered her immortalsoul. But her justly incensed relations yesterday discovered herretreat; and she was restored to this house of penitence and peace. Alas! the effects of her frailty were but too apparent; and thatbenighted girl would become a mother--_had she long enough to live_!"

These last words were uttered with terrible significancy; and the nunturned aside, leaving Flora and the countess each a prey to the mostunspeakable horror. 

In the meantime the helpless victim of ecclesiastical vengeance--thepoor erring creature, who had dared and sacrificed everything for thelove of her seducer--had risen from her suppliant posture, and flownwildly--madly round to the elder nuns in succession, imploring mercy, and rending the very roof of the subterrane with piercing screams. Butthose to whom she appealed turned a deaf ear; for a convent is a tomb inwhich all human sympathies are immured--a vortex wherein all the bestfeelings that concrete in the mortal heart are cruelly engulfed!

And while this wretched girl--for she was scarcely yet a woman, althoughwere life spared her, on the way to maternity--was thus fruitlesslyimploring the mercy of hearts that were stern and remorseless, the hymncontinued, and the bell tolled at short intervals. 

Suddenly at a particular verse in the funeral chant, the three nuns whousually did the bidding of the lady abbess, glided noiselessly--butsurely, like black serpents--toward the victim--seized her in theirpowerful grasp--and bore her to the cell in which she was to be immured. 

The choir of nuns raised their voices, and the bell now clanged quicklywith its almost deafening note--and those human and metallic soundscombined to deaden the screams that burst from the miserable girl, onwhom the huge door at length closed with fearful din. 

The massive bolts were drawn--the key turned harshly in the lock andstill the shrieks came from within the sepulcher where a human being was_entombed alive_!

So sickening a sensation came over Flora and the countess, when the lastact of the awful tragedy was thus concluded, that they reeled back totheir cell with brains so confused, and such horrible visions floatingbefore their eyes, that their very senses appeared to be abandoningthem. 

When they were enabled to collect their scattered ideas, and theincidents of the last half-hour assumed a definite shape in theirmemories, the sound of hymn and bell had ceased--the chamber ofpenitence was deserted--the silence of death reigned throughout thesubterrane--nor did even the faintest shriek or scream emanate from thecell in which the victim was entombed. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

THE BANDITTI. 

The night of which we are speaking was destined to be one pregnant withalarms for the Countess of Arestino and Signora Francatelli. 

Scarcely had they recovered from the effects of the appalling tragedywhich had just been enacted, when their attention was drawn to a strangenoise on one side of the cell. 

They listened, and the noise continued--resembling an attempt to removethe massive masonry at that part of the stone chamber. 

"Merciful heavens!" said Flora, in a subdued whisper; "what new terrorcan now be in store for us!"

But scarcely were these words uttered, when a considerable portion ofthe masonry fell in with a loud crash; and had not the countess andFlora already withdrawn to the vicinity of the door, when the mysterioussound first began, they would either have been killed or seriously hurtby the falling of the huge stones. 

A faint scream burst from Flora's lips, and she would have rushed fromthe cell, had not an ejaculation of joy escaped the countess. 

For at the aperture formed by the falling in of the masonry, and by theglare of the light that shone on the other side, as well as by the dimtaper that burnt before the crucifix in the cell, Giulia had in aninstant recognized the countenance of the Marquis of Orsini. 

"Manuel!--dearest Manuel!" she exclaimed, rushing toward the aperture:"art thou come to save me?"

"Yes, Giulia, " replied the marquis. "But by what good fortune art thouthe very first whom it is my destiny to encounter? and who is thycompanion?"

"A good--a generous-hearted girl, whom you must save also from thisdreadful place, " answered the countess. "And as for this accidental, butmost fortunate encounter, I can tell you no more than that this is ourcell. It is rather for me to ask----"

"We have no time to waste in idle talk, my lord, " said Stephano, who nowappeared at the aperture. "Pardon my roughness, noble lady--but everymoment is precious. Is there any danger of an alarm being given?"

"None that I am aware of, " returned the countess. "The place where wenow are must be a hundred yards below the surface of the earth----"

"No, my lady--that is impossible, " interrupted Stephano; "a hundred feetat the most--and even that is above the mark. But stand back, my lady, while we remove some more of this solid masonry. "

Giulia obeyed the robber-chief, and turned to embrace Flora with theliveliest manifestations of joy, which the young maiden sincerelyshared--for escape now appeared to be at hand. 

The aperture was rapidly enlarged by those who worked on the other side, and in a few minutes it was spacious enough to admit the passage of ahuman form. Then Giulia and Flora quitted their dismal cell, and enteredthe innermost chamber of the robbers' hold, but from which the treasuresdescribed in a previous chapter had all been removed away. 

Giulia embraced the marquis with grateful affection; but Stephanoexclaimed, "Come, my lord! Remember your oath, and join us in thisexpedition to the end!"

At that moment the awful tragedy of the night flashed back to Flora'smemory, from which nothing could have dispelled it even for an instant, save the thrilling excitement attendant on the escape from the convent;and in a few hurried words, she told the dreadful tale. 

But what was the astonishment of all present, when Piero, one of thebanditti, exclaimed in a tone of mingled rage and grief, "'Tis Carlotta!the victim can be none other--the dates you have mentioned, signora, convince me! Yes--five months ago she fled from that accursedconvent--and yesterday she disappeared. Ah! my poor Carlotta!"

And the rude but handsome brigand wept. 

Flora, forgetting the danger of re-entering the walls of the terribleinstitution, exclaimed, "Follow me--it may not be too late--I will showyou the cell----"

And she once more passed through the aperture, closely followed byStephano, Piero, Lomellino, and a dozen other banditti. The Marquis ofOrsini stayed behind a few moments, to breathe a reassuring word toGiulia, whom he left in the treasure chamber (as that apartment of therobbers' hold was called), and then hastened after those who hadpenetrated into the subterrane of the convent. 

The party entered the chamber of penitence, where the long wax candleswere still burning before the altar; and Flora having hastily givenStephano as much information as she could relative to the geography ofthe place, that chieftain placed sentinels around. Flora had alreadypointed out the door of the dungeon to which Carlotta had beenconsigned; and Piero hastened to call upon his mistress to answer him. 

It was a touching spectacle to behold that lawless and bold, bad manmelting into tenderness beneath the influence of love!

But no reply came from within that dungeon; and though the bolts wereeasily drawn back, yet the lock was strong, and the key was not there!

By this time the penitents, who slept in the various cells adjoining thechamber, had become alarmed by the heavy tread and the voices of men, and had opened their doors. But they were desired to keep back by thesentinels, whom Stephano had posted around to maintain order and preventa premature alarm, but who, nevertheless, gave assurances of speedyescape to those who might choose to profit by the opportunity. 

Suddenly a door, which Flora had never noticed before in the chamber ofpenitence, opened, and two recluses appeared on the threshold. 

"The abbess!" ejaculated Flora, yielding to a sudden impulse of alarm. 

But almost at the same instant Stephano sprung forward, caught theabbess by the arm, and dragged her into the chamber; then rushing up aflight of narrow stone steps, with which that door communicated, andwhich the other recluse had already turned to ascend, he brought herforcibly back also. This latter nun was Sister Alba, the presidingauthority of the chamber of penitence. 

Her astonishment, as well as that of the lady abbess, at the spectacleof a number of armed men in the most private part of the entireestablishment, may well be conceived; nor was this disagreeable surpriseunmixed with intense alarm. But they had little time for reflection. 

"The key of that door!" cried Stephano in a fierce and menacing tone, ashe pointed toward Carlotta's dungeon. 

The abbess mechanically drew forth the key from beneath herconvent-habit, and Piero, rushing forward, clutched it eagerly. In a fewmoments it turned in the lock--the next moment the door stood open. 

But what a spectacle met the view of Piero, Flora, and those who werenear enough to glance within! Stretched upon the stone floor of thenarrow cell lay the victim--motionless and still! Drops of gore hung toher lips; in the agony of her grief she had burst a blood-vessel--anddeath must have been almost instantaneous. 

Flora staggered back--sick at the dreadful sight; and she would havefallen to the ground had not the Marquis of Orsini suddenly sprungforward to sustain her. 

"This is no place for you, young lady, " he said. "Permit me to conductyou back to the companionship of the Countess of Arestino. "

Flora leant upon his arm, and he half carried, rather than led her awayfrom the chamber of penitence into the robbers' hold. But as they passedthrough the aperture formed by the removal of the masonry, a terriblemenace met their ears. 

"Vengeance!" cried Piero, furiously; "vengeance on the murderess ofCarlotta!"

"Yes--vengeance shalt thou have, comrade, " returned the deep, sonorousvoice of Stephano. 

But scarcely were those words uttered, when the loud clanging of thebell struck up; and the abbess exclaimed joyfully, "We are saved! we aresaved!"

CHAPTER XXXII. 

THE MYSTERY OF THE CHAIR--THE CATASTROPHE. 

The reader will recollect that when Flora Francatelli was released fromthe chair at the bottom of the pit or well, Sister Alba had led heralong a narrow, dark passage communicating with the chamber ofpenitence. 

In a small dome-like cavity, hollowed out of the roof of this passage, hung a large bell; and in a cell opening from the side of the passageimmediately beneath the dome, dwelt an old nun, who, for some dreadfulmisdeed committed in her youth, had voluntarily consigned herself to theconvent of the Carmelites, and, having passed through the ordeal of thechamber of penitence, had accepted the office of sextoness in thatdepartment of the establishment. 

It was her duty to keep the chamber of penitence clean, maintain tapersconstantly burning before the altar, supply also the cells of thepenitents themselves with lights, and toll the bell whenever occasionrequired. She it was who had visited Flora's cell the first night of herarrival at the convent, to renew the taper that burnt before hercrucifix, and to exchange the maiden's attire for the conventual garb. 

This old nun it was, then, who suddenly tolled the bell, at the momentwhen Piero and Stephano were menacing the abbess and Sister Alba withtheir vengeance, and when the Marquis of Orsini was bearing away Florato the robbers' hold, that she might have the companionship of Giulia. 

The way in which the old nun rang the bell was such that the inmates ofthe convent would perceive it to be an alarm; and moreover, so suddenwas its startling clang, that Stephano and Piero abandoned their holdupon the abbess and Sister Alba, and retreated a few paces, uncertainhow to act; hence the exclamation of the superior of the convent, "Weare saved! we are saved!"

But little did that stern, imperious woman know of the desperatecharacters of those with whom she had now to deal. Ashamed of theirmomentary hesitation, Stephano and Piero rushed on the abbess and SisterAlba, and dragged them, in spite of their deafening screams, into thatfatal cell, where they threw them headlong over the lifeless corpse oftheir victim. 

Scarcely, however, had they closed the door on the wretched woman, whenthe Marquis of Orsini returned; and, too well divining what had passed, he exclaimed, "In the name of Heaven, captain!--by all that is holy, Piero! I implore you not to consummate this dreadful crime!"

"My lord, " said Stephano, "ere we entered on this expedition to-night, you bound yourself by an oath to obey me as the leader. I command youthen not to interfere with our proceedings; but, on the contrary, go andascertain whence comes the clanging of that infernal bell. "

The marquis turned aside, sick at heart at the deed of vengeance whichwas in progress, but unable to remonstrate further, in consequence ofthe oath which he had taken. It was, however, a relief for him to moveaway from the vicinity of the living tomb, whence emanated the shrieksof the abbess and the nun; and guided by the sound of the bell, herushed, with whirling brain and desperate resolution, into the passageleading from the chamber of penitence. 

In a few moments the clanging of the bell ceased, for the marquis haddiscovered the old sextoness in her cell, and compelled her to desist. 

All the events yet recorded in the preceding and the present chapter hadoccurred with a rapidity which the reader can scarcely comprehend, because their complicated nature and variety have forced us to enterinto minute details requiring a considerable time to peruse. Thoseevents which we are now about to describe also succeeded each other withmarvelous speed, and occupied an incredibly short space of time, although our narrative must necessarily appear prolix in comparison. 

Extraordinary was the excitement that now prevailed in all thesubterranean department of the convent. The victims of a stern but justvengeance were sending forth appalling screams from the fatal dungeon;and some of the penitents in their cells, which were still guarded bythe sentinels, were also giving vent to their affright by means ofpiercing shrieks, though others remained tranquil in hope of thepromised release. 

Stephano had entirely recovered his presence of mind, and now issued hisorders with wondrous rapidity. 

Pointing to the door by which the abbess and Sister Alba had entered thechamber of penitence, he said, "Lomellino, that is the way to the upperpart of the convent--there can be no doubt of it! Take Piero and half adozen of the men, and hasten up that staircase. Secure the front gate ofthe building, and possess yourself of the plate and treasure. But noviolence, remember--no violence to the nuns. "

Lomellino, Piero, and six of the banditti hastened to obey thesecommands, while Stephano remained below to act as circumstances mightrequire. He went the round of the five cells belonging to the penitents, and enjoined those who were yielding to their terrors to hold theirpeace, as they had nothing to fear, but much to gain--at least, heobserved, if they valued their freedom; and to those who were tranquilhe repeated the assurances of speedy liberation already given by hismen. 

For thirty years the old woman had not seen a being of the male sex; andshe was terrified by the appearance of an armed man in that place whichshe had so long deemed sacred against the possibility of such anintrusion. 

"Fear nothing, " said the marquis, "no one will harm you. But what willbe the effect of that alarm which you have rung?"

"Merely to warn those above that something unusual is taking placebelow, " answered the old woman. 

"And by what means can access be obtained to this subterrane?" demandedthe marquis. 

"There is a staircase leading from the chamber of penitence up into thehall of the convent----"

"Of the existence of that staircase I am aware, " interrupted themarquis, who had seen the abbess and Sister Alba enter the chamber ofpenitence a few minutes previously, as stated in the preceding chapter;"but are there no means of ingress or egress?"

"Yes; follow me, " said the sextoness. 

Taking up a lamp from the table in her cell, she led the way to thefurther end of the passage, threw open a door, and thrusting forth thelight beyond the opening, exclaimed in a tone denoting a reminiscencethe bitterness of which long years had scarcely mitigated--"That is theroad whereby I came hither; and many, many others have traveled the samedownward path!"

The marquis seized the lamp, and beheld, a few paces from from him, awicker chair, to which two ropes, hanging perpendicularly down, werefastened. He raised his eyes, following the direction of the ropes, butas there was now no other light in the pit than the feeble, flickeringone shed by the lamp which he held, his glances could not penetrate thedense obscurity that prevailed above. 

"What means this chair, with its two ropes? and for what purpose is thisnarrow, square compartment, the mouth of which is shrouded in darkness?"inquired Manuel. 

"This is the method of descent to this region, for all those who come tothis convent either as willing penitents, or who are sent hither againsttheir inclination, " returned the sextoness. "And though I came a willingpenitent, yet never, never while the breath shall animate this poor, weak form, and reason shall remain, can I forget the mental agony, theintense anguish, of that fearful descent. Ah! it is a cruel engine oftorture, although it tears not the flesh, nor racks the limbs, nordislocates the joints. And even though thirty long years have passedsince I made that dread journey, " she continued, glancingupwards--"thirty years since I last saw the light of day--and though Ihave since learned and seen how much of the horror of that descent isproduced by the delusion of mechanical ingenuity--yet still I shudder, and my blood runs cold within me. "

"To me, old woman, " said the marquis, "your words are an enigma. But youhave excited my curiosity: speak quickly, and explain yourself, for Imay not linger here. "

"Behold this basket, " returned the nun, without further preface--"theseropes connect it with complicated machinery in some chamber adjoiningthe well itself. In that basket those who are doomed to pass the ordealof penitence are lowered from an apartment above. This apartment isreally but a short distance overhead: but the art of the mechanist hasso contrived the four wooden walls of the well, that when the descent ofthe basket ceases, those walls rise slowly upward, and thus descentappears to be continued. Then, when the affrighted female stretchesforth her hands wildly, she encounters the ascending walls, and shebelieves that she is still going down--down--down! Oh! signor, it ismost horrible, but a fitting prelude to the terrors of that place!"

And she pointed back toward the chamber of penitence. The marquis wasabout to make some observation in reply to the strange disclosures ofthe old sextoness, when suddenly the din of a tumult, occurring, as itseemed, in that department of the convent far overhead, reached hisears, commencing with the rushing of many feet--the ejaculations ofhostile bands--and then continuing with the clash of arms, and theshrieks of affrighted women--until, in a few moments, those ominoussounds were broken in upon and dominated by the wild, terrific cry of"Fire! fire!"

"Oh! wherefore have I tarried here so long?" exclaimed the marquis; andhe was about to return to the chamber of penitence, when a sudden blazeof light appeared at the mouth of the pit, thirty yards above. Lookinghastily up, he beheld the flames rolling over the entrance of that wellat the bottom of which he stood; and, in another minute, the forked fireburst from the sides, forcing for itself a way through the wooden walls;and the old dry timber and planks yielded to the devouring element as ifthey had been steeped in oil. 

But while the marquis was still standing at the bottom looking up thepit, the clash of weapons, the tread of many steps, and thevociferations of combatants appeared to grow nearer; then in anothermoment he became aware that the hostile sounds came down the well, andproceeded from the room far above, where the fire as well as the war wasraging. 

Manuel had again turned around to hurry back to the chamber ofpenitence, when a loud cry of despair came vibrating down, and inanother instant the heavy form of a man was precipitated into the well. The wicker chair fortunately broke his fall, and he rose with a dreadfulimprecation. 

"Piero!" cried the marquis. 

"Ah! my lord, is it you?" said the bandit faintly, as he staggered backand fell heavily on the floor. "This is a bad business--the sbirri werealarmed, and broke in--Lomellino has got away, but the rest who werewith me are slain----"

"And you are wounded, Piero, " ejaculated the marquis, rushing forward toassist the bandit, from whose breast he now perceived the blood to beflowing. 

"Never mind me, my lord!" said Piero faintly. "Haste and tell Verrinathat--our men fought well--it was not their fault--nor mine--the nunsmust have given--the--alarm----"

His voice had grown fainter as he spoke: and, while the marquis wasendeavoring to raise him, he fell back again, and expired with the nameof Carlotta upon his tongue. 

The combat had ceased above, but the flames had increased in the well tosuch an extent that the marquis was compelled to beat a rapid retreattoward the chamber of penitence, whither the old sextoness had alreadyfled. At the entrance of that apartment he met Stephano, who, alarmed bythe clashing of arms and the cries of "fire" that had reached his ears, and which seemed to come from the direction of the passage, was hurryingthither to learn the cause. In a few words the marquis informed him ofall that had occurred. 

"Back to the cavern, my friends!" cried Stephano, in a loud tone. "Ifthe sbirri discover us there, we will resist them to the death. "

And followed by the marquis and two or three of his men, the captainpassed through the aperture made from the cell recently occupied byFlora and the countess, into the treasure-chamber. 

But scarcely had those few individuals effected their retreat in thismanner, when a tremendous crash was heard, cries and shrieks of horrorand dismay burst from those who had not as yet passed through theopening, and then the roof of the chamber of penitence and all theadjacent cells gave way with a din as of a thousand cannon, buryingbeneath their weight the sextoness, the five penitents, the inmates ofCarlotta's cell, and seven of the banditti. 

Those who were in the treasure-chamber felt the ground shake beneaththeir feet; the sides--although hollowed from the solid rock--appearedto vibrate and groan, and the aperture leading into the subterrane ofthe convent was closed up by the massive masonry that had fallen in. 

Flora and Giulia threw themselves into each other's arms, weepingbitterly; for they saw how dearly their freedom had been purchased, andthey trembled for the result. 

But the Marquis of Orsini, although greatly shocked at the terriblesacrifice of human life which had occurred, exerted himself to consoleand reassure the two terrified ladies. 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

LOMELLINO'S ESCAPE--STEPHANO'S INTENTIONS. 

Stephano Verrina was not the man to allow his energies to be paralyzedby the reverse he had just sustained. He immediately commanded a generalmuster of his men to be held in the banqueting-hall, that he mightaccurately ascertain the loss his corps had sustained. 

Giulia and Flora were left in the treasure-chamber to snatch a fewhours' repose, if they could, as it was now past two o'clock in themorning, and the marquis accompanied Stephano to the banqueting-hall. Scarcely were the men mustered, when the usual signals announcing theapproach of a member of the band were heard, and in a few momentsLomellino appeared amongst the troop. 

All crowded round him to hear the account which he had to give of hisexpedition and its failure. 

His tale was soon told. It seemed that on reaching what might beproperly termed the main building of the convent, he found the greatestalarm and confusion prevailing amongst the nuns, the shrieks of theabbess, Sister Alba, and the penitents, and the alarm of the bell, having reached the ears of the recluses. Their consternation wasincreased almost to madness when they suddenly perceived several armedmen emerging from the private staircase leading to the subterraneandepartment, and Lomellino found it impossible to tranquilize them eitherby threats or fair speaking. A guard of sbirri must have been passing atthe time, for loud knocks resounded at the gate, which the old portressimmediately opened before Lomellino or any of his men could interfere toprevent her. A number of police officers rushed in, and then commenced aterrific combat between the banditti and the sbirri, the former of whomwere forced into an apartment, the door of which was originally locked, but was burst open in the deadly struggle. There the strife wascontinued, when suddenly the cry of "Fire" arose, and the flames, whichhad caught a bed in the apartment, spread rapidly to the cumbrous andtime-worn woodwork that supported the ceiling. How the fire originated, Lomellino knew not, but as some of the nuns carried lamps in theirhands, and rushed wildly about in all directions in their terror, it wasnot very difficult to hazard a conjecture as to the cause of theconflagration. From that apartment, where the fire began, the flamesdrove the combatants into an inner room, and there Lomellino saw hiscomrade Piero hurled down some steep place, he himself being too sorelypressed by his assailants to be able to repair to his assistance. 

At length, seeing that all his companions were slain, Lomellino hadfought his way desperately through the police-officers, and hadsucceeded in escaping from the convent, though closely pursued by threeof the sbirri. They were rapidly gaining upon him, when an awful crashsuddenly met their ears, as they were hurrying along the street leadingto the wood; and, looking back, Lomellino beheld a tremendous pillar offlame shoot up from the place where the convent had stood, to the verysky, rendering for the space of a minute everything as light as dayaround. The building had fallen in, and Heaven only knows how many ofthe nuns and sbirri had escaped, or how many had perished beneath theruins! Those officers who were in pursuit of Lomellino were so astoundedby the sudden din and the column of flame, that they remained rooted tothe spot where they had turned to gaze on the evidence of thecatastrophe: and Lomellino had succeeded in effecting a safe andunobserved return to the stronghold. 

This account was particularly welcome to the robbers, inasmuch as itconvinced them that the sbirri had no clew to the secret entrance oftheir stronghold, and that none of their band had been captured in theconflict: for they would rather hear of the death of their comrades thanthat they had been taken prisoners; because, were the latter the case, the tortures of the rack or the exhortations of the priest might elicitconfessions hostile to the interests of the corps. 

Stephano Verrina now proceeded to count his men, who had mustered fiftystrong previously to the expedition of that fatal night, which, it wasascertained, had reduced the number to thirty-six--seven, includingPiero, having been slain by the sbirri, and as many having perished bythe falling in of the chamber of penitence. 

The captain then addressed the troop in the following manner:

"Worthy comrades, --our number is sadly reduced; but regrets will notbring back those gallant fellows who are gone. It, therefore, behoovesus to attend to our own interests; and, for that purpose, I demand yourattention for a few minutes. In pursuance of the resolution to which wecame the night before last at the general council that was held, thetreasures and possessions amassed during many years of adventure andperil have been fairly divided, and each man's portion has been settledby lot. The fourteen shares that revert to us by the death of ourcomrades shall be equally subdivided to-morrow; and the superintendenceof that duty, my friends, will be the last act in my chieftainship. Yes, brave comrades, --I shall then leave you, in accordance with theannouncement I made the night before last. It will grieve me to partwith you; but you will choose another captain----"

"Lomellino! Lomellino!" exclaimed the banditti with one accord; "heshall succeed our gallant Verrina!"

"And you could not make a better choice, " continued Stephano. "Lomellino----"

"Pardon me, captain, " interrupted the individual thus alluded to: "butis not that little expedition to take place on Monday, in case the ladyrequires it? We have received her gold as an earnest----"

"And double that amount was promised if the affair should turn outsuccessful, " added Stephano. "But I have reasons of my own, which youmay perhaps understand, Lomellino, for desiring that all idea of thatbusiness should be abandoned. And in order that the band may not belosers by this change of intentions, I will give you from my own shareof our long accumulated treasures----"

"No! no!" cried the banditti, enthusiastically; "we will not receive ourgallant Stephano's gold! Let him act according to his own wishes!"

"I thank you, my friends, for this generosity on your part, " saidStephano. 

Their meeting then broke up; and the robbers sat down to the banquetingtable, to luxuriate in the rich wines with which the stronghold was wellstored. 

The Marquis of Orsini was compelled, through fear of giving offense, toshare in the festival. 

"This resolution to abandon the command of your gallant band is somewhatsudden, meseems, Signor Stephano, " he said: for not having been presentat the council held two nights previously, he was unaware of thecaptain's intention until it was alluded to in that individual's speechon the present occasion. 

"Yes, my lord, " was the reply; "the resolution _is_ sudden, But, " headded, sinking his voice to a whisper, "a certain little blind god is atthe bottom of it. "

"Ah! signor, you are in love!" said the marquis, laughing. 

"And therefore, I mean to turn honest man, " observed Verrina, alsolaughing. "In truth, I am not sorry to have found a good excuse to quita mode of life which the headsman yearns to cut short. Not that I reckfor peril; but, methinks, twenty years of danger and adventure ought tobe succeeded by a season of tranquillity. "

"Love has a marvelous influence over you, Signor Verrina, " said themarquis; "for love alone could have inspired such sentiments in _your_breast. "

"I am fain to confess that your lordship is not far wrong, " returned thebandit. "I have discovered a woman who is worthy of me--although she maynot consider me to be altogether deserving of her. But of that nomatter; for I am not accustomed to consult the inclinations of others, when mine own are concerned. And now a word in respect to yourself, mylord. When do you propose to quit this place? for according to mypromise, you are now the master of your own actions. "

"The mysterious assault made upon the convent--the destruction of theentire establishment--and the lives that have been lost, will doubtlesscreate a terrible sensation in Florence, " replied the nobleman; "andshould it transpire that I was in any way implicated----"

"That is impossible, my lord, " interrupted Stephano. "These men whom youbehold around you could alone betray that secret; and you must have seenenough of them----"

"To know that they are stanch and true, " added the marquis. "Yes, onreflection, I perceive that I have nothing to fear; and therefore, withyour leave, the countess, her young companion, and myself will take ourdeparture to-morrow. "

"In the evening, when it is dusk, " said Stephano. "But your lordshipwill not remain in Florence?"

"The news which you brought me, a few days ago, of the arrest of thatpoor Israelite on a ridiculous but most monstrous charge, has affectedme strangely, " observed Manuel; "and as it is in my power to explainaway that charge, I must tarry in Florence the necessary time toaccomplish this object. The Count of Arestino will imagine that his wifehas perished in the ruins of the convent; and hence her temporaryconcealment in the city will be easily effected. "

"Well, my lord, " said Stephano, "it is not for me to dictate nor toadvise. But as I always entertain an esteem for a man with whom I havemeasured weapons--and as I have somehow formed a liking for yourlordship--pardon my boldness--I should recommend you not to remain inFlorence on account of the Jew. The Lady Giulia might be discovered byher husband, and you would lose her again. To tell your lordship thetruth, " he added, in a low and confidential tone, "a friend of mine, whocommands a trading vessel, sails in a few days from Leghorn for theLevant; and I intend to be a passenger on board, in company with thesweet lady whom I have honored with my affections. What says yourlordship? will it suit you to embark in that vessel?"

"A thousand thanks, Signor Verrina, " replied the marquis; "but I mustremain at Florence to prove the innocence of that poor, persecuted Jew. "

Stephano offered no further remonstrance; and the conversation whichensued possessed not the least interest for our readers. 

On the following evening the Marquis, Giulia, and Flora quitted therobbers' stronghold--all three were carefully blindfolded, and safelyconducted amidst the dangers of the egress by Stephano, Lomellino, andanother bandit. When in the grove with which the entrance of thestronghold communicated, the bandages were removed from their eyes, andthe two ladies, as well as the marquis, were once more enabled torejoice in their freedom. 

According to a previous arrangement between them, and in consequence ofthe intention of the marquis to remain a few days in Florence, Giuliaaccompanied Flora to the dwelling of the young maiden's aunt, who wasrejoiced to behold the reappearance of her niece, and who willinglyafforded an asylum to the countess. 

The marquis, having conducted the two ladies to the hospitable cottageof this good woman, returned to his own dwelling, his protracted absencefrom which had caused serious apprehensions amongst the few domesticswhom his means permitted him to maintain. Ere we conclude this chapter, we shall observe in a few words that the greatest excitement prevailedin Florence relative to the attack on the convent and its destruction. Many of the nuns had escaped from the building at the commencement ofthe fire; and these took up their abode in another institution of thesame order. But the thrilling events which occurred in the chamber ofpenitence did not transpire; nor was it ascertained who were thesacrilegious invaders of the establishment, nor by what means they hadobtained an entry. 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

THE ABDUCTION. 

It was originally Stephano Verrina's intention to observe good faithwith Nisida in respect to the service on which she had intimated herdesire to employ him and his band. But so dazzled was he by her almostsupernatural majesty of beauty on that night when he and his companionsencountered her in the Riverola palace, that he would have promised, orindeed undertaken, anything calculated to please or benefit her. 

When, however, he came to reflect calmly upon the service in whichNisida had enlisted him, he began to suspect that some motive morepowerful than the mere desire to effect the liberation of an innocentman influenced that lady. Had she not put to death a beautiful creaturewho had resided in the same dwelling with Fernand Wagner? and did notthat deed bear upon its aspect the stamp of an Italian woman'svengeance? Thus thought Stephano, and he soon arrived at the verynatural conclusion that Nisida loved Fernand Wagner. Wagner wastherefore his rival; and Verrina did not consider it at all inaccordance with his own particular views in respect to Nisida, to aid ineffecting that rival's liberation, should he be condemned by thetribunal. 

Again Stephano reflected that as Wagner's acquittal was within the rangeof probability, it would be expedient to possess himself of Nisida_before_ the trial took place;--and what opportunity could be morefavorable than the one which that lady herself afforded by theappointment she had given him for the Sunday evening at the gate ofSaint Mary's Cathedral?

All these considerations had determined the bandit to adopt speedy andstrenuous measures to possess himself of Nisida, of whom he was so madlyenamored that the hope of gratifying his passion predominated even overthe pride and delight he had hitherto experienced in commanding theFlorentine robbers. 

The appointed evening came; and Stephano, disguised in his black mask, repaired a few minutes before ten to the immediate vicinity of the oldcathedral. At the corner of an adjacent street, two men, mounted onpowerful horses, and holding a third steed by the bridle, were inreadiness; and, crouched in the black darkness formed by the shade of ahuge buttress of the cathedral, two members of the troop which Lomellinonow commanded lay concealed--for the new captain of banditti had lentsome of his stanchest followers to further the designs of theex-chieftain. 

A heavy rain had fallen in the early part of the day; but it ceased erethe sun went down; and the stars shone forth like beauty's eyes when thetears of grief have been wiped away by the lips of the lover. 

Stephano paced the arena in front of the sacred edifice; and at length agentle tread and a rustling of velvet met his ears. Then, in a fewmoments, as if emerging from the darkness, the majestic form of Nisidaappeared; and when Stephano approached her, she drew aside her veil foran instant--only for a single instant, that he might convince himself ofher identity with the lady for whom he was waiting. 

But as the light of the silver stars beamed for a moment on thecountenance of Nisida, that mild and placid luster was out-vied by thedazzling brilliancy of her large black eyes: and mental excitement hadimparted a rich carnation hue to her cheek, rendering her sosurpassingly beautiful that Stephano could almost have fallen on hisknees to worship and adore her. But, oh! what lovely skins do somesnakes wear!--and into what charming shapes does satan often get!

Nisida had replaced her veil while yet Verrina's eyes were fixed on herbewitching countenance; then, placing her finger lightly upon hisarm--oh! how that gentle touch thrilled through him!--she made a signfor him to follow her toward a niche in the deep gateway of thecathedral: for in that niche was an image of the Madonna, and before itburnt a lamp night and day. To gain that spot it was necessary to passthe buttress in whose shade the two banditti lay concealed. 

Stephano trembled as he followed that lady whom he knew to be asintrepid, bold, and desperate as she was beautiful:--he trembled, perhaps for the first time in his life, because never until now had hefelt himself overawed by the majesty of loveliness and the resolute mindof a woman. But he had gone too far to retreat--even if that temporaryand almost unaccountable timidity had prompted him to abandon hispresent design;--yes, he had gone too far--for at that moment whenNisida was passing the huge buttress, the two brigands sprung forth: andthough her hand instantly grasped her dagger, yet so suddenly andeffectually was she overpowered that she had not even time to draw itfrom its sheath. 

Fortunately for the scheme of Stephano, the great square in front of thecathedral was at that moment completely deserted by the usual eveningloungers; and thus did he and his companions experience not theslightest interruption as they bore Nisida firmly and rapidly along tothe corner of the street where the horses were in attendance. 

The lady's hands were already bound, and her dagger had been taken fromher; and thus the resistance she was enabled to make was very slight, when Stephano, having sprung upon one of the horses, received thecharming burden from the banditti, and embraced that fine voluptuousform in his powerful arms. 

The two men who had waited with Stephano's horse were already mounted ontheir own, as before stated, and the little party was now in readinessto start. 

"No further commands, signor?" said one of the banditti who had firstseized upon Nisida. 

"None, my brave fellow. Tell Lomellino that I sent him my best wishesfor his prosperity. And now for a rapid journey to Leghorn!"

"Good-night, signor. "

"Good-night. Farewell--farewell, my friends!" cried Verrina; andclapping spurs to his steed, he struck into a quick gallop, his twomounted companions keeping pace with him, and riding one on either side, so as to prevent any possibility of escape on the part of Donna Nisidaof Riverola. 

In a few minutes the little party gained the bank of the Arno, alongwhich they pursued their rapid way, lighted by the lovely moon, whichnow broke forth from the purple sky, and seemed, with its chaste beamsplaying on the surface of the water, to put a soul into the very riveras it ran!

CHAPTER XXXV. 

WAGNER AND THE TEMPTER--PHANTASMAGORIA. 

While Stephano was bearing away the Lady Nisida in the manner describedin the preceding chapter, Fernand Wagner was pacing his solitary cell, conjecturing what would be the result of the morrow's trial. 

Nisida had visited him a second time on the precedingevening--disguised, as on the former occasion, in male attire; and shehad implored him, in the language of the deaf and dumb, but far moreeloquently with her speaking eyes and the expression of her beauteouscountenance, to allow measures to be that night adopted to effect hisimmediate escape. But he had resolutely persisted in his originaldetermination to undergo his trial: for by pursuing this course, hestood the chance of an acquittal; and he knew on the other hand that ifhe were sentenced to die, the decree of the human tribunal could not becarried into execution. How his escape from that fate (should death beindeed ordained) was beyond his power of comprehension; but that hepossessed a superhuman protector he knew full well. 

Without revealing to Nisida his motives for meeting the criminal judges, he refused to yield to her silently but eloquently pleaded prayer thathe would escape should gold induce the jailers to throw open the door ofhis cell: but he conveyed to her the assurance that the deep interestshe manifested in his behalf only bound him the more sincerely anddevotedly to her. 

During eight or nine days of his imprisonment, he had reflected deeplyupon the murder of Agnes. He naturally associated that black deed withthe mystery of the strange lady who had so alarmed Agnes on severaloccasions; and he had of course been struck by the likeness of his muchloved Nisida to her whom his dead granddaughter had so minutelydescribed to him. But, if ever suspicion pointed toward Nisida as themurderess of Agnes, he closed his eyes upon the bare idea--he hurled itfrom him; and he rather fell back upon the unsatisfactory belief thatthe entire case was wrapped in a profound mystery than entertain athought so injurious to her whom he loved so tenderly. 

We said that Nisida had visited him on Saturday night. She haddetermined to essay her powers of mute persuasion once more ere shefinally arranged with the bandit for his rescue. But that arrangementwas not to take place; for on the Sabbath evening she was carried away, in the manner already described. And it was now, also, on that Sabbathevening that Wagner was pacing his dungeon--pondering on the probableresult of his trial, and yet never ceasing to think of Nisida. Hismemory re-traveled all the windings, and wanderings, and ways which hisfeet had trodden during a long, long life, and paused to dwell upon thatfar back hour when he loved the maiden who became the wife of his firstperiod of youth--for he was now in a second period of youth; and he feltthat he did not love her so devotedly--so tenderly--so passionately ashe loved Nisida now. Suddenly, as he paced his dungeon and pondered onthe past as well as on the present, the lamp flickered; and, before hecould replenish it with oil, the wick died in its socket. He had themeans of procuring another light; but he cared not to avail himselfthereof, and he was about to lay aside his vesture, preparatory toseeking his humble pallet, when he was struck by the appearance of a dimand misty luster which seemed to emanate from the wall facing the door. He was not alarmed; he had seen and passed through too much in thisworld to be readily terrified:--but he stood gazing, with intensecuriosity and profound astonishment, upon that phenomenon for which hisimagination suggested no natural cause. 

Gradually the luster became more powerful; but in the midst of it thereappeared a dark cloud, which by degrees assumed the appearance of ahuman form; and in a few minutes Wagner beheld a tall, strange-lookingfigure standing before him. 

But assuredly that was no mortal being; for, apart from the mysteriousmode in which he had introduced himself into the dungeon, there was onhis countenance so withering--bitter--scornful--sardonic a smile, thatnever did human face wear so sinister an expression. And yet this beingwore a human shape, and was attired in the habiliments of that age;--thelong doublet, the tight hose, the trunk breeches, the short cloak, andthe laced collar: but his slouched hat, instead of having a large andgracefully waving plume, was decorated with but a single feather. 

Fernand stood with fascinated gaze fixed upon the being whose eyesseemed to glare with subdued lightnings, like those of the basilisk. There was something awful in that form--something wildly and menacinglysinister in the sardonic smile that curled his lips as if with ineffablecontempt, and with the consciousness of his own power!

"Wagner!" he said, at length breaking silence, and speaking in a deepsonorous voice, which reverberated even in that narrow dungeon like thesolemn tone of the organ echoing amidst cloistral roofs: "Wagner, knowest thou who the being is that now addresseth thee?"

"I can conjecture, " answered Fernand, boldly. "Thou art the Power ofDarkness. "

"So men call me, " returned the demon, with a scornful laugh, "Yes--I amhe whose delight it is to spread desolation over a fertile and beautifulearth--he, whose eternal enmity against man is the fruitful source of somuch evil! But of all the disciples who have ever yet aided me in myhostile designs on the human race, none was so serviceable asFaust--that Count of Aurana, whose portrait thou hast so welldelineated, and which now graces the wall of thy late dwelling. "

"Would that I had never known him!" ejaculated Wagner fervently. 

"On the contrary, " resumed the demon; "thou should'st be thankful thatin the wild wanderings of his latter years he stopped at thy humblecottage in the Black Forest of Germany. Important to thee were theresults of that visit--and still more important may they become!"

"Explain thyself, fiend!" said Wagner, nothing dismayed. 

"Thou wast tottering with age--hovering on the brink of thetomb--suspended to a thread which the finger of a child might havesnapped, " continued the demon; "and in one short hour thou wast restoredto youth, vigor, and beauty. "

"And by how dreadful a penalty was that renovated existence purchased!"exclaimed Wagner. 

"Hast thou not been taught by experience that no human happiness can becomplete?--that worldly felicity must ever contain within itself someelement of misery and distress?" demanded the fiend. "Reflect--and bejust! Thou art once more young--and thy tenure of life will last untilthat age at which thou would'st have perished, had no superhuman powerintervened to grant thee a new lease of existence! Nor is a long lifethe only boon conferred upon thee hitherto. Boundless wealth is ever atthy command; the floor of this dungeon would be strewed with gold, andjewels, and precious stones, at thy bidding--as thou well knowest!Moreover, thou wast ignorant--illiterate--uninformed: now all thesources of knowledge--all the springs of learning--all the fountains ofscience and art, are at thy disposal, and with whose waters thou canstslake the thirst of thine intellect. Endowed with a youthfulness and avigor of form that will yield not to the weight of years--that will defythe pressure of time--and that no malady can impair, --possessed ofwealth having no limit, --and enriched with a mind so stored withknowledge that the greatest sage is as a child in comparison withthee, --how darest thou complain or repent of the compact which has givento thee all these, though associated with the destiny of a Wehr-Wolf?"

"It is of this fatal--this terrible destiny that I complain and that Irepent, " answered Wagner. "Still do I admit that the advantages which Ihave obtained by embracing that destiny are great. "

"And may be far greater!" added the demon, impressively. "Handsome, intelligent, and rich--all that thou dost require is power!"

"Yes, " exclaimed Wagner, eagerly--and now manifesting, for the firsttime since the appearance of the fiend in his cell, any particularemotion: "I have need of _power!_--power to avert those evils into whichmy sad destiny may plunge me, --power to dominate instead of beingsubject to the opinions of mankind, --power to prove my completeinnocence of the dreadful crime now imputed to me, --power to maintain anuntarnished reputation, to which I cling most lovingly, --power, too, " headded in a slower and also a more subdued tone--"power to restore thelost faculties of hearing and speech to her whom I love. "

Strange was the smile that curled the demon's lips as Wagner breathedthese last words. 

"You require power--power almost without limit, " said the fiend, after afew moments' pause; "and that aim is within thy reach. Handsome, intelligent, and rich, " he continued, dwelling on each word with markedemphasis, "how happy may'st thou be when possessed of the power torender available, in all their glorious extent, the gifts--the qualitieswherewith thou art already endowed! When in the service of Faust--duringthose eighteen months which expired at the hour of sunset on thethirtieth of July, 1517----"

"Alas!" cried Wagner, his countenance expressing emotions ofindescribable horror; "remind me not of that man's fate! Oh!never--never can I forget the mental agony--the profound and soul-feltanguish which he experienced, and which he strove not to conceal, whenat the gate of Vienna on that evening he bade me farewell--forever. "

"But thou wast happy--supremely happy in his service, " said the demon;"and thou didst enjoy a fair opportunity of appreciating the value ofthe power which he possessed. By his superhuman aid wast thoutransported from clime to clime--as rapidly as thought is transfused bythe interchange of lovers' glances; and in that varied, bustling, busiedlife wast thou supremely happy. The people of Europe spoke of thatwestern world, the discovery of which recently rewarded the daringventure of great navigators; and you were desirous to behold that newcontinent. Your master repeated the wish; and by my invisible agency, yestood in a few moments in the presence of the red men of North America. Again--you accompanied your master to the eternal ice of the northernpole, and from the doorway of the Esquimaux hut he beheld the wondrousplay of the boreal lights. On a third occasion, and in obedience to yourwish, you stood with your master in the Island of Ceylon, where thefirst scene that presented itself to your view was an occurrence which, though terrible, is not uncommon in that reptile-infested clime. Afterward, my power--although its active agency was but partially knownto you--transported you and the count your master--_now my victim_--tothe fantastic and interesting scenes of China--then to the court of thewife-slaying tyrant of England, and subsequently to the most sacredprivacy of the imperial palace at Constantinople. How varied have beenthy travels!--how rapid thy movements. And that the scenes which thineeyes did thus contemplate made a profound impression upon thy mind isproved by the pictures now hanging to the walls of thy late dwelling. "

"But wherefore this recapitulation of everything I know so wellalready?" asked Wagner. 

"To remind thee of the advantages of that power which Faust, thy master, possessed, and which ceased to be available to thee when the term of hiscompact with myself arrived. Yes, " continued the demon emphatically, "the powers which he possessed may be possessed by thee--and thoumay'st, with a single word, at once and forever shake off the trammelsof thy present doom--the doom of a Wehr-Wolf!"

"Oh! to shake off those trammels, were indeed a boon to be desired!"exclaimed Wagner. 

"And to possess the power to gratify thy slightest whim, " resumed thedemon, "to possess the power to transport thyself at will to any clime, however distant--to be able to defy the machinations of men and thecombination of adverse circumstances, such as have plunged thee intothis dungeon--to be able, likewise, to say to thy beloved Nisida, 'Receive back the faculties which thou hast lost----'"

And again was the smile sinister and strange that played upon the lipsof the demon. But Wagner noticed it not. His imagination was excited bythe subtle discourse to which he had lent so ready an ear. 

"And hast _thou_ the power, " he cried impatiently, "to render me thuspowerful?"

"I have, " answered the demon. 

"But the terms--the conditions--the compact!" exclaimed Wagner, infeverish haste, though with foreboding apprehension. 

"THINE IMMORTAL SOUL!" responded the fiend, in a low but sonorous andhorrifying whisper. 

"No--no!" shrieked Wagner, covering his face with his hands. "Avaunt, Satan, I defy thee! Ten thousand, thousand times preferable is the doomof the Wehr-Wolf, appalling even though that be!" With folded arms andscornful countenance, did the demon stand gazing upon Wagner, by thelight of the supernatural luster which filled the cell. 

"Dost thou doubt my power?" he demanded, in a slow and imperious tone. "If so, put it to the test, unbelieving mortal that thou art! Butremember--should'st thou require evidence of that power which I proposeto make available to thee, it must not be to give thee liberty, noraught that may enhance thy interest. "

"And any other evidence thou wilt give me?" asked Wagner, a sudden ideastriking him. 

"Yes, " answered the demon, who doubtless divined his thoughts, for againdid a scornful smile play upon his lips. "I will convince thee, by anymanifestation thou may'st demand, subject to the condition ere nownamed, I will convince thee that I am he whose power was placed at thedisposal of thy late master, Faust, and by means of which thou wasttransported, along with him, to every climate on the earth. "

"I will name my wish, " said Wagner. 

"Speak!" cried the fiend. 

"Show me the Lady Nisida as she now is, " exclaimed Fernand, his heartbeating with the hope of beholding her whom he loved so devotedly; for, with all the jealousy of a lover, was he anxious to convince himselfthat she was thinking of him. 

"Ah! 'tis the same as with Faust and his Theresa, " murmured the demon tohimself; then aloud he said, "Rather ask me to show you the Lady Nisidaas she will appear four days hence. "

"Be it so!" cried Wagner, moved by the mysterious warning those wordsappeared to convey. 

The demon extended his arm, and chanted in deep, sonorous tones, thefollowing incantation:

 "Ye powers of darkness who obey Eternally my potent sway, List to thy sovereign master's call! Transparent make this dungeon wall; And now annihilated be The space 'twixt Florence and the sea! Let the bright luster of the morn In golden glory steep Leghorn; Show where the dancing wavelets sport Round the gay vessels in the port, Those ships whose gilded lanterns gleam In the warm sun's refulgent beam; And whose broad pennants kiss the gale, Woo'd also by the spreading sail!-- Now let this mortal's vision mark Amidst that scene the corsair's bark, Clearing the port with swan-like pride; Transparent make the black hull's side, And show the curtain'd cabin, where Of earth's fair daughters the most fair-- Sits like an image of despair, Mortal, behold! thy Nisida is there!"

The strange phantasmagorian spectacle rapidly developed itself inobedience to the commands of the demon. 

First, it appeared to Wagner that the supernatural luster which pervadedthe dungeon, gathered like a curtain on one side and occupied the placeof the wall. This wondrous light became transparent, like a thin goldenmist; and then the distant city of Leghorn appeared--producing an effectsimilar to that of the dissolving views now familiar to every one. Themorning sun shone brightly on the fair scene; and a forest of mastsstood out in bold relief against the western sky. The gilded lanterns onthe poops of the vessels--the flags and streamers of various hues--thewhite sails of those ships that were preparing for sea--and the richlypainted pinnaces that were shooting along in the channel between thelarger craft rendered the scene surpassingly gay and beautiful. 

But amidst the shipping, Wagner's eyes were suddenly attracted by alarge galley, with three masts--looking most rakish with its snow-whitesail, its tapering spars, its large red streamer, and its low, long, andgracefully sweeping hull, which was painted jet black. On its deck weresix pieces of brass ordnance; and stands of fire-arms were ranged roundthe lower parts of the masts. 

Altogether, the appearance of that vessel was as suspicious and menacingas it was gallant and graceful; and from the incantation of the demon, Wagner gleaned its real nature. 

And now--as that corsair-ship moved slowly out of the port ofLeghorn--its black side suddenly seemed to open, or at least to becometransparent; and the interior of a handsomely fitted up cabin wasrevealed. 

Fernand's heart had already sunk within him through forebodingapprehension; but now an ejaculation of mingled rage and grief burstfrom his lips, when, on a sofa in that cabin, he beheld his loved--hisdearly loved Nisida, seated "like an image of despair, " motionless andstill, as if all the energies of her haughty soul, all the powers of herstrong mind had been suddenly paralyzed by the weight of misfortune!

Wagner stood gazing--unable to utter another word beyond that oneejaculation of mingled rage and grief--gazing--gazing, himself a kindredimage of despair, upon this mysterious and unaccountable scene. 

But gradually the interior of the cabin grew more and more indistinct, until it was again completely shut in by the black side of theharbor--her dark hull disappearing by degrees, and melting away in thedistance. Wagner dashed his open palm against his forehead, exclaiming, "Oh! Nisida--Nisida! who hath torn thee from me!"

And he threw himself upon a seat, where he remained absorbed in apainful reverie, with his face buried in his hands--totally unmindful ofthe presence of the demon. 

Two or three minutes passed--during which Fernand was deliberatingwithin himself whether he were the sport of a wild and fanciful vision, or whether he had actually received a warning of the fate which hungover Nisida. 

"Art thou satisfied with the proof of my power?" demanded a deep voice, sounding ominously upon his ear. 

He raised his hand with a spasmodic start; before him stood the demonwith folded arms and scornful expression of countenance--and though thephantasmagorian scene had disappeared, the supernatural luster stillpervaded the dungeon. 

"Fiend!" cried Wagner, impatiently; "thou hast mocked--thou hastdeceived me!"

"Thus do mortals ever speak, even when I give them a glimpse of theirown eventual fate, through the medium of painful dreams and hideousnightmares, " said the demon, sternly. 

"But who has dared--or rather, who _will_ dare--for that vision is aprospective warning of a deed to happen four days hence--who, then, Iask, will dare to carry off the Lady Nisida--my own loved and lovingNisida?" demanded Wagner, with increased impatience. 

"Stephano Verrina, the formidable captain of the Florentine banditti, has this night carried away thy lady-love, Wagner, " replied the demon. "Thou hast yet time to save her; though the steed that bears her toLeghorn be fleet and strong, I can provide thee with a fleeter and astronger. Nay, more--become mine, consent to serve me as Faust servedme, and within an hour, within a minute if thou wilt, Nisida shall berestored to thee, she shall be released from the hands of her captors, thou shalt be free, and thy head shall be pillowed on her bosom, inwhatever part of the earth it may suit thee thus to be united to her. Reflect, Wagner--I offer thee a great boon--nay, many great boons: theannihilation of those trammels which bind thee to the destiny of awehr-wolf, power unlimited for the rest of thy days, and the immediatepossession of that Nisida whom thou lovest so fondly, and who is sobeautiful, so exceedingly beautiful. "

Desperate was the struggle that took place in the breast of Wagner. Onone side was all he coveted on earth; on the other was the loss of theimmortal soul. Here the possession of Nisida--there her forced abductionby a brigand; here his earthly happiness might be secured at the expenseof his eternal welfare--there his eternal welfare must be renounced ifhe decided in favor of his earthly happiness. What was he to do? Nisidawas weighing in the balance against his immortal soul: to have Nisida hemust renounce his God!

Oh! it was maddening--maddening, this bewilderment!

"An hour--an hour to reflect!" he cried, almost frantically. 

"Not a quarter of an hour, " returned the demon, "Nisida will be lost toyou--haste--decide!"

"Leave me--leave me for five minutes only!"

"No--no, not for a minute. Decide--decide!"

Wagner threw up his arms in the writhings of his ineffable anguish:--hisright hand came in contact with a crucifix that hung against the wall;and he mechanically clutched it--not with any motive prepense--butwildly, unwittingly. 

Terrific was the expression of rage which suddenly distorted thecountenance of the demon: the lightnings of ineffable fury seemed toflash from his eyes and play upon his contracting brow;--and yet astrong spasmodic shuddering at the same time convulsed his awful form;for as Wagner clung to the crucifix to prevent himself from falling atthe feet of the malignant fiend, the symbol of Christianity was draggedby his weight from the wall--and, as Wagner reeled sideways, the crosswhich he retained with instinctive tenacity in his grasp, waved acrossthe demon's face. 

Then, with a terrific howl of mingled rage and fear, the fiend fell backand disappeared through the earth--as if a second time hurled down inheadlong flight before the thunderbolts of heaven. Wagner fell upon hisknees and prayed fervently. 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 

THE TRIAL OF FERNAND WAGNER. 

On the ensuing morning Wagner stood before the judge of the CriminalTribunal of the Republic. 

The judgment hall was a large and lofty room in the Palazzo del Podesta, or ducal palace. The judges sat in antique and richly carved chairs, placed on a platform, beneath a canopy of purple velvet fringed withgold. 

On the left, at a handsome desk covered with papers, was seated theprocurator fiscal or attorney-general of the republic, distinguished inattire from the judges only by the fact of the ermine upon his scarletrobe being narrower than theirs. Opposite to this functionary was abench whereon the witnesses were placed. The prisoner stood between twosbirri in a small pew, in the center of the court. Defendants in civilcases were alone permitted in that age and country to retain counsel intheir behalf; persons accused of crimes were debarred this privilege. Wagner was therefore undefended. 

The proceedings of the tribunal were usually conducted privately; butabout a dozen gentlemen and twice as many ladies had obtained orders ofadmission on this occasion, the case having produced considerablesensation in Florence, on account of the reputed wealth of the accused. Perhaps, also, the rumor that he was a young man endowed withextraordinary personal attractions, had exercised its influence upon thesusceptible hearts of the Florentine ladies. Certain it is, that when hewas conducted into the judgment hall, his strikingly handsomeexterior--his air of modest confidence--his graceful gait, and hisyouthful appearance, so far threw into the back-ground the crime imputedto him, that the ladies present felt their sympathies deeply enlisted inhis behalf. 

The usher of the tribunal having commanded silence in a loud voice, thechief judge began the usual interrogatory of the prisoner. 

To the questions addressed to him, the accused replied that his name wasFernand Wagner; that he was a native of Germany; that he had noprofession, avocation nor calling; that he was possessed of a largefortune; and that having traveled over many parts of the world, hesettled in Florence, where he had hoped to enjoy a tranquil and peacefulexistence. 

"The murdered female was reputed to be your sister, " said the chiefjudge. "Was such the fact?"

"She was a near relative, " answered Wagner. 

"But was she your sister?" demanded the procurator fiscal. 

"She was not. "

"Then in what degree of relationship did she stand toward you?" askedthe chief judge. 

"I must decline to reply to that question. "

"The tribunal infers, therefore, that the murdered female was notrelated to you at all, " observed the judge. "Was she not your mistress?"

"No, my lord!" cried Wagner, emphatically. "As truly as Heaven now hearsmy assertion, it was not so!"

"Was she your wife?" demanded the chief judge. 

A negative answer was given. 

The chief judge and the procurator fiscal then by turns questioned andcross-questioned the prisoner in the most subtle manner, to induce himstate the degree of relationship subsisting between himself and Agnes;but he either refused to respond to their queries, or else answereddirect ones by means of a positive denial. 

The lieutenant of the sbirri was at length called upon to give anaccount of the discovery of the dead body and the suspiciouscircumstances which had led to the arrest of Wagner. Two of thesecircumstances appeared to be very strong against him. The first was thesoiled and blood-stained appearance of the garments which were found inhis chamber; the other was the exclamation--"But how know you that it isAgnes who is murdered?"--uttered before any one had informed who hadbeen murdered. 

Wagner was called upon for an explanation. He stated that he had beenout the whole night; that the blood upon his garments had flowed fromhis own body, which had been scratched and torn in the mazes of thewoods; that on his return home he met Agnes in the garden; that he hadleft her there; and that he was told a young lady had been assassinatedin the vicinity of his dwelling, he immediately conceived that thevictim must be Agnes. 

When questioned concerning the motives of his absence from home duringthe entire night he maintained a profound silence; but he was evidentlymuch agitated and excited by the queries thus put to him. He saidnothing about the stranger-lady who had so frequently terrified Agnes;because, in relating the proceedings of that mysterious female inrespect to his deceased grand-daughter--especially the incident of theabstraction of the antique jewels which the late Count of Riverola hadgiven to her--he would have been compelled to enter into detailsconcerning the _amour_ between those who were no more. And this subjecthe was solicitous to avoid, not only through respect for the memory ofthe murdered Agnes, but also to spare the feelings of Count Franciscoand Donna Nisida. 

The judges and the procurator fiscal, rinding that they could elicitnothing from Wagner relative to the cause of his absence from homeduring the night preceding the murder, passed on to another subject. 

"In an apartment belonging to your residence, " said the chief judge, "there are several pictures and portraits. "

Wagner turned pale and trembled. The judge made a signal to an officerof the court, and that functionary quitted the judgment hall. In a fewminutes he returned, followed by three subordinates bearing the twoportraits mentioned in the sixth chapter of this tale, and also theframe covered over with the large piece of black cloth. On perceivingthis last object, Wagner became paler still, and trembled violently. 

"There are six other pictures in the room whence these have been taken, "said the judge; "but these six are not of a character to interest thetribunal. We however require explanations concerning the two portraitsand the frame with the black cloth cover now before us. "

The greatest excitement at present prevailed amongst the audience. 

"On one of the portraits, " continued the chief judge, "there is aninscription to this effect, --_F. , Count of A. , terminated his career onthe 1st. Of August, 1517. _--What does this inscription mean?"

"It means that Faust, Count of Aurana, was a nobleman with whom Itraveled during a period of eighteen months, " replied Wagner; "and hedied on the day mentioned in that inscription. "

"The world has heard strange reports relative to Faust, " said the chiefjudge, in a cold voice and with unchanged manner, although the mentionof that name had produced a thrill of horror on the part of his brotherjudges and the audience. "Art thou aware that rumor ascribes to him acompact with the Evil One?"

Wagner gazed around him in horrified amazement, for the incident of thepreceding night returned with such force to his mind that he couldscarcely subdue an agonizing ebullition of emotion. 

The chief judge next recited the inscription on the otherportrait:--"_F. W. January 7th, 1516. His last day thus. _" But Wagnermaintained a profound silence, and neither threats nor entreaties couldinduce him to give the least explanation concerning that inscription. 

"Let us then proceed to examine this frame with the black cloth cover, "said the chief judge. 

"My lord, " whispered one of his brother judges, "in the name of theBlessed Virgin! have naught more to do with this man. Let him go forthto execution: he is a monster of atrocity, evidently a murderer, doubtless leagued with the Evil One, as Faust, of whose acquaintance heboasts, was before him----"

"For my part, I credit not such idle tales, " interrupted the chiefjudge, "and it is my determination to sift this matter to the veryfoundation. I am rather inclined to believe that the prisoner is alliedwith the banditti who infest the republic, than with any preterhumanpowers. His absence from home during the entire night, according to hisown admission, his immense wealth, without any ostensible resources, alljustify my suspicion. Let the case proceed, " added the chief judgealoud; for he had made the previous observations in a low tone. "Usher, remove the black cloth from the picture!"

"No! no!" exclaimed Wagner, wildly: and he was about to rush from thedock, but the sbirri held him back. The usher's hand was already on theblack cloth. 

"I beseech your lordship to pause!" whispered the assistant judge whohad before spoken. 

"Proceed!" exclaimed the presiding functionary in a loud authoritativetone; for he was a bold and fearless man. 

And scarcely were these word uttered, when the black cloth was strippedfrom the frame; and the usher who had removed the covering recoiled witha cry of horror, as his eyes obtained a glimpse of the picture which wasnow revealed to view. 

"What means this folly?" ejaculated the chief judge. "Bring the picturehither. "

The usher, awed by the manner of this great functionary, raised thepicture in such a way that the judges and the procurator fiscal mightobtain a full view of it. 

"A Wehr-Wolf!" ejaculated the assistant judge, who had previouslyremonstrated with his superior; and his countenance became pale asdeath. 

The dreadful words were echoed by other tongues in the court; and apanic fear seized on all save the chief judge and Wagner himself. Theformer smiled contemptuously, the latter had summoned all his courage toaid him to pass through this terrible ordeal without confirming by hisconduct the dreadful suspicion which had been excited in respect to him. 

For, oh! the subject of that picture was indeed awful to contemplate! Ithad no inscription, but it represented, with the most painful andhorrifying fidelity, the writhings and agonizing throes of the humanbeing during the progress of transformation into the lupine monster. Thecountenance of the unhappy man had already elongated into one of savageand brute-like shape; and so admirably had art counterfeited nature, that the rich garments seemed changed into a rough, shaggy, and wiryskin! The effect produced by that picture was indeed of thrilling andappalling interest!

"A Wehr-Wolf!" had exclaimed one of the assistant judges: and while thevoices of several of the male spectators in the body of the court echoedthe words mechanically, the ladies gave vent to screams, as they rushedtoward the doors of the tribunal. In a few moments that part of thecourt was entirely cleared. 

"Prisoner!" exclaimed the chief judge, "have you ought more to advancein your defense, relative to the charge of murder?"

"My lord, I am innocent!" said Wagner, firmly but respectfully. 

"The tribunal pronounces you guilty!" continued the chief judge: then, with a scornful smile toward his assistants and the procuratorfiscal--who all three, as well as the sbirri and the officers of thecourt were pale and trembling with vague fear--the presiding functionarycontinued thus:--"The tribunal condemns you, Fernand Wagner, to death bythe hand of the common headsman; and it is now my duty to name the dayand fix the hour for your execution. Therefore I do ordain that thesentence just pronounced be carried into effect precisely at the hour ofsunset on the last day of the present month!"

"My lord! my lord!" exclaimed the procurator fiscal; "the belief is thaton the last day of each month, and at the hour of sunset----"

"I am aware of the common superstition, " interrupted the chief judge, coldly and sternly; "and it is to convince the world of the folly ofputting faith in such legends that I have fixed that day and that hourin the present instance. Away with the prisoner to his dungeon. "

And the chief judge waved his hand imperiously, to check any furtherattempts at remonstrance; but his assistant functionaries, theprocurator fiscal and the officers of the court, surveyed him withmingled surprise and awe, uncertain whether they ought to applaud hiscourage or tremble at his rashness. Wagner had maintained a calm anddignified demeanor during the latter portion of the proceedings; and, although the sbirri who had charge of him ventured not to lay a fingerupon him, he accompanied them back to the prison of the Palazzo delPodesta. 

CHAPTER XXXVII. 

THE SHIPWRECK. 

Ten days had elapsed since the incidents related in the precedingchapter. The scene changes to an island in the Mediterranean Sea. There, seated on the strand, with garments dripping wet, and with all thesilken richness of her raven hair floating wildly and disheveled overher shoulders, the Lady Nisida gazed vacantly on the ocean, now tingedwith living gold by the morning sun. At a short distance, a portion of ashipwrecked vessel lay upon the shore, and seemed to tell her tale. Butwhere were the desperate, daring crew who had manned the gallant bark?where were those fearless freebooters who six days previously had sailedfrom Leghorn on their piratical voyage? where were those who hoisted theflag of peace and assumed the demeanor of honest trader when in port, but who on the broad bosom of the ocean carried the terrors of theirblack banner far and wide? where, too, was Stephano Verrina, who had soboldly carried off the Lady Nisida?

The gallant bark had struck upon a shoal, during the tempest and theobscurity of the night, and the pilot knew not where they were. Hisreckoning was lost--his calculations had all been set at naught by theconfusion produced by the fearful storm which had assailed the ship anddriven her from her course. The moment the corsair galley struck, thatconfusion increased to such an extent that the captain lost all controlover his men; the pilot's voice was unheeded likewise. 

The crew got out the long-boat and leaped into it, forcing the captainand the pilot to enter it with them. Stephano Verrina, who was on deckwhen the vessel struck, rushed down into the cabin appropriated toNisida, and by signs endeavored to convey to her a sense of the dangerwhich menaced them. Conquering her ineffable aversion for the bandit, Nisida followed him hastily to the deck. At the same instant that hereyes plunged, as it were, into the dense obscurity which prevailedaround, the lightning streamed in long and vivid flashes over theturbulent waters, and with the roar of the billows suddenly mingleddeafening shrieks and cries--shrieks and cries of wild despair, as thelong-boat, which had been pushed away from the corsair-bark, went downat a little distance. And as the lightning played upon the raging sea, Nisida and Verrina caught hurried but frightful glimpses of many humanfaces, whereon was expressed the indescribable agony of the drowning. 

"Perdition!" cried Verrina; "all are gone save Nisida and myself! Andshall we too perish ere she has become mine? shall death separate us ereI have reveled in her charms? Fool that I was to delay my triumphhitherto! Fool that I was to be overawed by her impetuous signs, ormelted by her silent though strong appeals!"

He paced the deck in an excited manner as he uttered these words aloud. 

"No!" he exclaimed wildly, as the tempest seemed to increase, and theship was thrown further on shoal: "she shall not escape me thus, afterall I have done and dared in order to possess her! Our funeral may takeplace to-night--but our bridal shall be first. Ha! ha!"--and he laughedwith a kind of despairing mockery, while the fragments of the vessel'ssails flapped against the spars with a din as if some mighty demon werestruggling with the blast. The sense of appalling danger seemed tomadden Stephano only because it threatened to separate him from Nisida;and, fearfully excited, he rushed toward her, crying wildly, "You shallbe mine!"

But how terrible was the yell which burst from his lips, when by theglare of a brilliant flash of lightning, he beheld Nisida cast herselfover the side of the vessel!

For a single instant he fell back appalled, horror-struck; but at thenext, he plunged with insensate fury after her. And the rage of thestorm redoubled. 

When the misty shades of morning cleared away, and the storm had passed, Nisida was seated alone upon the strand, having miraculously escapedthat eternal night of death which leads to no dawn. But where wasStephano Verrina? She knew not; although she naturally conjectured, andeven hoped, that he was numbered with the dead. 

CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

THE ISLAND IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. 

Fair and beauteous was the Mediterranean isle whereon the Lady Nisidahad been thrown. 

When the morning mists had dispersed, and the sunbeams tinged the ridgesof the hills and the summits of the tallest trees, Nisida awoke as itwere from the profound lethargic reverie in which she had been plungedfor upward of an hour, since the moment when the billows had borne hersafely to the shore. 

The temperature of that island was warm and genial, for there eternalsummer reigned, and thus, though her garments were still dripping wet, Nisida experienced no cold. She rose from the bank of sand whereon shehad been seated, and cast anxious, rapid, and searching glances aroundher. Not a human being met her eyes; but in the woods that stretched, with emerald pride, almost down to the golden sands, the birds andinsects--nature's free commoners--sent forth the sounds of life andwelcomed the advent of the morn with that music of the groves. 

The scenery which now presented itself to the contemplation of Nisidawas indescribably beautiful. Richly wooded hills rose towering aboveeach other with amphitheatrical effect; and behind the verdant panoramawere the blue outlines of pinnacles of naked rocks. But not a trace ofthe presence of human beings was to be seen--not a hamlet, nor acottage, nor the slightest sign of agriculture! At a short distance laya portion of the wreck of the corsair-ship. The fury of the tempest ofthe preceding night had thrown it so high upon the shoal whereon it hadstruck, and the sea was now comparatively so calm, that Nisida wasenabled to approach close up to it. With little difficulty she succeededin reaching the deck, --that deck whose elastic surface lately vibratedto the tread of many daring, desperate young men--but now desolate andbroken in many parts. 

The cabin which had been allotted to her, or rather to which she hadbeen confined, was in the portion of the wreck that still remained; andthere she found a change of raiment, which Stephano had provided ere thevessel left Leghorn. Carefully packing up these garments in as small andportable a compass as possible, she fastened the burden upon hershoulders by the means of a cord, and, quitting the vessel, conveyed itsafe and dry to the shore. 

Then she returned again to the wreck in search of provisions, considerable quantities of which she fortunately found to be uninjuredby the water; and these she was enabled to transport to the strand bymeans of several journeys backward and forward between the shore and thewreck. The occupation was not only necessary in order to provide thewherewith to sustain life, but it also abstracted her thoughts from atoo painful contemplation of her position. It was long past the hour ofnoon when she had completed her task; and the shore in the immediatevicinity of the wreck was piled with a miscellaneous assortment ofobjects--bags of provisions, weapons of defense, articles of the toilet, clothing, pieces of canvas, cordage, and carpenter's tools. Then, wearied with her arduous toils, she laid aside her dripping garments, bathed her beauteous form in the sea, and attired herself in dryapparel. 

Having partaken of some refreshment, she armed herself with weapons ofdefense, and quitting the shore, entered upon that vast amphitheater ofverdure to which we have already slightly alluded. The woods were thickand tangled; but though, when seen from the shore, they appeared to formone dense, uninterrupted forest, yet they in reality only dotted thesurface of the islands with numerous detached patches of grove andcopse; and in the intervals were verdant plains or delicious valleys, exhibiting not the slightest sign of agriculture, but interspersed withshrubs and trees laden with fruits rich and tempting. 

Nature had indeed profusely showered her bounties over that charmingisle; for the trees glowed with their blushing or golden produce, as ifgems were the fruitage of every bough. 

Through one of the delicious valleys which Nisida explored, a streamlet, smooth as a looking-glass, wound its way. To its sunny bank did the ladyrepair; and the pebbly bed of the river was seen as plainly through thelimpid waters as an eyeball through a tear. 

Though alone was Nisida in that vale, and though many bitterreflections, deep regrets, and vague apprehensions crowded upon hersoul; yet the liveliness of the scene appeared to diminish theintenseness of the feelings of utter solitude, and its soft influencepartially lulled the waves of her emotions. For never had mortal eyesbeheld finer fruit upon the trees, nor lovelier flowers upon the soil;all life was rejoicing, from the grasshopper at her feet to thefeathered songsters in the myrtle, citron, and olive groves; and theswan glided past to the music of the stream. Above, the heavens weremore clear than her own Italian clime, more blue than any color thattinges the flowers of the earth. 

She roved along the smiling bank which fringed the stream until thesetting sun dyed with the richest purple the rocky pinnacles in thedistance, and made the streamlet glow like a golden flood. AndNisida--alone, in the radiance and glory of her own charms--alone amidstall the radiance and glory of the charms of nature--the beauteous Nisidaappeared to be the queen of that Mediterranean isle. But whether it werereally an island or a portion of the three continents which hem in thattideless ocean, the lady as yet knew not. 

Warned by the splendors of the setting sun to retrace her way, sheturned and sped back to the strand, where the stores she had saved fromthe wreck were heaped up. When first she had set out upon her exploringramble, she had expected every moment to behold human forms--herfellow-creatures--emerge from the woods; but the more she saw of thatcharming spot whereon her destinies had thrown her, the fainter grew thehope or the fear--we scarcely know which to term the expectation. For nosign of the presence of man was there; Nature appeared to be theundisputed empress of that land; and Nisida returned to the shore withthe conviction that she was the sole human inhabitant of this deliciousregion. 

And now, once more seated upon the strand, while the last beams of thesun played upon the wide blue waters of the Mediterranean, Nisidapartook of her frugal repast, consisting of the bread supplied by thewreck and a few fruits which she gathered in the valley. The effects ofthe tempest had totally disappeared in respect to the sea, which now laystretched in glassy stillness. It seemed as if a holy calm, soft as aninfant's sleep, lay upon the bosom of the Mediterranean, now no longerterrible with storm, but a mighty emblem of mild majesty and rest!

Nisida thought of the fury which had lately convulsed that sea, now soplacid, and sighed at the conviction which was forced upon her--that nosuch calm was for the mortal breast when storms had once been there! Forshe pondered on her native land, now, perhaps, far--oh! how far away;and the images of those whom she loved appeared to rise beforeher--Francisco in despair at his sister's unaccountabledisappearance--and Fernand perchance already doomed to die! And tearsflowed down her cheeks, and trickled upon her snowy bosom, gleaming likedew amongst lilies. Of what avail was the energy of her character inthat land along whose coast stretched the impassable barrier of the sea?Oh! it was enough to make even the haughty Nisida weep, and to produce aterrible impression on a mind hitherto acting only in obedience to itsown indomitable will. 

Though the sun had set some time, and no moon had yet appeared in thepurple sky, yet was it far from dark. An azure mantle of twilight seemedto wrap the earth--the sea--the heavens; and so soft, so overpoweringwas the influence of the scene and of the night, that slumber graduallystole upon the lady's eyes. There now, upon the warm sand, slept Nisida;and when the chaste advent of the moon bathed all in silver, as the sunhad for twelve hours steeped all in gold, the beams of the goddess ofthe night played on her charming countenance without awakening her. Theraven masses of her hair lay upon her flushed cheeks like midnight on abed of roses, her long black lashes reposed on those cheeks, sosurpassingly lovely with their rich carnation hues. For she dreamt ofFernand; and her vision was a happy one. Imagination played wild trickswith the shipwrecked, lonely lady, as if to recompense her for thewaking realities of her sad position. She thought that she was reposingin the delicious valley which she had explored in the afternoon--shethought that Fernand was her companion--that she lay in his arms--thathis lips pressed hers--that she was all to him as he was all to her, andthat love's cup of enjoyment was full to the very brim. 

But, oh! when she slowly awoke, and under the influence of thedelightful vision, raised her eyes in the dewy light of voluptuouslanguor to the blue sky above her, the sunbeams that were heralding inanother day cruelly dispelled the enchanting illusions of a warm andexcited fancy, and Nisida found herself alone on the sea-shore of theisland. 

Thus the glory of that sunrise had no charms for her; although never hadthe orb of day come forth with greater pomp, nor to shine on a lovelierscene. No words can convey an idea of the rapid development of everyfeature in the landscape, the deeper and deepening tint of the glowingsky, the roseate hue of the mountain-peaks as they stood out against thecloudless orient, and the rich emerald shades of the woods sparklingwith fruit. The fragrant rose and the chaste lily, the blushing peonyand the gaudy tulip, and all the choicest flowers of that deliciousclime, expanded into renewed loveliness to greet the sun: and the citronand the orange, the melon and the grape, the pomegranate and the datedrank in the yellow light to nourish their golden hues. 

Nisida's eyes glanced rapidly over the vast expanse of waters, and sweptthe horizon: but there was not a sail, nor even a cloud whichimagination might transform into the white wing of a distant ship. Andnow upon the golden sand the lovely Nisida put off her garments one byone: and set at liberty the dark masses of her shining hair, whichfloated like an ample veil of raven blackness over the dazzlingwhiteness of her skin. Imagination might have invested her forehead witha halo, so magnificent was the lustrous effect of the sun upon thesilken glossiness of that luxuriant hair. 

The Mediterranean was the lady's bath: and, in spite of the oppressivenature of the waking thoughts which had succeeded her delicious dream, in spite of that conviction of loneliness which lay like a weight oflead upon her soul, she disported in the waters like a mermaid. 

Now she plunged beneath the surface, which glowed in the sun like a vastlake of quicksilver: now she stood in a shallow spot, where the waterrippled no higher than her middle, and combed out her dripping tresses;then she waded further in, and seemed to rejoice in allowing the littlewavelets to kiss her snowy bosom. No fear had she, indeed, no thought ofthe monsters of the deep: could the fair surface of the shining waterconceal aught dangerous or aught terrible? Oh! yes, even as beneath thatsnowy breast beat a heart stained with crime, often agitated by ardentand impetuous passions, and devoured by raging desire. 

For nearly an hour did Nisida disport in Nature's mighty bath until theheat of the sun became so intense that she was compelled to return tothe shore and resume her apparel. Then she took some bread in her hand, and hastened to the groves to pluck the cooling and delicious fruitswhereof there was so marvelous an abundance. She seated herself on a bedof wild flowers on the shady side of a citron and orange grove, surrounded by a perfumed air. Before her stretched the valley, like avast carpet of bright green velvet fantastically embroidered withflowers of a thousand varied hues. And in the midst meandered thecrystal stream, with stately swans and an infinite number of otheraquatic birds floating on its bosom. And the birds of the groves, too, how beautiful were they, and how joyous did they seem! What variegatedplumage did they display, as they flew past the Lady Nisida, unscared byher presence! Some of them alighted from the overhanging boughs, and asthey descended swept her very hair with their wings; then, almost toconvince her that she was not an unwelcome intruder in that charmingland, they hopped round her, picking up the crumbs of bread which shescattered about to attract them. 

For the loneliness of her condition had already attuned the mind of thisstrange being to a susceptibility of deriving amusement from incidentswhich a short time previously she would have looked upon as the mostinsane triflings;--thus was the weariness of her thoughts relieved bydisporting in the water, as we ere now saw her, or by contemplating theplayfulness of the birds. Presently she wandered into the vale, andgathered a magnificent nosegay of flowers: then the whim struck her thatshe would weave for herself a chaplet of roses; and as her workprogressed, she improved upon it, and fashioned a beauteous diadem offlowers to protect her head from the scorching noonday sun. 

But think not, O reader! that while thus diverting herself withtrivialities of which you would scarcely have deemed thehaughty--imperious--active disposition of Nisida of Riverola to becapable--think not that her mind was altogether abstracted fromunpleasant thoughts. No--far, very far from that! She was merelyrelieved from a portion of that weight which oppressed her; but herentire burden could not be removed from her soul. There were momentswhen her grief amounted almost to despair. Was she doomed to pass theremainder of her existence in that land? was it really an island andunknown to navigators? She feared so: for did it join a continent, itsloveliness and fruitfulness would not have permitted it to remain longunoccupied by those who must of necessity discover it. 

And oh! what would her brother think of her absence? what would Fernandconjecture? And what perils might not at that moment envelop her lover, while she was not near to succor him by means of her artifice, hermachinations, or her gold. Ten thousand-thousand maledictions uponStephano, who was the cause of all her present misery! Tenthousand-thousand maledictions on her own folly for not having exertedall her energies and all her faculties to escape from his power, ere shewas conveyed on board the corsair ship, and it was too late!

But useless now were regrets and repinings; for the past could not berecalled, and the future might have much happiness in store for Nisida. For oh! sweetest comes the hope which is lured back because its presenceis indispensable; and, oppressed as Nisida was with the weight of hermisfortunes, her soul was too energetic, too sanguine, too impetuous toyield to despair. 

Day after day passed, and still not a ship appeared. Nisida did notpenetrate much further into the island than the valley which we havedescribed, and whither she was accustomed to repair to gather theflowers that she wove into diadems. She lingered for the most part nearthe shore on which she had been thrown, fearing lest, if away, a shipmight pass in her absence. 

Each day she bathed her beauteous form in the Mediterranean; each dayshe devoted some little time to the adornment of her person with wreathsof flowers. She wove crowns for her head--necklaces, bracelets, andscarfs, --combining the flowers so as to form the most wild and fancifuldevices, and occasionally surveying herself in the natural mirrorafforded her by the limpid stream. Purposely wearing an apparel asscanty as possible, on account of the oppressive heat which prevailedduring each day of twelve long hours, and which was not materiallymoderated at night, she supplied to some extent the place of thesuperfluous garments thus thrown aside, by means of tissues of cool, refreshing, fragrant flowers. 

Thus, by the time she had been ten or twelve days upon the island, herappearance seemed most admirably to correspond with her new and lonelymode of life, and the spot where her destinies had cast her. Habited ina single linen garment, confined round the slender waist with a cestusof flowers, and with light slippers upon her feet, but with a diadem ofroses on her head, and with wreaths round her bare arms, and her equallybare ankles, she appeared to be the goddess of that island--the geniusof that charming clime of fruits, and verdure, and crystal streams, andflowers. The majesty of her beauty was softened, and thus enhanced, bythe wonderful simplicity of her attire; the dazzling brilliancy of hercharms was subdued by the chaste, the innocent, the primitive aspectwith which those fantastically woven flowers invested her. Even theextraordinary luster of her fine dark eyes was moderated by the gaudyyet elegant assemblage of hues formed by those flowers which she wore. Was it not strange that she whose soul we have hitherto seen bent ondeeds or schemes of stern and important nature--who never acted withouta motive, and whose mind was far too deeply occupied with worldly caresand pursuits to bestow a thought on trifles--who, indeed, would havedespised herself had she wasted a moment in toying with a flower, orwatching the playful motions of a bird, --was it not strange that Nisidashould have become so changed as we now find her in that island of whichshe was the queen?

Conceive that same Nisida who planned dark plots against FloraFrancatelli, now tripping along the banks of the sunlit stream, bedeckedwith flowers and playing with the swans. Imagine that same being, whodealt death to Agnes, now seated beneath the shade of myrtles andembowering vines, distributing bread or pomegranate seeds to the birdsthat hopped cheerfully around her. Picture to yourself that woman ofmajestic beauty, whom you have seen clad in black velvet and wearing adark thick veil, now weaving for herself garments of flowers, andwandering in the lightest possible attire by the seashore, or by therippling stream, or amidst the mazes of the fruit-laden groves. 

And sometimes, as she sat upon the yellow sand, gazing on the waveletsof the Mediterranean, that were racing one after another, like livingthings from some far off region, to that lovely but lonely isle, itwould seem as if all the low and sweet voices of the sea--never loud andsullen now, since the night of storm which cast her on that strand--wereheard by her, and made delicious music to her ears! In that island mustwe leave her now for a short space, --leave her to her birds, herflowers, and her mermaid-sports in the sea, --leave her also to herintervals of dark and dismal thoughts, and to her long, but ineffectualwatchings for the appearance of a sail in the horizon. 

CHAPTER XXXIX. 

THE WEHR-WOLF. 

It was the last day of the month; and the hour of sunset was fastapproaching. Great was the sensation that prevailed throughout the cityof Florence. Rumor had industriously spread, and with equal assiduityexaggerated, the particulars of Fernand Wagner's trial, and the beliefthat a man on whom the horrible destiny of a Wehr-Wolf had beenentailed, was about to suffer the extreme penalty of the law, wasgenerally prevalent. 

The great square of the ducal palace, where the scaffold was erected, wascrowded with the Florentine populace; and the windows were literally alivewith human faces. Various were the emotions and feelings which influencedthat mass of spectators. The credulous and superstitious--forming morethan nine-tenths of the whole multitude--shook their heads, andcommented amongst themselves, in subdued whispers, on the profanerashness of the chief judge, who dared to doubt the existence of such abeing as a Wehr-Wolf. The few who shared the skepticism of the judgeapplauded that high functionary for his courage in venturing so bold astroke in order to destroy what he and they deemed an idle superstition. 

But the great mass were dominated by a profound and indeed most painfulsensation of awe; curiosity induced them to remain, though theirmisgivings prompted them to fly from the spot which had been fixed uponfor the execution. The flowers of Florentine loveliness--and never inany age did the republic boast of so much female beauty--were present:but bright eyes flashed forth uneasy glances, and snowy bosoms beat withalarms, and fair hands trembled in the lover's pressure. In the midst ofthe square was raised a high platform covered with black cloth, andpresenting an appearance so ominous and sinister that it was but littlecalculated to revive the spirits of the timid. On this scaffold was ahuge block: and near the block stood the headsman, carelessly leaning onhis ax, the steel of which was polished and bright as silver. A fewminutes before the hour of sunset, the chief judge, the procuratorfiscal, the two assistant-judges, and the lieutenant of sbirri, attendedby a turnkey and several subordinate police officers, were repairing inprocession along the corridor leading to the doomed prisoner's cell. 

The chief judge alone was dignified in manner; and he alone wore ademeanor denoting resolution and at the same time self-possession. Thosewho accompanied him were, without a single exception, a prey to the mostlively fear; and it was evident that had they dared to absent themselvesthey would not have been present on this occasion. At length the door ofthe prisoner's cell was reached; and there the procession paused. 

"The moment is now at hand, " said the chief judge, "when a monstrous andridiculous superstition, imported into our country from that cradle andnurse of preposterous legends--Germany--shall be annihilated forever. This knave who is about to suffer has doubtless propagated the report ofhis lupine destiny, in order to inspire terror and thus prosecute hiscareer of crime and infamy with the greater security from chances ofmolestation. For this end he painted the picture which appalled so manyof you in the judgment hall, but which, believe, my friends, he did notalways believe destined to retain its sable covering. Well did he knowthat the curiosity of a servant or of a friend would obtain a peepbeneath the mystic veil; and he calculated that the terror with which hesought to invest himself would be enhanced by the rumors andrepresentations spread by those who had thus penetrated into its feignedsecrets. But let us not waste that time which now verges toward acrisis, whereby doubt shall be dispelled and a ridiculous superstitiondestroyed forever. "

At this moment a loud, a piercing, and an agonizing cry burst from theinterior of the cell. 

"The knave has overheard me, and would fain strike terror to yourhearts!" exclaimed the chief judge; then in a still louder tone, hecommanded the turnkey to open the door of the dungeon. But when the manapproached, so strange, so awful, so appalling were the sounds whichcame from the interior of the cell, that he threw down the key in dismayand rushed from the dreadful vicinity. 

"My lord, I implore you to pause!" said the procurator fiscal, tremblingfrom head to foot. 

"Would you have me render myself ridiculous in the eyes of allFlorence?" demanded the chief judge sternly. 

Yet, so strange were now the noises which came from the interior of thedungeon--so piercing the cries of agony--so violent the rustling andtossing on the stone floor, that for the first time this boldfunctionary entertained a partial misgiving, as if he had indeed gonetoo far. But to retreat was impossible; and, with desperate resolution, the chief judge picked up the key and thrust it into the lock. 

His assistants, the procurator fiscal, and the sbirri drew back withinstinctive horror, as the bolts groaned in the iron work which heldthem; the chain fell with a clanking sound; and as the door was opened, the horrible monster burst forth from the dungeon with a terrific howl. Yells and cries of despair reverberated through the long corridor: andthose sounds were for an instant broken by that of the falling of aheavy body. 

'Twas the chief judge, hurled down and dashed violently against therough uneven masonry, by the mad careering of the Wehr-Wolf as themonster burst from his cell. On, on he sped, with the velocity oflightning, along the corridor, giving vent to howls of the mosthorrifying description. 

Fainting with terror, the assistant judges, the procurator fiscal, andthe sbirri were for a few moments so overcome by the appalling scenethey had just witnessed, that they thought not of raising the chiefjudge, who lay motionless on the pavement. But at length some of thepolice-officers so far recovered themselves as to be able to devoteattention to that high functionary--it was, however, too late--his skullwas fractured by the violence with which he had been dashed against therough wall, and his brains were scattered on the pavement. Those who nowbent over his disfigured corpse exchanged looks of unutterable horror. 

In the meantime the Wehr-Wolf had cleared the corridor, rapid as anarrow shot from the bow; he sprung, bounding up a flight of steep stonestairs as if the elastic air bore him on, and rushing through an opendoor, burst suddenly upon the crowd that was so anxiously waiting tobehold the procession issue thence. 

Terrific was the yell that the multitude sent forth--a yell formed of athousand combining voices, so long, so loud, so wildly agonizing, thatnever had the welkin rung with so appalling an ebullition of humanmisery before! Madly rushed the wolf amidst the people, dashing themaside, overturning them, hurling them down, bursting through the masstoo dense to clear a passage of its own accord, and making the scene ofhorror more horrible still by mingling his hideous howlings with thecries--the shrieks--the screams that escaped from a thousand tongues. 

No pen can describe the awful scene of confusion and death which nowtook place. Swayed by no panic fear, but influenced by terrors ofdreadful reality, the people exerted all their force to escape from thatspot; and thus the struggling, crushing, pushing, crowding, fighting, and all the oscillations of a multitude set in motion by the direstalarms, were succeeded by the most fatal results. Women were thrown downand trampled to death, strong men were scarcely able to maintain theirfooting, many females were literally suffocated in the pressure of thecrowd, and mothers with young children in their arms excited nosympathy. 

Never was the selfishness of human nature more strikingly displayed thanon this occasion: no one bestowed a thought upon his neighbor: thechivalrous Florentine citizens dashed aside the weak and helpless femalewho barred his way with as little remorse as if she were not a being offlesh and blood; and even husbands forgot their wives, lovers abandonedtheir mistresses, and parents waited not an instant to succor theirdaughters. 

Oh! it was a terrible thing to contemplate, that dense mass, oscillatingfuriously like the waves of the sea, sending up to heaven such appallingsounds of misery, rushing furiously toward the avenues of egress, falling back baffled and crushed, in the struggle where only the verystrongest prevailed, laboring to escape from death, and fighting forlife, fluctuating and rushing, and wailing in maddening excitement likea raging ocean. Oh! all this wrought a direful sublimity, with thosecries of agony and that riot of desperation. And all this while the wolfpursued its furious career, amid the mortal violence of a people throwninto horrible disorder, pursued its way with savage howls, glaring eyes, and foaming mouth, the only living being there that was infuriate andnot alarmed, battling for escape, and yet unhurt. 

As a whirlpool suddenly assails the gallant ship, makes her agitate androck fearfully for a few moments and then swallows her up altogether, sowas the scaffold in the midst of the square shaken to its very basis fora little space, and then hurled down, disappearing altogether amidst theliving vortex. 

In the balconies and at the windows overlooking the square, the awfulexcitement spread like wild-fire, and a real panic prevailed among thosewho were at least beyond the reach of danger. But horror paralyzed thepower of sober reflection, and the hideous spectacle of volumes of humanbeings battling, and roaring, and rushing, and yelling in terrificfrenzy, produced a kindred effect, and spread the wild delirium amongthe spectators at those balconies and those windows. At length, in thesquare below, the crowds began to pour forth from the gates, for theWehr-Wolf had by this time cleared himself a passage and escaped fromthe midst of that living ocean so fearfully agitated by the storms offear. But even when the means of egress were thus obtained, the mostfrightful disorder prevailed, the people rolling in heaps upon heaps, while infuriate and agile men ran on the tops of the compact masses, andleapt in their delirium, as with barbarous intent. 

On--on sped the Wehr-Wolf, dashing like a whirlwind through the streetsleading to the open country, the white flakes of foam flying from hismouth like spray from the prow of a vessel, and every fiber of his framevibrating as if in agony. And oh! what dismay--what terror did thatmonster spread in the thoroughfares through which he passed; how wildly, how madly flew the men and women from his path; how piteously screamedthe children at the house-doors in the poor neighborhoods! But, as ifsated with the destruction already wrought in the great square of thepalace, the wolf dealt death no more in the precincts of the city; as iflashed on by invisible demons, his aim, or his instinct, was to escape. 

The streets are threaded, the suburbs of the city are passed, the opencountry is gained; and now along the bank of the Arno rushes themonster, by the margin of that pure stream to whose enchanting vale thesoft twilight lends a more delicious charm. 

On the verge of a grove, with its full budding branches all impatientfor the spring, a lover and his mistress were murmuring fond language toeach other. In the soft twilight blushed the maiden, less in bashfulnessthan in her own soul's emotion, her countenance displaying all the magicbeauty not only of feature but of feeling; and she raised her large blueeyes in the dewy light of a sweet enthusiasm to the skies, as thehandsome youth by her side pressed her fair hand and said, "We must nowpart until to-morrow, darling of my soul! How calmly has this day, withall its life and brightness, passed away into the vast tomb of eternity. It is gone without a single hour's unhappiness for us--gone withoutleaving a regret on our minds--gone, too, without clouds in the heavensor mists upon the earth, most beautiful even at the moment of itsparting! Tomorrow, beloved one, will unite us again in your parents'cot, and renewed happiness----"

The youth stopped, and the maiden clung to him in speechless terror: foran ominous sound, as of a rushing animal and then a terrific howl, burstupon their ears! No time had they for flight, not a moment even tocollect their scattered thoughts. The infuriate wolf came bounding overthe greensward, the youth uttered a wild and fearful cry, a scream ofagony burst from the lips of the maiden as she was dashed from herlover's arms, and in another moment the monster had swept by. 

But what misery, what desolation had his passage wrought! Though unhurtby his glistening fangs--though unwounded by his sharp claws, yet themaiden--an instant before so enchanting in her beauty, so happy in herlove--lay stretched on the cold turf, the cords of life snapped suddenlyby that transition from perfect bliss to the most appalling terror!

And still the wolf rushed madly, wildly on. 

 * * * * *

It was an hour past sunrise; and from a grove in the immediateneighborhood of Leghorn a man came forth. His countenance, thoughwondrously handsome, was deadly pale; traces of mental horror andanguish remained on those classically chiseled features, and in thosefine eloquent eyes. His garments were soiled, blood-stained, and torn. 

This man was Fernand Wagner. He entered the city of Leghorn, andpurchased a change of attire, for which he paid from a purse well filledwith gold. He then repaired to a hostel, or public tavern, where heperformed the duties of the toilet, and obtained the refreshment ofwhich he appeared to stand so much in need. By this time his countenancewas again composed; and the change which new attire and copious ablutionhad made in his appearance, was so great that no one who had seen himissue from the grove and beheld him now, could have believed in theidentity of the person. Quitting the hostel, he repaired to the port, where he instituted inquiries relative to a particular vessel which hedescribed, and which had sailed from Leghorn upward of a fortnightpreviously. 

He soon obtained the information which he sought; and an old sailor, towhom he had addressed himself, not only hinted that the vessel inquestion was suspected, when in the harbor, to be of piraticalcharacter, but also declared that he himself had seen a lady conveyed onboard during the night preceding the departure of the ship. Furtherinquiries convinced Wagner that the lady spoken of had been carried byforce, and against her will, to the corsair vessel; and he was nowcertain that the demon had not deceived him, and that he had indeedobtained a trace of his lost Nisida!

His mind was immediately resolved how to act; and his measures were asspeedily taken. 

Guided by the advice of the old sailor from whom he had gleaned theinformation he sought, he was enabled to purchase a fine vessel andequip her for sea within the space of a few days. He lavished his goldwith no niggard hand, and gold is a wondrous talisman to removeobstacles and facilitate designs. In a word, on the sixth morning afterhis arrival at Leghorn, Fernand Wagner embarked on board his ship, whichwas manned with a gallant crew, and carried ten pieces of ordnance. Afavoring breeze prevailed at the time, and the gallant bark set sail forthe Levant. 

CHAPTER XL. 

WAGNER IN SEARCH OF NISIDA. 

The reader may perhaps be surprised that Fernand Wagner should have beenventurous enough to trust himself to the possibilities of a protractedvoyage, since every month his form must undergo a frightful change--adestiny which he naturally endeavored to shroud in the profoundestsecrecy. 

But it must be recollected that the Mediterranean is dotted withnumerous islands; and he knew that, however changeable or adverse thewinds might be, it would always prove an easy matter to make sucharrangements as to enable him to gain some port a few days previously tothe close of the month. Moreover, so strong, so intense was his love forNisida, that, even without the prospect afforded by this calculation, hewould have dared all perils, incurred all risks, exposed himself to allhostile chances, rather than have remained inactive while he believedher to be in the power of a desperate, ruthless bandit. For, oh! everpresent to his mind was the image of the lost fair one; by day, when thesun lighted up with smiles the dancing waves over which his vesselbounded merrily, merrily; and by night, when the moon shone like asilver lamp amidst the curtains of heaven's pavilion. 

His was not the love which knows only passionate impulse: it was aconstant, unvarying tender sentiment--far, far more pure, and thereforemore permanent, than the ardent and burning love which Nisida felt forhim. His was not the love which possession would satiate and enjoymentcool down: it was a feeling that had gained a soft yet irresistibleempire over his heart. 

And that love of his was nurtured and sustained by the most generousthoughts. He pictured to himself the happiness he should experience inbecoming the constant companion of one whose loss of hearing and ofspeech cut her off as it were from that communion with the world whichis so grateful to her sex: he imagined to himself, with all the fondidolatry of sincere affection, how melodiously soft, how tremulouslyclear would be her voice, were it restored to her, and were it firstused to articulate the delicious language of love. And then he thoughthow enchanting, how fascinating, how fraught with witching charms, wouldbe the conversation of a being endowed with so glorious an intellect, were she able to enjoy the faculty of speech. Thus did her veryimperfections constitute a ravishing theme for his meditation; and themore he indulged in dreams like these, the more resolute did he becomenever to rest until he had discovered and rescued her. 

Seven days had elapsed since the ship sailed from Leghorn; and Sicilyhad already been passed by, when the heavens grew overclouded, andeverything portended a storm. The captain, whom Wagner had placed incharge of his vessel, adopted all the precautions necessary to encounterthe approaching tempest; and soon after the sun went down on the seventhnight a hurricane suddenly swept the surface of the Mediterranean. Theship bent to the fury of the gust--her very yards were deep in thewater. But when the rage of that dreadful squall subsided, the gallantbark righted again, and bounded triumphantly over the foaming waves. 

A night profoundly dark set in; but the white crests of the billows werevisible through that dense obscurity: while the tempest rapidlyincreased in violence, and all the dread voices of the storm, thethunder in the heavens, the roaring of the sea, and the gushing soundsof the gale, proclaimed the fierceness of the elemental war. The windblew not with that steadiness which the skill of the sailor and thecapacity of the noble ship were competent to meet, but in long andfrequent gusts of intermittent fury. Now rose the gallant bark on thewaves, as if towering toward the starless sky, in the utter blackness ofwhich the masts were lost; then it sank down into the abyss, the foam ofthe boiling billows glistening far above, on all sides, amidst theobscurity. What strange and appalling noises are heard on board a shiplaboring in a storm--the cracking of timber, the creaking of elasticplanks, the rattling of the cordage, the flapping of fragments of sails, the failing of spars, the rolling of casks got loose, and at times atremendous crash throughout the vessel, as if the whole framework weregiving way and the very sides collapsing!

And amidst those various noises and the dread sounds of the storm, thevoices of the sailors were heard--not in prayer nor subdued byterror--but echoing the orders issued by the captain, who did notdespair of guiding--nay, fighting, as it were, the ship through thetumultuous billows and against the terrific blast. 

Again a tremendous hurricane swept over the deep: it passed, but not aspar remained to the dismantled bark. The tapering masts, the longgraceful yards were gone, the cordage having snapped at every pointwhere its support was needed--snapped by the fury of the tempest, as ifwantonly cut by a sharp knife. The boats--the crew's last alternative ofhope--had likewise disappeared. The ship was now completely at the mercyof the wild raging of the winds and the fury of the troubled waters; itno longer obeyed its helm, and there were twenty men separated, all save_one_, from death only by a few planks and a few nails! The sea nowbroke so frequently over the vessel that the pumps could scarcely keepher afloat; and at length, while it was yet dark, though verging towardthe dawn, the sailors abandoned their task of working at those pumps. Vainly did the captain endeavor to exercise his authority--vainly didWagner hold out menaces and promises by turns; death seemed imminent, and yet those men, who felt that they were hovering on the verge ofdestruction, flew madly to the wine-stores. 

Then commenced a scene of the wildest disorder amidst those desperatemen; and even the captain himself, perceiving that they could laugh, andshout, and sing, in the delirium of intoxication, rushed from the sideof Wagner and joined the rest. It was dreadful to hear the obscene jest, the ribald song, and the reckless execration, sent forth from the cabin, as if in answer to the awful voices in which Nature was then speaking tothe world. But scarcely had a faint gleam appeared in the orientsky--not quite a gleam, but a mitigation of the intenseness of thenight--when a tremendous wave--a colossus amongst giants--broke over theill-fated ship, while a terrible crash of timber was for a moment heardin unison with the appalling din of the whelming billows. Wagner was theonly soul on deck at that instant: but the fury of the waters tore himaway from the bulwark to which he had been clinging, and he becameinsensible. 

When he awoke from the stupor into which he had been plunged, it wasstill dusk, and the roar of the ocean sounded in his ears with deafeningdin. 

But he was on land, though where he knew not. Rising from the sand onwhich he had been cast, he beheld the billows breaking on the shore atthe distance of only a few paces; and he retreated further from theirreach. Then he sat down, with his face toward the east, anxiouslyawaiting the appearance of the morn that he might ascertain the natureand the aspect of the land on which he had been cast. By degrees theglimmering which had already subdued the blackness of night into theless profound obscurity of duskiness, grew stronger; and a yellowluster, as of a far-distant conflagration, seemed to struggle against athick fog. Then a faint roseate streak tinged the eastern horizon, growing gradually deeper in hue, and spreading higher and wider--theharbinger of sunrise; while, simultaneously, the features of the land onwhich Wagner was thrown began to develop themselves like spectersstealing out of complete security; till at length the orient luster wascaught successively by a thousand lofty pinnacles of rock; and finallythe majestic orb itself appeared, lighting up a series of verdantplains, delicious groves, glittering lakes, pellucid streams, as well asthe still turbulent ocean and the far-off mountains which had firstpeeped from amidst the darkness. 

Fair and delightful was the scene that thus developed itself to the eyesof Wagner; but as his glance swept the country which roseamphitheatrically from the shore not a vestige of the presence of mancould be beheld. No smoke curled from amidst the groves, no church spirepeeped from amongst the trees; nor had the wilderness of nature beendisturbed by artificial culture. 

He turned toward the ocean; there was not a trace of his vessel to beseen. But further along the sand lay a dark object, which he approached, with a shudder, for he divined what it was. 

Nor was he mistaken; it was the swollen and livid corpse of one of thesailors of his lost ship. 

Wagner's first impulse was to turn away in disgust, but a better feelingalmost immediately animated him: and, hastening to the nearest grove, hebroke off a large bough, with which he hollowed a grave in the sand. Hedeposited the corpse in the hole, throwing back the sand which he haddisplaced, and thus completed his Christian task. 

During his visit to the grove, he had observed with delight that thetrees were laden with fruit; and he now returned thither to refreshhimself by means of the banquet thus bountifully supplied by nature. Having terminated his repast, he walked further inland. The verdantslope stretched up before him, variegated with flowers, and glitteringwith morning dew. As he advanced, the development of all the features ofthat land--lakes and woods; hills undulating like the sea in sunset, after hours of tempest: rivulets and crystal streams, each with its ownpeculiar murmurs, but all of melody; groves teeming with the mostluxurious fruit of the tropics, and valleys carpeted with the brightestgreen, varied with nature's own embroidery of flowers--the developmentof this scene was inexpressibly beautiful, far surpassing the finestefforts of creative fancy. 

Wagner seated himself on a sunny bank, and fell into a profoundmeditation. At length, glancing rapidly around, he exclaimed aloud, asif in continuation of the chain of thoughts which had already occupiedhis mind, "Oh, if Nisida were here--here, in this delicious clime, to bemy companion! What happiness--what joy! Never should I regret the worldfrom which this isle--for an isle it must be--is separated! Never shouldI long to return to that communion with men from which we should be cutoff! Here would the eyes of my Nisida cast forth rays of joy andgladness upon everything around; here would the sweetest transitions ofsentiment and feeling take place! Nisida would be the island queen; sheshould deck herself with these flowers, which her fair hands might weaveinto wildly fantastic arabesques! Oh! all would be happiness--ahappiness so serene, that never would the love of mortals he more trulyblessed! But, alas!" he added, as a dreadful thought broke rudely uponthis delightful vision, "I should be compelled to reveal to her mysecret--the appalling secret of my destiny: that when the period fortransformation came round, she might place herself in safety----"

Wagner stopped abruptly, and rose hastily from his seat on the sunnybank. The remembrance of this dreadful fate had spoiled one of the mostdelicious waking dreams in which he had ever indulged; and, dashing hishands against his forehead, he rushed wildly toward the chain ofmountains which intersected the island. 

But suddenly he stopped short, for on the ground before him lay thedoublet of a man--a doublet of the fashion then prevalent in Italy. Helifted it up, examined it, but found nothing in the pockets; then, throwing it on the ground, he stood contemplating it for some minutes. 

Could it be possible that he was in some part of Italy? that the shiphad been carried back to the European Continent during the tempest ofthe night? No; it was impossible that so lovely a tract of land wouldremain uninhabited, if known to men. The longer he reflected the more hebecame convinced that he was on some island hitherto unknown tonavigators, and on which some other shipwrecked individual had probablybeen cast. Why the doublet should have been discarded he could wellunderstand, as it was thick and heavy, and the heat of the sun wasalready intense, although it was not yet near the meridian. 

Raising his eyes from the doublet which had occasioned thesereflections, he happened to glance toward a knot of fruit trees at alittle distance; and his attention was drawn to a large bough which hungdown as if almost broken away from the main stem. He approached thelittle grove; and several circumstances now confirmed his suspicion thathe was not the only tenant of the island at that moment. The bough hadbeen forcibly torn down, and very recently, too; several of the fruitshad been plucked off, the little sprigs to which they had originallyhung still remaining and bearing evidence to the fact. But if additionalproof were wanting of human presence there, it was afforded by thehalf-eaten fruits that were strewed about. 

Wagner now searched for the traces of footsteps; but such marks were notlikely to remain in the thick rich grass, which if trampled down, wouldrise fresh and elastic again with the invigorating dew of a singlenight. The grove, where Wagner observed the broken bough and thescattered fruits, was further from the shore than the spot where he hadfound the doublet; and he reasoned that the man, whoever he might be, had thrown away his garment, when overpowered by the intensity of theheat, and had then sought the shade and refreshment afforded by thegrove. He therefore concluded that he had gone inland, most probablytoward the mountains, whose rocky pinnacles, of every form, now shonewith every hue in the glorious sunlight. 

Overjoyed at the idea of finding a human being in a spot which he had atfirst deemed totally uninhabited, and filled with the hope that thestranger might be able to give him some information relative to thegeographical position of the isle, and even perhaps aid him in forming araft by which they might together escape from the oasis of theMediterranean, Wagner proceeded toward the mountains. By degrees thewondrous beauty of the scene became wilder, more imposing, but lessbewitching, and when he reached the acclivities of the hill, the grovesof fruits and copses of myrtles and citrons, of vines and almond shrubs, were succeeded by woods of mighty trees. 

Further on still the forests ceased and Fernand entered on a wild regionof almost universal desolation, yet forming one of the sublimestspectacles that nature can afford. The sounds of torrents, as yetconcealed from his view, and resembling the murmur of ocean's waves, inspired feelings of awe; and it was now for the first time since heentered on the region of desolation, having left the clime of lovelinessnearly a mile behind, that his attention was drawn to the nature of thesoil, which was hard and bituminous in appearance. 

The truth almost immediately struck him: there was a volcano amongstthose mountains up which he was ascending; and it was the lava which hadproduced that desolation, and which, cold and hardened, formed the soilwhereon he walked. It was now past midday; and he seated himself oncemore to repose his limbs, wearied with the fatigues of the ascent andovercome by the heat that was there intolerable. At the distance ofabout two hundred yards on his right was a solitary tree, standing likea sign to mark the tomb of nature's vegetation. Upon this tree his eyeswere fixed listlessly, and he was marveling within himself how thatsingle scion of the forest could have been spared, when the burninglava, whenever the eruption might have taken place, had hurled down andreduced to cinders its verdant brethren. 

Suddenly his attention was more earnestly riveted upon the dense andwide-spreading foliage of that tree; for the boughs were shaken in anextraordinary manner, and something appeared to be moving about amongstthe canopy of leaves. In another minute a long, unmistakable, appallingobject darted forth--a monstrous snake--suspending itself by the tail toone of the lower boughs, and disporting playfully with its hideous headtoward the ground. Then, with a sudden coil, it drew itself back intothe tree, the entire foliage of which was shaken with the horriblegambolings of the reptile. 

Wagner remembered the frightful spectacle which he had beholden inCeylon, and an awful shudder crept through his frame; for, although heknew that he bore a charmed life, yet he shrank with a loathing from theidea of having to battle with such a horrible serpent. Starting from theground, he rushed--flew, rather than ran, higher up the acclivity, andspeedily entered on a wild scene of rugged and barren rocks: but hecared not whither the windings of the natural path which he now pursuedmight lead him, since he had escaped from the view of the hideousboa-constrictor gamboling in the solitary tree. 

Wearied with his wanderings, and sinking beneath the oppressive heat ofthe sun, Wagner was rejoiced to find a cavern in the side of a rock, where he might shelter and repose himself. He entered, and lay down uponthe hard soil; the sounds of the torrents, which rolled still unseenamidst the chasms toward which he had approached full near, produced alulling influence upon him, and in a few minutes his eyes were sealed inslumber. When he awoke he found himself in total darkness. He startedup, collected his scattered ideas, and advanced to the mouth of thecavern. 

The sun had set: but outside the cave an azure twilight prevailed, andthe adjacent peaks of the mountains stood darkly out from the partiallythough faintly illuminated sky. 

While Wagner was gazing long and intently upon the sublime grandeur ofthe scene, a strange phenomenon took place. First a small cloud appearedon the summit of an adjacent hill; then gradually this cloud became moredense and assumed a human shape. Oh! with what interest--what deep, enthusiastic interest, did Fernand contemplate the spectacle; for hiswell-stored mind at once suggested to him that he was now the witness ofthat wondrous optical delusion, called the mirage. 

Some human being in the plain on the other side of that range ofmountains was the subject of that sublime scene; might it not be theindividual of whom he was in search, the owner of the doublet? But, ah!wherefore does Wagner start with surprise?

The shadow of that human being, as it gradually assumed greater densityand a more defined shape--in a word, as it was now properly developed bythe reflection of twilight--wore the form of a female! Were there, then, many inhabitants on the opposite side of the mountains? or was thereonly one female, she whose reflected image he now beheld? He knew not;but at all events the pleasure of human companionship seemed within hisreach; the presence of the doublet had convinced him that there wasanother man upon the island, and now the mirage showed him the semblanceof a woman!

Vast--colossal--like a dense, dark, shapely cloud, stood that reflectedbeing in the sky; for several minutes it remained thus, and thoughWagner could trace no particular outline of features, yet it seemed tohim as if the female were standing in a pensive attitude. But as thetwilight gradually subsided, or rather yielded to the increasingobscurity, the image was absorbed likewise in the growing gloom; untilthe dusky veil of night made the entire vault above of one deep, uniform, purple hue. Then Wagner once more returned to the cavern, withthe resolution of crossing the range of hills on the ensuing morn. 

CHAPTER XLI. 

THE ISLAND QUEEN. 

Oh! how beautiful--how enchantingly beautiful seemed Nisida, as herdelicate feet bore her glancingly along the sunny banks of the crystalstream, to the soft music of its waters. How the slight drapery whichshe wore set off the rich undulations of that magnificent form! How thewreaths and garlands of fantastically woven flowers became the romanticloveliness of her person--that glowing Hebe of the South!

Holding in her fair hand a light, slim wand, and moving through thedelicious vale with all the soft abandonment of gait and limb whichfeared no intrusion on her solitude, she appeared that Mediterraneanisland's queen. What, though the evening breeze, disporting with herraiment, lifted it from her glowing bosom?--she cared not; no need forsense of shame was there! What though she laid aside her vesture todisport in the sea at morn?--no furtive glances did she cast round; nohaste did she make to resume her garments; for whose eye, save that ofGod, beheld her?

But was she happy? Alas! there were moments when despair seized upon hersoul; and, throwing herself on the yellow sand, or on some verdant bank, she would weep--oh! she would weep such bitter, bitter tears, that thosewho have been forced to contemplate her character with aversion, mustnow be compelled to pity her. 

Yes; for there were times when all the loveliness of that island seemedbut a hideous place of exile, an abhorrent monotony which surroundedher--grasped her--clung to her--hemmed her in, as if it were an evilspirit, having life and the power to torture her. She thought of thosewhom she loved, she pondered upon all the grand schemes of herexistence, and she felt herself cut off from a world to which there wereso many ties to bind her, and in which she had so much to do. Then shewould give way to all the anguish of her soul--an anguish that amountedto the deepest, blackest despair, when her glances wildly swept thecloudless horizon, and beheld not a sail--no! nor a speck on the oceanto engender hope. But when this tempest of grief and passion was past, she would be angry with herself for having yielded to it; and, in orderto distract her thoughts from subjects of gloom, she would bound towardthe groves, light as a fawn, the dazzling whiteness of her naked andpolished ankles gleaming in contrast with the verdure of the vale. 

One morning after Nisida had been many, many days on the island, she wasseated on the sand, having just completed her simple toilet on emergingfrom the mighty bath that lay stretched in glassy stillness far as theeye could reach, when she suddenly sprung upon her feet, and threwaffrighted looks around her. Had she possessed the faculty of hearing, it would be thought that she was thus startled by the sound of a humanvoice which had at that instant broken upon the solemn stillness of theisle--a human voice emanating from a short distance behind her. As yetshe saw no one; but in a few moments a man emerged from the nearestgrove, and came slowly toward her. 

He was dressed in a light jerkin, trunk-breeches, tight hose, andboot--in all as an Italian gentleman of that day, save in respect to hatand doublet, of which he had none. Neither wore he a sword by his side, nor carried any weapons of defense; and it was evident he approached theisland queen with mingled curiosity and awe. 

Perhaps he deemed her to be some goddess, endowed with the power and thewill to punish his intrusion on her realm; or peradventure hissuperstitious imagination dwelt on the tales which sailors told in thosetimes--how mermaids who fed on human flesh dwelt on the coasts ofuninhabited islands, and assuming the most charming female forms, luredinto their embrace the victims whom shipwreck cast upon their strand, and instead of lavishing on them the raptures of love, made them theprey of their ravenous maws. 

Whatever were his thoughts, the man drew near with evident distrust. But, now--why does Nisida's countenance become suddenly crimson withrage? why rushes she toward the stores which still remained piled up onthe strand? and wherefore, with the rapidity of the most feverishimpatience, does she hurl the weapons of defense into the sea, all saveone naked sword, with which she arms herself? Because her eagle glance, quicker than that of the man who is approaching her, has recognized_him_, ere he has even been struck with a suspicion relative to who_she_ is--and that man is Stephano Verrina!

Now, Nisida! summon all thine energies to aid thee; for a strong, apowerful, a remorseless man, devoured with lust for thee, is near. Andthou art so ravishingly beautiful in thy aerial drapery, and thy wreathsof flowers, that an anchorite could not view thee with indifference! Ah!Stephano starts--stops short--advances: the suspicion has struck him!The aquiline countenance, those brilliant large, dark eyes, thatmatchless raven hair, that splendid symmetrical maturity of form, andwithal, that close compression of the vermilion lips, O Nisida! havebeen scanned in rapid detail by the brigand!

"Nisida!" he exclaimed; "Yes, it is she!"

And he bounded toward her with outstretched arms. 

But the sharp sword was presented to his chest; and the lady stood withan air of such resolute determination, that he stopped short gazing uponher with mingled wonderment and admiration. Heavens! he had never beheldso glorious a specimen of female loveliness as that whereon his eyeswere fastened, --fastened beyond the possibility of withdrawal. Howglossy black was that hair with its diadem of white roses! How miserablypoor appeared the hues of the carnations and the pinks that formed hernecklace, when in contrast with her flushing cheeks! How dingy were thelilies at her waist, compared with her heaving breast!

The reason of the brigand reeled, his brain swam round, and for a momentit seemed to him that she was not a being of this world; not the Nisidahe had known and carried off from Italy, but a goddess, another and yetthe same in all the glory of those matchless charms which had heretoforeravished--no, maddened him!

And now the spirit of this bold and reckless man was subdued--subdued, he knew not how nor wherefore; but still subdued by the presence of herwhom he had deemed lost in the waves, but who seemed to stand beforehim, with flowers upon her brow and a sharp weapon in her hand--radiant, too, with loveliness of person, and terrible with the fires of hatredand indignation!

Yes! he was subdued--overawed--rendered timid as a young child in herpresence; and sinking upon his knees, he exclaimed--forgetful that hewas addressing Nisida the deaf and dumb--"Oh! fear not--I will not harmthee! But, my God! take compassion on me--spurn me not--look not withsuch terrible anger upon one who adores, who worships you! How is itthat I tremble and quail before you--I, once so reckless, so rude. But, oh! to kiss that fair hand--to be your slave--to watch over you--toprotect you--and all this but for thy smiles in return--I should behappy--supremely happy! Remember--we are alone on this island--and I amthe stronger; I might compel you by force to yield to me--to becomemine; but I will not harm you--no, not a hair of your head, if you willonly smile upon me! And you will require one to defend and protectyou--yes, even here in this island, apparently so secure and safe;--forthere are terrible things in this clime--dreadful beings, far moreformidable than whole hordes of savage men--monsters so appalling thatnot all thy courage, nor all thy energy would avail thee a single momentagainst them. Yes, lady, believe me when I tell thee this! Formany--many days have I dwelt, a lonely being, on the other side of thisisle, beyond that chain of mountains--remaining on that shore to whichthe wild waves carried me on the night of shipwreck. But I hurried awayat last--I dared all the dangers of mighty precipices, yawning chasms, and roaring torrents--the perils of yon mountains--rather than linger onthe other side. For the anaconda, lady, is the tenant of thisisland--the monstrous snake--the terrible boa, whose dreadful coils, ifwound round that fair form of yours, would crush it into a hideous, loathsome mass?"

Stephano had spoken so rapidly, and with such fevered excitement that hehad no time to reflect whether he were not wasting his words upon abeing who could not hear them; until exhausted and breathless with thevolubility of his utterance he remembered that he was addressing himselfto Nisida the deaf and dumb. But happily his appealing and his suppliantposture had softened the lady: for toward the end of his long speech achange came over her countenance, and she dropped the point of her swordtoward the ground. 

Stephano rose, and stood gazing on her for a few moments with eyes thatseemed to devour her. His mind had suddenly recovered much of its wontedboldness and audacity. So long as Nisida seemed terrible as well asbeautiful, he was subdued;--now that her eyes had ceased to dart forthlightnings, and the expression of her countenance had changed fromindignation and resolute menace to pensiveness and a comparativelymournful softness, the bandit as rapidly regained the usual tone of hisremorseless mind. 

Yes; he stood gazing on her for a few moments, with eyes that seemed todevour her:--then, in obedience to the impulse of maddening desire, herushed upon her, and in an instant wrenched the sword from her grasp. But rapid as lightning, Nisida bounded away from him, ere he could windhis arms around her; and fleet as the startled deer, she hastened towardthe groves. 

Stephano, still retaining the sword in his hand, pursued her with acelerity which was sustained by his desire to possess her and by hisrage that she had escaped him. But the race was unequal as that of alion in chase of a roe; for Nisida seemed borne along as it were uponthe very air. Leaving the groves on her left she dashed into the vale. Along the sunny bank of the limpid stream she sped;--on, on toward aforest that bounded the valley at the further end, and roseamphitheatrically up toward the regions of the mountains!

Stephano Verrina still pursued her, though losing ground rapidly; butstill he maintained the chase. And now the verge of the forest is nearlygained; and in its mazes Nisida hopes to be enabled to conceal herselffrom the ruffian whom, by a glance hastily cast behind from time totime, she ascertains to be upon her track. But, oh! whither art thouflying thus wildly, beauteous Nisida?--into what appalling perils artthou rushing, as it were, blindly? For there, in the tallest tree on theverge of the forest to which thou now art near, --there, amidst thebending boughs and the quivering foliage--one of the hideous serpentswhich infest the higher region of the isle is disporting--the terribleanaconda--the monstrous boa, whose dreadful coils, if wound round thatfair form of thine, would crush it into a loathsome mass!

CHAPTER XLII. 

THE TEMPTATION--THE ANACONDA. 

In the meantime Fernand Wagner was engaged in the attempt to cross thechain of mountains which intersected the island whereon the shipwreckhad thrown him. He had clambered over rugged rocks and leapt across manyyawning chasms in that region of desolation, --a region which formed soremarkable a contrast with the delicious scenery which he had leftbehind him. And now he reached the base of a conical hill, the summit ofwhich seemed to have been split into two parts: and the sinuous tracksof the lava-streams, now cold, and hard, and black, adown its sides, convinced him that this was the volcano, from whose rent crater hadpoured the bituminous fluid so fatal to the vegetation of that region. 

Following a circuitous and naturally formed pathway round the base, hereached the opposite side; and now from a height of three hundred feetabove the level of the sea, his eyes commanded a view of a scene as fairas that behind the range of mountains. He was now for the first timeconvinced of what he had all along suspected--namely, that it was indeedan island on which the storm had cast him. But though from the eminencewhere he stood his view embraced the immense range of the ocean, nospeck in the horizon--no sail upon the bosom of the expanse impartedhope to his soul. 

Hunger now oppressed him; for he had eaten nothing since the noon of thepreceding day, when he had plucked a few fruits in the groves on theother side of the island. He accordingly commenced a descent toward thenew region which lay stretched before him, fair as--even fairerthan--the one which had first greeted his eyes. 

But he had not proceeded many yards amidst the defiles of the ruggedrocks which nature had piled around the base of the volcano, when hefound his way suddenly barred by a vast chasm, on the verge of which thewinding path stopped. 

The abyss was far too wide to be crossed save by the wing of the bird:and in its unfathomable depths boiled and roared a torrent, the din ofwhose eddies was deafening to the ear. 

Wagner retraced his way to the very base of the volcano, and enteredanother defile: but this also terminated on the edge of the sameprecipice. 

Again and again did he essay the various windings of that scene of rockand crag: but with no better success than at first; and after passing aconsiderable time in these fruitless attempts to find a means of descentinto the plains below, he began to fear that he should be compelled toretrace his way into the region of verdure which he had quitted the daybefore, and which lay behind the range of mountains. But the thought ofthe hideous snake which he had seen in the tree caused a cold shudder topass over him--then, in the next moment, he remembered that if theregion on one side of the mountain were invested with reptiles of thatterrible species, it was not probable that the forests which he beheldas it were at his feet, were free from the same source of apprehension. Still he had hoped to find human companionship on this side of themountains which he had so far succeeded in reaching--the companionshipof the man who had cast away the doublet, and of the woman whom he hadseen in the mirage. 

And was it not strange that he had not as yet overtaken, or at leastobtained a trace of, the man who thus occupied a portion of histhoughts? If that man were still amongst the mountains, they wouldprobably meet; if he had succeeded in descending into the plains below, the same pathway that conducted him thither would also be open toWagner. Animated with these reflections, and in spite of the hungerwhich now sorely oppressed him, Wagner prosecuted with fresh courage hissearch for a means of descent into the lovely regions that lay stretchedbefore him, when he was suddenly startled by the sound of a human voicenear him. 

"My son, what dost thou amidst this scene of desolation?" were the wordswhich, uttered in a mild benignant tone, met his ears. 

He turned and beheld an old man of venerable appearance, and whosebeard, white as snow, stretched down to the rude leathern belt whichconfined the palmer's gown that he wore. 

"Holy anchorite!" exclaimed Wagner--"for such must I deem thee tobe, --the sound of thy voice is most welcome in this solitude, amidst themazes of which I vainly seek to find an avenue of egress. "

"Thus it is oft with the troubles and perplexities of the world, myson, " answered the hermit, "that world which I have quitted forever. "

"And dost thou dwell in this desolate region?" asked Fernand. 

"My cave is hard by, " returned the old man. "For forty years have Ilived in the heart of these mountains, descending only into the plainsat long intervals, to gather the fruits that constitute my food:--andthen, " he added, in a tone which, despite the sanctity of hisappearance, struck cold and ominous to the very heart of Wagner, --"andthen, too, at the risk of becoming the prey of the terrible anaconda!"

"Thou sayest, holy hermit, " exclaimed Fernand, endeavoring to conquer afeeling of unaccountable aversion which he had suddenly entertainedtoward the old man, "thou sayest that thy cave is hard by. In the nameof mercy! I beseech thee to spare me a few fruits, and a cup of water, for I am sinking with fatigue, hunger, and thirst. "

"Follow me, young man, " said the hermit; and he led the way to a caveopening from a narrow fissure in the rock. 

The anchorite's abode was, as Wagner had expected to find it, rude andcheerless. A quantity of dry leaves were heaped in one corner--evidentlyforming the old man's couch; and in several small hollows made in thewalls of rock, were heaps of fruit--fresh and inviting, as if they hadonly just been gathered. On the ground stood a large earthen pitcher ofwater. Upon this last object did the thirsty Wagner lay his left hand;but ere he raised it, he glanced hastily round the cave in search of acrucifix, in the presence of which he might sign the form of the crosswith his right hand. But to his astonishment the emblem of Christianitywas not there; and it now struck him for the first time that theanchorite wore no beads around his waist. 

"Young man, I can divine your thoughts, " said the hermit, hastily; "butdrink, eat, and ask a blessing presently. Thou art famished, pause notto question my motives. I will explain them fully to thee when thy bodyis refreshed with that pure water and those delicious fruits. "

"Water shall not pass my lips, nor fruits assuage the cravings ofhunger, until I know more of thee, old man!" exclaimed Wagner, aterrible suspicion flashing to his mind; and without another instant'shesitation or delay, he made the sign of the cross. 

A yell of rage and fury burst from the lips of the false anchorite, while his countenance became fearfully distorted--his eyes glaredfiercely--his whole aspect changed--and in a few moments he stoodconfessed in shape, attire and features, the demon who had appeared toFernand in the prison of Florence!

"Fiend! what wouldst thou with me?" exclaimed Wagner, startled and yetunsubdued by this appearance of the evil spirit amidst that region ofdesolation. 

"Mortal, " said the demon, in his deepest and most serious tones, "I amhere to place happiness--happiness ineffable--within thy reach. Nay, benot impatient: but listen to me for a few moments. 'Twas my power thatconducted thy ship, amidst the fury of the storm which _He_ whose name Idare not mention raised, to the shores of this island. 'Twas myinfluence which yesterday, as thou wast seated on the sunny banks, filled thine imagination with those delicious thoughts of Nisida. And itwas I also who, by the wonders of the mirage, showed thee the form ofthe only female inhabitant of this isle. And that one female, Wagner--that woman who is now as it were within thy reach--that lovelybeing whose presence on this island would teach thee to have no regretfor the world from which you are separated, and whose eyes would castforth rays of joy and gladness upon everything around--that charminglady, who has already decked herself with those flowers which her fairhands have woven into wildly fantastic arabesques, that being is thyNisida, the Island Queen. "

"Fiend! you mock--you deceive me, " cried Fernand, wildly hoveringbetween joyous hope and acute fear. 

"Did I deceive thee, Wagner, when I showed thee thy Nisida in the powerof the corsairs?" said the demon, with a smile of bitter, sardonictriumph. "I tell thee, then, that Nisida is on this island--there, inthe very region into which thou wouldst descend, but to which thou wiltfind no avenue save by my aid. "

"Nisida is here--on this island, " exclaimed Fernand in an ecstasy ofjoy. 

"Yes--and Stephano, the bandit, likewise, " added the demon. "It was hisdoublet which you found--it was he who slaked his thirst with the juiceof the fruits which I, then invisible, beheld thee contemplate withattention. "

"Stephano here also!" cried Wagner. "Oh! Nisida--to thy rescue!"

And he bounded forth from the cave, and was rushing madly down one ofthe tortuous defiles leading toward the chasm, when the voice of thedemon suddenly caused him to stop short. 

"Fool!--insensate mortal!" said the fiend, with a derisive laugh. "Howcanst thou escape from these mountains? But tarry a moment--and beholdthy Nisida--behold also her persecutor, who lusts after her. "

Thus speaking; he handed Wagner a magic telescope, which immediatelybrought the most remote objects to a distance of only a few yards. 

Then what a delicious scene met Fernand's eyes! He beheld Nisida bathingin the sea--sporting like a mermaid with the wavelets--plunging into therefreshing depths--then wringing out the water from her long raven hair, now swimming and diving, then wading on her feet, --unconscious that ahuman eye beheld her. 

At length she came forth from the sea, beauteous as a Venus rising fromthe ocean; and her toilet commenced upon the sand. But scarcely had shedecked herself with the flowers which she had gathered early in themorning for the purpose, when she started and rose up; and then Wagnerbeheld a man approaching her from the nearest grove. 

"That is Stephano Verrina!" murmured the demon in his ears. 

Fernand uttered a cry of dismay, and threw down the telescope. 

"You may save her--save her yet, " said the demon, speaking in a tone ofunusual haste. "In a few minutes she will be in his power--he is strongand desperate; be mine, and consent to serve me--and in a moment Nisidashall be clasped in thy arms--the arms of thee, her deliverer. "

"No--no! I will save her without thine aid, dread fiend!" exclaimedWagner, a prey to the most terrible excitement. 

Then making the sign of the cross, he rushed forward to leap the yawningchasm; his feet touched the opposite side, but he lost his balance, reeled, and fell back into the tremendous abyss, while the demon, againbaffled, and shrinking in horror from the emblem of Christianity, disappeared with cries of rage and vexation. 

Down--down fell Wagner, --turning over and over in the hideous vacancy, and clutching vainly at the stunted shrubs and dead roots whichprojected from the rugged sides of the chasm. 

In another moment he was swallowed up by the boiling torrent; but hissenses did not leave him, and he felt himself hurried along with thefurious speed of the mad waters. Thus nearly a minute passed; and thenhis headlong course was suddenly arrested by the boughs of a tree, which, having given way at the root, bent over into the torrent. Heclung to the boughs as if they were arms stretched out to rescue him; heraised himself from amidst the turbid waters--and in a few momentsreached a bank which shelved upward to the edge of a dense forest. 

Precisely on the opposite or inner side there was an opening in therocks, and Wagner's eye could trace upward a steep but still practicablepath, doubtless formed by some torrent of the spring, which was nowdried up amidst the mountains above, --that path reaching to the verybasis of the volcano. 

Thus, had circumstances permitted him to exercise his patience andinstitute a longer search among the defiles formed by the crags androcks around the conical volcano, he would have discovered a means ofsafe egress from that region without daring the desperate leap of thechasm, desperate even for him, although he bore a charmed life, becausehis limbs might have been broken against the rugged sides of theprecipice. 

Between the opening to the steep path just spoken of, and the shelvingbank on which Wagner now stood, there was so narrow a space, that thebent tree stretched completely across the torrent; thus any one, descending from the mountains by the natural pathway, might cross bymeans of the tree to the side which Fernand had gained. 

"This, then, must have been the route by which the villain Stephanoemerged from the mountains, " he said to himself, "and the fiend deceivedme when he declared that I could not reach the plains below without hisaid. "

Such were his reflections as he hurried up the shelving bank: and whenhe reached the summit his glance embraced a scene already described tothe reader. 

For, flying wildly on toward the forest, was his beauteous Nisida, scattering flowers in her whirlwind progress, those flowers that had erenow decked her hair, her neck and her waist. 

At some distance behind her was the bandit Stephano; with sword in handhe still maintained the chase, though breathless and ready to sink fromexhaustion. Not an instant did Wagner tarry upon the top of the bankwhich he had reached; but darting toward Nisida, who was now scarcefifty yards from him, he gave vent to an ejaculation of joy. 

She saw him--she beheld him: and her speed was checked in an instantwith the overpowering emotion of wonder and delight. 

Then, as he hurried along the verge of the forest to encounter her--tofold her in his fond embrace--to protect her, --she once more sprungforward, with outstretched arms, to fly into his arms, which were opento receive her. But at that instant there was a horrible rustling amidstthe foliage of the huge tree beneath which she was hastening on;--amonstrous snake darted down with a gushing sound, and in another momentthe beauteous form of Nisida was encircled by its hideous coils. 

Then fled that wondrous self-command which for long years she hadexercised with such amazing success:--then vanished from her mind allthe strong motives which had induced her to undertake so terrible amartyrdom as that of simulating the loss of two faculties most dear andmost valuable to all human beings;--and with a cry of ineffable anguish, she exclaimed, "_Fernand, save me! save me!_"

CHAPTER XLIII. 

NISIDA AND WAGNER. 

Oh! with what astonishment and joy would Wagner have welcomed the soundof that voice, so long hushed, and now so musical even in its rendingagony, --had not such an appalling incident broken the spell that foryears had sealed the lips of his beloved! But he had no time forthought--there was not a moment for reflection. Nisida lay senseless onthe ground, with the monster coiled around her--its long body hangingdown from the bough to which it was suspended by the tail. Simultaneously with the cry of anguish that had come from the lips ofNisida, exclamations of horror burst alike from Wagner and Stephano. 

The latter stood transfixed as it were for a few moments, his eyesglaring wildly on the dreadful spectacle before him; then, yielding tothe invincible terror that had seized upon him, he hurled away thesword--knowing not what he did in the excitement of his mind, and fled!But the gleaming of the naked weapon in the sunbeams met Wagner's eyesas it fell, and darting toward it, he grasped it with a firmhand--resolving also to use it with a stout heart. Then he advancedtoward the snake, which was comparatively quiescent--that portion of itslong body which hung between the tree and the first coil that it maderound the beauteous form of Nisida alone moving; and this motion was awaving kind of oscillation, like that of a bell-rope which a personholds by the end and swings gently. 

But from the midst of the coils the hideous head of the monster stoodout--its eyes gleaming malignantly upon Wagner as he approached. Suddenly the reptile, doubtless alarmed by the flashing of the brightsword, disengaged itself like lightning from the awful embrace in whichit had retained the Lady Nisida, and sprung furiously toward Fernand. But the blow that he aimed at its head was unerring and heavy; its skullwas cloven in two--and it fell on the long grass, where it writhed inhorrible convulsions for some moments, although its life was gone. 

Words cannot be found to describe the delirium of joy which Wagner felt, when having thus slain the terrible anaconda, he placed his hand onNisida's heart and felt that it beat--though languidly. He lifted herfrom the ground--he carried her in his arms to the bank of the limpidstream--and he sprinkled water upon her pale cheeks. 

Slowly did she recover; and when her large black eyes at length opened, she uttered a fearful shriek, and closed them again--for with returninglife the reminiscence of the awful embrace of the serpent came backalso. But Wagner murmured words of sweet assurance and consolation--oflove and joy, in her ears; and she felt that it was no dream, but thatshe was really saved! Then, winding her arms round Fernand's neck, sheembraced him in speechless and still almost senseless trance, for theidea of such happy deliverance was overpowering--amounting to an agonywhich a mortal creature could scarcely endure. 

"Oh! Nisida, " at length exclaimed Wagner, "was it a delusion produced bythe horrors of that scene?--or did thy voice really greet mine ears erenow!"

There was a minute's profound silence--during which, as they sat uponthe bank of the stream, locked in a fond embrace, their eyes were fixedwith fascinating gaze upon each other, as if they could not contemplateeach other too long--he in tenderness, and she in passion. 

"Yes, Fernand, " said Nisida, breaking that deep silence at last, andspeaking in a voice so mellifluously clear, so soft, so penetrating inits tone, that it realized all the fond ideas which her lover hadconceived of what its nature would be if it were ever restored, "yes, Fernand, dearest Fernand, " she repeated, "you did indeed hear my voice, and to _you_ never again shall I be mute. "

Wagner could not allow her time to say more: he was almost wild withrapture! His Nisida was restored to him, and no longer Nisida the deafand dumb, but Nisida who could hear the fond language which he addressedto her, and who could respond in the sweetest, most melting anddelicious tones that ever came from woman's lips. 

For a long time their hearts were too full, alike for total silence orconnected conversation, and while the world from which they were cut offwas entirely forgotten, they gathered so much happiness from the fewwords in which they indulged, and from all that they read in eachother's eyes, that the emotions which they experienced might havefurnished sensations for a lifetime. 

At length--she scarcely knew how the subject began, although it mightnaturally have arisen of its own spontaneous suggestion--Nisida foundherself speaking of the long period of deception which she hadmaintained in relation to her powers of speech and hearing. 

"Thou lovest me well, dearest Fernand, " she said in her musical Italiantones; "and thou would'st not create a pang in my heart? Then never seekto learn wherefore, when at the still tender age of fifteen, I resolvedupon consummating so dreadful a sacrifice as to affect dumbness. Thecircumstances were, indeed, solemnly grave and strangely important, which demanded so awful a martyrdom. But well did I weigh all the miseryand all the peril that such a self-devotion was sure to entail upon me. I knew that I must exercise the most stern--the most remorseless--themost inflexible despotism over my emotions--that I must crush as it werethe very feelings of my soul--that I must also observe a caution sounwearied and so constantly wakeful, that it would amount to asensitiveness the most painful--and that I must prepare myself to hearthe merry jest without daring to smile, or the exciting narrative of theworld's stirring events without suffering my countenance to vary a hue!Oh! I calculated--I weighed all this, and yet I was not appalled by theimmensity of the task. I knew the powers of my own mind, and I did notdeceive myself as to their extent. But, ah! how fearful was it at firstto hear the sounds of human voices, and dare not respond to them; howmaddening at times was it to listen to conversation in which I longed tojoin, and yet be compelled to sit like a passionless statue! But minewas a will of iron strength--a resolution of indomitable power! Evenwhen alone when I knew that I should not be overheard--I never essayedthe powers of my voice, I never murmured a single syllable to myself sofearful was I lest the slightest use of the glorious gift of speechmight render me weak in my purpose. And strange as it may seem to you, dearest Fernand, not even on this island did I yield to the temptationof suddenly breaking that long, that awful silence which I had imposedupon myself. And, until this day, one human being only, save myself, wasacquainted with that mighty secret of ten long years, and that man wasthe generous-hearted, the noble-minded Dr. Duras. He it was who aided mein my project of simulating the forlorn condition of the deaf and dumb:he it was who bribed the turnkeys to admit me unquestioned to your cellin the prison of the ducal palace. And for years, perhaps, should I haveretained my wondrous secret even from _you_, dearest Fernand; forthrough dangers of many kinds--in circumstances of the most tryingnature, have I continued firm in my purpose; abjuring the faculty ofspeech even when it would have saved me from much cruel embarrassment orfrom actual peril. Thus, when the villain Stephano Verrina bore me awayby force from my native city, I maintained the seal upon my lips, trusting to circumstances to enable me to escape from his power withoutbeing compelled to betray a secret of such infinite value and importanceto myself. But when I found that I was so narrowly watched at Leghornthat flight was impossible, I seriously debated, in my own mind, thenecessity of raising an alarm in the house where I was kept a prisonerfor two whole days; and then I reflected that I was in the power of adesperate bandit and his two devoted adherents, who were capable of anyatrocity to forward their designs or prevent exposure. Lastly, when Iwas conveyed at dead of night on board the corsair-ship, the streetswere deserted, and the pirates with whom Stephano was leagued, throngedthe port. I therefore resigned myself to my fate, trusting still tocircumstances, and retaining my secret. But that incident of to-day--oh!it was enough to crush energies ten thousand times more powerful thanmine: it was of so horrifying a nature as to be sufficient to loose thebands which confine the tongue of one really dumb. "

And a strong shudder convulsed the entire form of Nisida, as she thus, by her own words, recalled so forcibly to mind that terrible event whichhad broken a spell of ten years' duration. 

Fernand pressed her to his bosom, exclaiming, "Oh, beloved Nisida, howbeautiful dost thou appear to me!--how soft and charming is that dearvoice of thine! Let us not think of the past, at least not now; for Ialso have explanations to give thee, " he added, slowly and mournfully;then, in a different and again joyous tone, he said: "Let us be happy inthe conviction that we are restored to each other; let this be aholiday--nay, more, " he added, sinking his voice almost to a whisper;"let it be the day on which we join our hands together in the sight ofHeaven. No priest will bless our union, Nisida; but we will plight ourvows--and God will accord us his blessing. "

The lady hid her blushing, glowing countenance on his breast, andmurmured in a voice melodious as the music of the stream by which theysat, "Fernand, I am thine--thine forever. "

"And I am thine, my beauteous Nisida; thine forever, as thou art mine!"exclaimed Wagner, lifting her head and gazing on her lovely, blushingface as on a vision of heaven. 

"No; she is mine!" thundered the voice of the forgotten Stephano, and ina moment the bandit flung himself upon Wagner, whom he attempted to hurlinto the crystal but deep river. 

Fernand, however, caught the arm of the brigand and dragged him alongwith him into the water, while a terrific scream burst from the lips ofNisida. Then furious was the struggle that commenced in the depths ofthe stream. But Stephano lay beneath Wagner, who held him down on thepebbly bottom. In another moment Nisida herself plunged into the riverwith the wild hope of aiding her lover to conquer his foe, or to rescuehim from the grasp which the bandit maintained upon him with thetenacity that was strengthened rather than impaired by the agony ofsuffocation. 

But she rose again to the surface in an instant by the indomitableinfluence of that instinct for self-preservation which no human being, when immersed in the deep water, can resist if the art of swimming hasbeen attained. Again she dived to succor her lover, but her aid, even ifshe could have afforded any, was no longer necessary, for Fernand rosefrom the crystal depths and bore his Nisida to the bank, while thecorpse of the drowned bandit was carried away by the current. 

Wagner and Nisida were now the sole human inhabitants of that isle--theking and queen of the loveliest clime on which the sun shone. Toward thesea-shore they repaired, hand in hand, and having partaken of the fruitswhich they gathered in their way, they set to work to form a hut withthe planks, cordage, and canvas of the wreck. It will be remembered thatNisida had saved the carpenter's tools, and thus the task became acomparatively easy one. 

By the time the sun went down a tenement was formed, rude, it is true, but still perfect enough to harbor them in a clime where the nights werewarm and where the dews prevailed only in the verdant parts of the isle. Then with what joyous feelings did Nisida deck the walls of the hut witha tapestry of flowers and prepare the bridal couch with materials whichshe had saved from the wreck. 

Softly and sweetly shone the moon that night; and, as its silver rayspenetrated through the crevices of the little cottage so hastily and sorudely formed, they played kissingly upon the countenances of the happypair who had wedded each other in the sight of Heaven. 

CHAPTER XLIV. 

ALESSANDRO FRANCATELLI. 

In order that the reader should fully understand the stirring incidentswhich yet remain to be told, it is necessary for us to explain certainparticulars connected with Alessandro Francatelli, the brother of thebeautiful Flora. It will be recollected that this young man accompaniedthe Florentine envoy to Constantinople, in the honorable capacity ofsecretary, some few years previous to the commencement of our tale. 

Alessandro was strikingly handsome, tall, well-formed, and of greatphysical strength. His manners were pleasing, his conversation agreeableto a degree. Indeed, he had profited so well by the lessons of theexcellent-hearted Father Marco, that his mind was well stored withintellectual wealth. He was, moreover, a finished musician, and playedthe violin, at that period a rare accomplishment, to perfection. Inaddition to all these qualifications, he was a skillful versifier, andcomposed the most beautiful extemporaneous poetry, apparently without aneffort. But his disposition was by no means light or devoted to pursuitswhich worldly-minded persons would consider frivolous. For he himselfwas worldly-minded, keen, shrewd, far-seeing, and ambitious. He deploredthe ruin which had overtaken his family, and longed ardently to rebuildits fortunes, adding thereto the laurels of glory and the honors ofrank. 

The situation which he enjoyed in the establishment of the Florentineenvoy appeared to him the stepping-stone to the attainment of theseobjects, but the embassy had not been long settled at Constantinople, when Alessandro found that his master was one who, being ignoranthimself, was jealous of the talents displayed by others. Great interesthad alone procured the envoy the post which he held as negotiatorplenipotentiary with the Ottoman Porte, on behalf of the Republic ofFlorence; and the Turkish reis-effendi, or minister of foreign affairs, soon perceived that the Christian embassador was quite incompetent toenter into the intricacies of treaties and the complex machinery ofdiplomacy. But suddenly the official notes which the envoy addressed tothe reis-effendi began to exhibit a sagacity and an evidence offar-sighted policy which contrasted strongly with the imbecility whichhad previously characterized those communications. It was at that perioda part of the policy of the Ottoman Port to maintain spies in thehousehold of all the foreign embassadors residing in Constantinople; andthrough this agency the reis-effendi discovered that the Florentineenvoy had condescended to avail himself of the brilliant talents of hissecretary, Alessandro Francatelli, to infuse spirit into his officialnotes. 

The reis-effendi was himself a shrewd and sagacious man; and herecognized in the abilities evinced by the youthful secretary, thoseelements which, if properly developed, would form a great politician. The Turkish Minister accordingly resolved to leave no stone unturned, inorder to entice so promising an individual into the service of thesultan. To accomplish this object indirect means were at firstattempted; and the secret agents of the minister sounded Alessandro uponthe subject. He listened to them at first in silence, but notunwillingly. They grew bolder, and their speech became more open. Heencouraged them to lay bare their aims; and they hinted to him howglorious a career might be opened to him were he to enter the service ofthe high and mighty sultan, Solyman the Magnificent, who then sat uponthe proud throne of the Ottoman Empire. 

The more attentively Alessandro listened, the less reserved became thosewho were instructed to undermine his fidelity toward his master, theFlorentine Envoy. They represented to him how Christians, who hadabjured their creed and embraced the Moslem faith, had risen to thehighest offices, even to the post of grand vizier, or prime minister ofthe empire. Alessandro was completely master of his emotions; he had notstudied for some years in the school of diplomacy without learning howto render the expression of his countenance such as at any moment tobelie the real state of his feelings. He did not, therefore, suffer thespies and agents of the reis-effendi to perceive how deep an impressiontheir words had made upon him; but he said and looked enough to convincethem that the topics of their discourse would receive the most seriousconsideration at his hands. His mind was already made up to accept theovertures thus made to him; but he affected to hesitate, for he saw thathis services were ardently longed for, and he resolved to drive asadvantageous a bargain as possible. 

He was one afternoon lounging through the principal bezestein or bazaar, when he was struck by the elegant form, imposing air, and rich apparelof a lady who rode slowly along upon a mule, attended by four femaleslaves on foot. The outlines of her figure shaped the most admirablesymmetry he had ever beheld; and though her countenance was concealed bya thick veil, in accordance with the custom of the East, yet he seemedto have been impressed with an instinctive conviction that the facebeneath that invidious covering was eminently beautiful. Moreover, theeyes whose glances flashed through the two holes which were formed inthe veil so as to permit the enjoyment of the faculty of sight, weregloriously brilliant, yet black as jet. Once, too, when the lady raisedher delicate white hand, sparkling with jewels, to arrange the folds ofthat hated veil, Alessandro caught a rapid, evanescent glimpse of a neckas white as snow. 

The little procession stopped at the door of a merchant's shop in thebazaar; the slaves assisted the lady to dismount, and she entered thewarehouse, followed by her dependents, the mule being left in charge ofone of the numerous porters who thronged in the bezestein. 

Alessandro lingered near the door, and he beheld the merchant displayingvarious pieces of rich brocade before the eyes of the lady, who, however, scrupulously retained the dense veil over her countenance. Having made her purchases, which were taken charge of by one of theslaves, the lady came forth again; and Alessandro, forgetting that hislingering near now amounted to almost an act of rudeness, was chained tothe spot, lost in admiration of her elegant gesture, her graceful yetdignified carriage, and the exquisite contour of her perfect shape. Herfeet and ankles, appearing beneath the full trousers, that were gatheredin just at the commencement of the swell of the leg, were small andbeautifully shaped; and so light was her tread, that she scarcely seemedto touch the ground on which she walked. 

As the lady issued from the door of the merchant's shop, she cast arapid but inquiring look toward Alessandro, though whether in anger orcuriosity he was unable to determine, for the eyes only could he see, and it was impossible for him to read the meaning of the glances theysent forth, when unassisted by a view of the general expression worn byher countenance at the same time. 

Accident, however, favored him far more than he could have possiblyanticipated. At the very moment when the lady's head was turned towardhim, she tripped over the cordage of a bale of goods that had shortlybefore been opened beneath the painted awning over the front of theshop, and she would have fallen had not Alessandro sprung forward andcaught her in his arms. 

She uttered a faint scream, for her veil had shifted aside from itsproper position; and her countenance was thus revealed to a man, andthat man evidently by his dress a Christian!

Instantly recovering her self-possession, she readjusted her veil, gavea gentle but graceful inclination of the head toward Alessandro, mountedher mule by the assistance of the slaves, and rode away at a somewhathasty pace. Alessandro stood gazing after her until she turned the angleof the nearest street, and it struck him that her glance was for aninstant cast rapidly back toward him, ere she disappeared from his view. 

And no wonder that he stood thus rooted to the spot, following her withhis eyes; for the countenance which accident had revealed to him wasalready impressed upon his heart. It was one of those lovely Georgianfaces, oval in shape, and with a complexion formed of milk and roses, which have at all times been prized in the East, as the very perfectionof female beauty; a face which, without intellectual expression, possesses an ineffable witchery, and all the charms calculated tofascinate the beholder. The eyes were black as jet, the hair of a darkauburn, and luxuriantly rich in its massive beauty; the lips were ofbright vermilion, and between them were two rows of pearl, small andeven. The forehead was high and broad, and white as marble, with thedelicate blue veins visible through the transparent complexion. 

Alessandro was ravished as he reflected on the wondrous beauty thus fora moment revealed to him, but his raptures speedily changed to positivegrief when he thought how improbable it was that this fair creaturewould ever cross his path again. He entered the warehouse, made a smallpurchase, and inquired casually of the Turkish merchant if he knew whothe lady was. The reply was in the negative, but the merchant informedAlessandro that he had no doubt the lady was of some rank, from theprofound respect with which her slaves treated her, and from thereadiness with which she paid the prices demanded of her for the goodsshe had purchased, Turkish ladies generally being notorious for theirdisposition to drive a hard bargain with traders. 

Alessandro returned to the suburb of Pera, in which the mansion of theFlorentine Embassy was situated--his mind full of the beautiful creaturewhose countenance he had seen for a moment, and whose soft form he hadalso for a moment--a single moment--held in his arms. He could not applyhimself to the duties of his office, but feigned indisposition andretired to the privacy of his own apartment. And never did that chamberseem so lonely, so cold, so cheerless. His entire disposition appearedto have become suddenly changed; he felt that the world now containedsomething the possession of which was positively necessary to hishappiness. One sole idea absorbed all his thoughts: the most lovelycountenance which, in his estimation, he had ever seen was so indeliblyreflected in the mirror of his mind, that his imagination couldcontemplate naught besides. He knew not that whenever he went abroad, hewas watched by one of the spies of the reis-effendi; and he wastherefore surprised when, on the following day, that secret agent of theminister whispered in his ear, "Christian, thou lovest--and it dependson thyself whether thou wilt be loved in return!"

Alessandro was stupefied at these words. His secret was known, or atleast suspected. He questioned the individual who had thus addressedhim, and he found that the incident of the preceding day was indeed morethan suspected--it _was_ known. He besought to know who the lady was;but the spy would not, or could not satisfy him. He, however, promisedthat he would endeavor to ascertain a point in which Alessandro appearedto be so deeply interested. The intriguing spirit of Turkish dependentsis notorious: the reader will not therefore be surprised when we statethat in a few days the spy made his appearance in Alessandro's presencewith a countenance denoting joyous tidings. The young Italian wasimpatient to learn the results of the agent's inquiries. 

"I know not who the lady is, " was the reply; "but this much I have toimpart to you, signor--that she did not behold you the other day withindifference; that she is grateful for the attention you paid inoffering your aid to save her from perhaps a serious accident--and thatshe will grant you a few moments' interview this evening, provided youassent to certain conditions to be imposed upon you, respecting thepreliminary arrangements for your meeting. "

"Name them! name them!" exclaimed Alessandro, wild with joy, and almostdoubting whether he were not in the midst of a delicious dream. 

"That you consent to be blindfolded while being conducted into herpresence--that you maintain the most profound silence while with thosewho will guide you to her abode--and that you return from the interviewunder the same circumstances. "

"I should be unworthy the interest which she deigns to manifest in mybehalf, were I to refuse compliance with those terms, " answeredAlessandro. 

"An hour after sunset, " said the spy, "you will meet me at the gate ofthe Mosque of Selimya;" and with those words he hurried away, leavingthe young Florentine in a state of excited hope, amounting to a deliriumof joy. 

Alessandro was well aware that adventures, such as the one in which hefound himself suddenly involved, were by no means uncommon in the East;and that ladies of the most unimpeachable virtue, as well as of thehighest rank, frequently accorded interviews of this private nature tothose men who were fortunate enough to merit their attention--suchvisits being the first step toward matrimonial connections. But then heremembered that he was a Christian, and the fair object of his devotionwas probably of the Moslem faith. What, then, would be the result? Wassome wealthy lady of high rank about to abandon her creed for his sake?or would the sacrifice of his faith be required as the only condition onwhich his complete happiness might be achieved? He knew not--cared butlittle; it was sufficient for him that he was to meet the charming beingwhose image had never once quitted his mind, from the first moment hehad seen her in the bezestein!

Even before the appointed hour was Alessandro pacing the square in frontof the splendid temple which the Sultan Selim--the conqueror ofEgypt--had erected, and which bore his imperial name. At length theagent, for whom he waited, made his appearance. This man, thoughactually a Turkish dependent in the service of the Florentine Envoy, was, as before stated, neither more nor less than one of the numerousspies placed by the reis-effendi round the person of that embassador. Alessandro was aware of this, in consequence of the offers andrepresentations that had been made to him through the means of thisagent, and though the youth suspected that the man knew more concerningthe beauteous idol of his heart than he had chosen to admit, yet he hadseen enough to convince him of the inutility of questioning him on thathead. 

It was, therefore, in silence that Alessandro followed his guide throughseveral by-streets down to the margin of the waters of the Golden Horn. There a boat, in which two rowers and a female slave were seated, waswaiting. 

"Here, must you be blindfolded, " said the spy. 

For a few moments Alessandro hesitated, in regret that he had gone sofar with this adventure. He had heard fearful tales of dark deedscommitted on the waters of the Bosporus and the Golden Horn; and hehimself, when roving during his leisure hours along the verdant banks ofthose waters, had seen the livid corpse float with the tale-tellingbow-string fastened round the neck. 

The spy seemed to divine his thoughts. 

"You hesitate, signor, " he said; "then let us retrace our way. Butremember, " he added in a low tone, "that were treachery intended, itwould be as easy to perform the deed where you now stand, as on thebosom of that star-lit gulf. "

Alessandro hesitated no longer, but suffered himself to be completelyhooded in a cap which the spy drew over his countenance. He was thenconducted into the boat and guided to a seat next to the female slave. The spy leapt upon the strand, the boatmen plied their oars, and theskiff shot away from the bank, no one uttering a word. 

[END OF PART I. ]

_PART II. _

CHAPTER XLV. 

THE LADY OF CONSTANTINOPLE. 

For upward of half an hour did the boat skim the surface of the GoldenHorn, the dip of the oars in the water and the rippling around the sharpprow alone breaking the solemn silence of the night. At length the skiffstopped, and the female slave took Alessandro's hand, whispering in alow tone, "I will serve as thy guide, Christian; but speak not till thouhast permission. "

She then led him from the boat, up a flight of steps, and through agarden--for he occasionally came in contact with the outstretchingbranches of shrubs, and there was moreover a delicious odor of flowers, as he proceeded in the total darkness of his blindfolding. At theexpiration of ten minutes the guide stopped; and Alessandro heard a keyturn in a lock. 

"Enter there, " said the slave, pushing him gently forward, and speakingin a low tone. "Take off the cap--attire yourself in the raiment youwill find ready provided, and then pass fearlessly through the door atthe further end of the room. You will meet me again in the hall whichyou will thus reach. "

And, without waiting for a reply, the slave closed and locked the doorthrough which Alessandro had just passed. Hastily did he remove the cap, which had indeed almost suffocated him; and he now found himself in asmall apartment, elegantly furnished in the most luxurious Orientalfashion, and brilliantly lighted. A table spread with confectionery, cakes, fruits, and even wines--though the fermented juice of the grapebe expressly forbidden by the laws of the Prophet Mohammed--occupied thecenter of the room. Around the walls were continuous sofas, or ottomans, so conducive to the enjoyment of a voluptuous indolence; the floor wasspread with a carpet so thick that the feet sunk into the silky texture, as into newly fallen snow; and whichever way he turned Alessandro beheldhis form reflected in vast mirrors set in magnificent frames. There wereno windows on any side of this apartment; but there was a cupola fittedwith stained glass on the roof, and Alessandro judged that he was in oneof those voluptuous kiosks usually found in the gardens of wealthyTurks. 

Precisely as the slave had informed him, he found an elegant suit ofMoslem garments set out on the sofa for his use; and he hastened toexchange his Italian costume for the Oriental raiment. As he thusattired himself, it was necessary to contemplate himself in the mirrorfacing him, so as properly to adjust clothes to which he was totallyunaccustomed; and it struck him that the garb of the infidel became himbetter than that of the Christian. He did not, however, waste time inthe details of this strange toilet; but as soon as it was completed heopened the door at the further end of the room, in pursuance of theinstructions he had received. Alessandro found himself in a large marblehall, from which several flights of stairs led to the apartments above. The place was refulgent with the light of numerous chandeliers, theglare of which was enhanced by the vast mirrors attached to the walls, and the crystal pillars that supported the roof. 

Not a human being met Alessandro's eyes; and he began to fear eitherthat he had mistaken the directions he had received, or that sometreachery was intended, when a door opened, and the female slave, wrapped in a veil, made her appearance. Placing her forefinger upon thatpart of the veil which covered her lips, to enjoin silence, she led theway up the nearest staircase, Alessandro following with a heart beatingaudibly. They reached a door at which a negro male slave was stationed. 

"The hakim" (physician), said Alessandro's guide, laconically addressingherself to the negro, who bowed in silence and threw open the door. Thefemale slave conducted the pretended physician into a small butsplendidly furnished ante-room, in which there were several otherdependents of her own sex. A door at the further end was opened, andAlessandro passed through into another, larger, and still moremagnificently furnished room; the door closed behind him, and he foundhimself alone with the idol of his adoration. 

Half seated, half lying upon cushions of scarlet brocade, the glossybright hue of which was mellowed by the muslin spread over it, appearedthe beauteous creature whose image was so faithfully delineated in hismemory. She was attired in the graceful and becoming dualma, a purplevest which set close to her form, and with a species of elasticityshaped itself so as to develop every contour. 

But in accordance with the custom of the clime and age, the dualma wasopen at the bosom, sloping from each lovely white shoulder to the waist, where the two folds joining, formed an angle, at which the purple vestwas fastened by a diamond worth a monarch's ransom. The sleeves werewide, but short, scarcely reaching to the elbow, and leaving all thelower part of the snowy arms completely bare. Her ample trousers were ofpurple silk, covered with the finest muslin, and drawn in tight a littleabove the ankles, which were naked. On her feet she wore crimsonslippers cut very low, and each ornamented with a diamond. Round herperson below the waist she wore a magnificent shawl, rolled up, as itwere, negligently, so as to form a girdle or zone, and fastened in frontwith two large tassels of pearls. Diamond bracelets adorned her fairarms; and her head-dress consisted of a turban or shawl of light butrich material, fastened with golden bodkins, the head of each being apearl of the best water. Beneath this turban, her rich auburn hair, glowing like gold in the light of the perfumed lamps, and amidst theblaze of diamonds which adorned her, was parted in massive bands, sweeping gracefully over her temples and gathered behind the ears, thenfalling in all the luxuriance of its rich clustering folds over thecushion whereon she reclined. Her finger-nails were slightly tinged withhenna, the rosy hue the more effectually setting off the lily whitenessof her delicate hand and full round arm. But no need had she to dye thelashes of her eyes with the famous kohol, so much used by Orientalladies, for those lashes were by nature formed of the deepest jet--asomewhat unusual but beauteous contrast with the color of her hair. Thecheeks of the lovely creature were slightly flushed, or it might havebeen a reflection of the scarlet brocade of the cushion on which, as wehave said, she was half-seated, half-lying, when Alessandro appeared inher presence. 

For a few moments the young Italian was so dazzled by her beauty, sobewildered by the appearance of that lady, whose richness of attireseemed to denote the rank of sultana, that he remained rooted to thespot, uncertain whether to advance, to retire, or to fall upon his kneesbefore her. But in an encouraging tone, and in a voice musical as asilver bell, the lady said: "Approach, Christian!" and she pointed to alow ottoman within a few paces of the sofa which she herself occupied. Alessandro now recovered his presence of mind; and no longer embarrassedand awkward, but with graceful ease and yet profound respect, he tookthe seat indicated. 

"Beauteous lady, " he said, "how can I ever demonstrate thegratitude--the illimitable, boundless gratitude which fills my heart, for the joy, the truly elysian delight afforded me by this meeting?"

"You speak our language well, Christian, " observed the lady, smilingfaintly at the compliment conveyed by the words of Alessandro, butevading a direct reply. 

"I have for some years past been in the service of the Florentine envoy, lady, " was the answer; "and the position which I occupy at the palace ofthe embassy has led me to study the beauteous language of this clime, and to master its difficulties. But never, never did that language soundso soft and musical upon my ears as now, flowing from those sweet lipsof thine. "

"The Moslem maiden dares not listen to the flattery of the infidel, "said the beauteous stranger in a serious but not severe tone. "Listen tome, Christian, with attention, for our meeting must not be prolongedmany minutes. To say that I beheld thee with indifference when we firstencountered each other in the bazaar, were to utter a falsehood which Iscorn; to admit that I can love thee, and love thee well, " she added, her voice slightly trembling, "is an avowal which I do not blush tomake. But never can the Moslem maiden bestow her hand on the infidel. Ifthou lovest me--if thou wouldst prove thyself worthy of that affectionwhich my heart is inclined to bestow upon thee, thou wilt renounce thecreed of thy forefathers, and embrace the Mussulman faith. Nor is thisall that I require of thee, or that thou must achieve to win me. Becomea true believer--acknowledge that Allah is God and Mohammed is hisprophet--and a bright and glorious destiny will await thee. For althoughthou wilt depart hence without learning my name, or who I may be, or theplace to which you have been brought to meet me, --though we shall beholdeach other no more until thou hast rendered thyself worthy of my hand, yet shall I ever be mindful of thee, my loved one! An unseen, an unknowninfluence shall attend thee: thy slightest wishes will be anticipatedand fulfilled in a manner for which thou wilt vainly seek toaccount, --and, as thou provest thy talents or thy valor, so willpromotion open its doors to thee with such rapidity that thou wiltstrain every nerve to reach the highest offices in the state--for thenonly may'st thou hope to receive my hand, and behold the elucidation ofthe mystery which up to that date will envelop thy destinies. "

While the lady was thus speaking, a fearful struggle took place in thebreast of Alessandro--for the renunciation of his creed, a creed inwhich he must ever in his heart continue to believe, though ostensiblyhe might abjure it--was an appalling step to contemplate. Then to hismind also came the images of those whom he loved, and who were far awayin Italy:--his aunt, who had been so kind to him, his sister whom heknew to be so proud of him, and Father Marco, who manifested such deepinterest in his behalf. But on his ears continued to flow the honeyedwords and the musical tones of the charming temptress; and, as shegradually developed to his imagination the destinies upon which he mightenter, offering herself as the eventual prize to be gained by a careercertain to be pushed on successfully through the medium of a powerful, though mysterious influence--Florence, relatives, and friends, became assecondary considerations in his mind; and by the time the lady broughther long address to a conclusion--that address which had grown moreimpassioned and tender as she proceeded--Alessandro threw himself at herfeet, exclaiming, "Lovely houri that thou art--beauteous as the maidensthat dwell in the paradise of thy prophet--I am thine. I am thine!"

The lady extended her right hand, which he took and pressed in raptureto his lips. But the next moment she rose lightly to her feet, andassuming a demeanor befitting a royal sultana, said in a sweet, thoughimpressive tone:

"We must now part--thou to enter on thy career of fame, I to set inmotion every spring within my reach to advance thee to the pinnacle ofglory and power. Henceforth thy name is Ibrahim! Go, then, my Ibrahim, and throw thyself at the feet of the reis-effendi, and that greatminister will forthwith present thee to Piri Pasha, the grand vizier. Toil diligently--labor arduously--and the rest concerns me. Go, then, myIbrahim, I say, and enter on the path which will lead thee to the summitof fame and power!"

She extended her arms toward him--he snatched her to his breast, andcovered her cheeks with kisses. In that paradise of charms he could havereveled forever; but the tender caresses lasted not beyond a fewmoments, for the lady tore herself away from his embrace and hurriedinto an adjacent apartment. Alessandro--or rather, the renegade, Ibrahim--passed into the anteroom where his guide, the female slave, awaited his return. She conducted him back to the hall, and advancedtoward the door of the voluptuous kiosk, where he had changed hisraiment. 

"Goest thou forth a Christian still, or a true believer?" she askedturning suddenly round. 

"As a Mussulman, " answered the renegade, while his heart sank withinhim, and remorse already commenced its torture. 

"Then thou hast no further need of the Christian garb, " said the slave. "Await me here. "

She entered the kiosk, and returned in a few moments with the cap, which, in obedience to her directions, he once more drew on his head andover his countenance. The slave then led him into the garden, which theytreaded in profound silence. At length they reached the steps leadingdown to the water, and the slave accompanied him into the boat, whichimmediately shot away from the bank. Alessandro had now ample time forcalm reflection. The excitement of the hurried incidents of the eveningwas nearly over, and, though his breast was still occupied with theimage of his beautiful unknown, and with the brilliant prospects whichshe had opened to view, he nevertheless shrank from the foul deed ofapostasy which he had vowed to perpetrate. But we have already said thathe was essentially worldly-minded, and, as he felt convinced that thepetty jealousy of the Florentine Envoy would prevent him from risinghigher in the diplomatic hierarchy than the post of secretary, he bydegrees managed to console himself for his renegadism on the score thatit was necessary--the indispensable stepping-stone to the gratificationof his ambition. 

Thus by the time the boat touched the landing-place where he had firstentered it, he had succeeded to some extent in subduing the pangs ofremorse. The female slave now bade him remove the cap from his face andresume his turban. A few moments sufficed to make this change; and hewas about to step on shore, when the woman caught him by the sleeve ofhis caftan, and, thrusting a small case of sandal-wood into his hand, said: "She whom you saw ere now, commanded me to give thee this. "

The slave pushed him toward the bank: he obeyed the impulse and landed, she remaining in the boat, which instantly darted away again, mostprobably to convey her back to the abode of her charming mistress. Onthe top of the bank the renegade was accosted by the spy whom he hadleft there when he embarked in the skiff. 

"Allah and the Prophet be praised!" exclaimed the man, surveyingAlessandro attentively by the light of the lovely moon. "Thou art nownumbered amongst the faithful!"

The apostate bit his lips to keep down a sigh of remorse which rose tothem; and his guide, without uttering another word, led the way to thepalace of the reis-effendi. There Alessandro or Ibrahim, as we musthenceforth call him--was lodged in a splendid apartment, and had twoslaves appointed to wait upon him. He, however, hastily dismissed them, and when alone, opened the case that had been placed into his hands bythe female slave. It contained a varied assortment of jewelry andprecious stones, constituting a treasure of immense value. 

CHAPTER XLVI. 

THE APOSTATE IBRAHIM. 

Constantinople, like haughty Rome, is built on seven hills--the housesbeing so disposed that they do not intercept the view commanded by eachon the amphitheatrical acclivities. But the streets are narrow, crooked, and uneven; and the grand effects of the numerous stately mosques andnoble edifices are subdued, and in many cases altogether lost, either bythe very insignificant width of the thoroughfares in which they stand, or by the contiguity of mean and miserable wooden tenements. 

The mosque of St. Sophia, once a Christian church, with its magnificentportico, supported by marble columns, its nine vast folding doors, adorned with bas-reliefs, and its stupendous dome, a hundred and twentyfeet in diameter; the mosque of the Sultan Solyman, forming an exactsquare with four noble towers at the angles, and with its huge cupola, in the midst; the mosque of the Sultan Ahmed, with its numerous domes, its tall minarets, and its colonnades supported by marble pillars; andthe mosque of the Sultana Valida, or queen mother of Mohammed theFourth, exceeding all other Mussulman churches in the delicacy of itsarchitecture and the beauty of its columns of marble and jasper, supplied by the ruins of Troy--these are the most remarkable temples inthe capital of the Ottoman empire. 

The Grand Bezestein, or exchange, is likewise a magnificentstructure--consisting of a spacious hall of circular form, built offree-stone, and surrounded by shops displaying the richest commoditiesof Oriental commerce. In the Ladies' Bazaar there is a marble column ofextraordinary height, and on the sides of which, from the foot to thecrown, are represented in admirable bas-reliefs the most remarkableevents which characterized the reign of the Emperor Arcadius, ere thecapital of Roman dominions of the East fell into the hands of thedescendants of Osman. 

But of all the striking edifices at Constantinople, that of the Sultan'sPalace, or seraglio, is the most spacious and the most magnificent. Christian writers and readers are too apt to confound the seraglio withthe harem, and to suppose that the former means the apartments belongingto the sultan's ladies; whereas the word seraglio, or rather _sernil_, represents the entire palace of which the harem, or females' dwelling, is but a comparatively small portion. 

The seraglio is a vast inclosure, occupying nearly the entire site ofthe ancient city of Byzantium, and embracing a circumference of fivemiles. It contains nine enormous courts of quadrangular form, and animmense number of buildings--constituting a complete town of itself. Butwithin this inclosure dwell upward of ten thousand persons--the entirecourt of the sultan. There reside the great officers of state, the bodyguards, the numerous corps of bostandjis, or gardeners, and baltojis, orfire-wood purveyors--the corps of white and black eunuchs, the pages, the mutes, the dwarfs--the ladies of the harem, and all their numerousattendants. 

There are nine gates to the palace of the sultan. The principal oneopens on the square of St. Sophia, and is very magnificent in itsarchitecture. It is this gate which is called the Sublime Porte--a namefiguratively given to the court of the sultan, in all histories, records, and diplomatic transactions. It was within the inclosure of theseraglio that Alessandro Francatelli, whom we shall henceforth call byhis apostate name of Ibrahim--was lodged in the dwelling of thereis-effendi or minister of foreign affairs. But in the course of a fewdays the renegade was introduced into the presence of Piri Pasha, thegrand vizier--that high functionary who exercised a power almost asextensive and as despotic as that wielded by the sultan himself. 

Ibrahim, the apostate, was received by his highness Piri Pasha at aprivate audience--and the young man exerted all his powers, and calledto his aid all the accomplishments which he possessed, to render himselfagreeable to that great minister. He discoursed in an intelligent mannerupon the policy of Italy and Austria, and gave the grand vizierconsiderable information relative to the customs, resources, andcondition of these countries. Then, when the vizier touched upon lightermatters, Ibrahim showed how well he was already acquainted with theworks of the most eminent Turkish poets and historians; and the art ofmusic being mentioned, he gave the minister a specimen of hisproficiency on the violin. Piri Pasha was charmed with the youngrenegade, whom he immediately took into his service as one of hisprivate secretaries. 

Not many weeks elapsed before the fame of Ibrahim's accomplishments andrare talents reached the ears of the sultan, Solyman the Magnificent;and the young renegade was honored with an audience by the ruler of theEast. On this occasion he exerted himself to please even moretriumphantly than when he was introduced to the grand vizier; and thesultan commanded that henceforth Ibrahim should remain attached to hisperson in the capacity of keeper of the imperial archives. 

We should observe that the dispatches which the Florentine Envoy wroteto the government of the republic, contained but a brief and vagueallusion to the apostasy of Alessandro Francatelli; merely mentioningthat the youth had become a Mussulman, and entered the service of thegrand vizier, but not stating either the name which he had adopted orthe brilliant prospects which had so suddenly and marvelously openedbefore him. The Florentine Embassador treated the matter thus lightly, because he was afraid of incurring the blame of his government for nothaving kept a more stringent watch over his subordinate, were he toattach any importance to the fact of Alessandro's apostasy. But he hopedthat by merely glancing at the event as one scarcely worth specialnotice, the Council of Florence would be led to treat it with equallevity. Nor was the embassador deceived in his calculation; and thus theaccounts which reached Florence relative to Alessandro's renegadism--andwhich were not indeed communicated to the council until some monthsafter the occurrence of the apostasy itself--were vague and indefiniteto a degree. 

And had Ibrahim no remorse? Did he never think of his lovely sisterFlora, and of his affectionate aunt who, in his boyhood, had made suchgreat and generous sacrifices to rear them honorably? Oh! yes;--but amore powerful idea dominated the remembrance of kindred, and theattachment to home--and that idea was ambition! Moreover, the hope ofspeedily achieving that greatness which was to render him eligible andworthy to possess the charming being whose powerful influence seemed tosurround him with a constant halo of protection, and to soothe down allthe asperities which are usually found in the career of those who risesuddenly and rise highly--this ardent, longing hope not only encouragedhim to put forth all his energies to make himself master of a gloriousposition, but also subdued to no small extent the feelings ofcompunction which would otherwise have been too bitter, too agonizing toendure. 

His mind was, moreover, constantly occupied. When not in attendance uponthe sultan, he devoted all his time to render himself intimatelyacquainted with the laws, polity, diplomatic history, resources, condition, and finances of the Ottoman Empire; he also studied theTurkish literature, and practiced composition, both in prose and verse, in the language of that country which was now his own! But think not, reader, that in his heart he was a Mussulman, or that he hadextinguished the light of Christianity within his soul. No--oh! no; themore he read on the subject of the Mohammedan system of theology, themore he became convinced not only of its utter falsity, but also of itsincompatibility with the progress of civilization. Nevertheless, hedared not pray to the True God whom he had renounced with his lips; butthere was a secret adoration, an interior worship of the Saviour, whichhe could not and sought not to subdue. 

Solyman the Magnificent, was an enlightened prince, and a generouspatron of the arts and sciences. He did not persecute the Christians, because he knew, in his own heart, that they were further advanced inall human ideas and institutions than the Ottomans. He was, therefore, delighted whenever a talented Christian embraced the Moslem faith andentered his service; and his keen perception speedily led him to discernand appreciate all the merits and acquirements of his favorite Ibrahim. 

Such was the state of things at Constantinople, when those rapidlysuccessive incidents, which we have already related, took place inFlorence. At this time immense preparations were being made by thesultan for an expedition against the Island of Rhodes, then in thepossession of the Knights of St. John, commanded by their grand master, Villiers of Isle Adam. 

This chieftain, aware of the danger which menaced him, dispatched envoysto the courts of Rome, Genoa, Venice, and Florence, imploring thosepowers to send him assistance against the expected invasion of theTurks. Each of these states hastened to comply with this request; andnumerous bodies of auxiliaries sailed from various ports in Italy tofight beneath the glorious banner of Villiers of Isle Adam, one of thestanchest veteran champions of Christendom. 

Thus, at the very time when Nisida and Wagner were united in the bondsof love on the island of which they were the possessors--while, too, Isaachar the Jew languished in the prisons of the Inquisition ofFlorence, at which city the chivalrous-hearted Manuel d'Orsini tarriedto hasten on the trial and give his testimony in favor of theIsraelite--and moreover while Flora, and the Countess Giulia dwelt inthe strictest retirement with the young maiden's aunt--at this period, we say, a fleet of three hundred sail quitted Constantinople under thecommand of the kapitan-pasha, or lord high admiral, and proceeded towardthe Island of Rhodes. At the same time, Solyman the Magnificent crossedinto Asia Minor, and placing himself at the head of an army of a hundredthousand men, commenced his march toward the coast facing the island, and where he intended to embark on his warlike expedition. His favoriteIbrahim accompanied him, as did also the Grand Vizier Piri Pasha, andthe principal dignitaries of the empire. 

It was in the spring of 1521 that the Ottoman fleet received the army onboard at the Cape in the Gulf of Macri, which is only separated by avery narrow strait from the Island of Rhodes; and in the evening of thesame day on which the troops had thus embarked, the mighty armamentappeared off the capital city of the Knights of St. John. 

CHAPTER XLVII. 

THE SIEGE OF RHODES. 

On the following morning, salvoes of artillery throughout the fleetannounced to the inhabitants and garrison of Rhodes, that the sultan wasabout to effect a landing with his troops. 

The debarkment was not resisted; for it was protected by the cannonadewhich the ships directed against the walls of the city, and theChristians had no vessel capable of demonstrating any hostility againstthe mighty fleet commanded by the kapitan-pasha. 

Villiers of Isle Adam, the generalissimo of the Christian forces, hadreduced to ashes all circumjacent villages, and received theirinhabitants into the city itself. But the Ottomans cared not for thewaste and desolation thus created around the walls of the city; butwhile their artillery, alike on land and by sea, maintained an incessantfire on the town, they threw up works of defense and established depotsof provisions and ammunition. The sultan went in person accompanied byIbrahim, and attended by a numerous escort, to reconnoiter thefortifications, and inspect the position of his troops. 

On the other side, Villiers of Isle Adam distributed his forces in sucha manner that the warriors of each nation defended particular gates. Thus the corps of Spaniards, French, Germans, English, Portuguese, Italian, Auvergnese and Provincials, respectively defended eight of thegates of Rhodes; while the lord general himself, with his body-guard, took his post at the ninth. For the knights of Rhodes comprised nativesof nearly all Christian countries, and the mode in which Villiers thusallotted a gate to the defense of the warriors of each nation, gave animpulse to that emulative spirit which ever induces the soldiers of oneclime to vie with those of another. 

The Ottoman troops were disposed in the following manner: Ayaz Pasha, Beglerbeg (or governor) of Roumilia, found himself placed in front ofthe walls and gates defended by the French and Germans; Ahmed Pasha wasopposed to the Spaniards and Auvergnese; Mustapha Pasha had to contendwith the English: Kasim, Beglerbeg of Anatolia, was to direct the attackagainst the bastion and gates occupied by the natives of Provence; theGrand Vizier, Piri Pasha, was opposed to the Portuguese, and the sultanhimself undertook the assault against the defenses occupied by theItalians. 

For several days there was much skirmishing, but no advantage was gainedby the Ottomans. Mines and countermines were employed on both sides, andthose executed by the Christians effected terrible havoc amongst theTurks. At length in pursuance of the advice of the renegade Ibrahim, thesultan ordered a general assault to be made upon the city, and heraldswent through the entire encampment, proclaiming the imperial command. Tidings of this resolution were conveyed into the city by means of theChristians' spies; and while the Ottomans were preparing for the attack, Villiers of Isle Adam was actively employed in adopting all possiblemeans for the defense. 

At daybreak, the general assault commenced, and the aga (or colonel) ofthe janizaries succeeded in planting his banner on the gate intrusted tothe care of the Spaniards and Auvergnese. But this success was merelytemporary in that quarter; for the Ottomans were beaten back with suchimmense slaughter, that fifteen thousand of their choicest troops werecut to pieces in the breach and the ditch. But still the assault wasprosecuted in every quarter and every point, and the Christian warriorsacquitted themselves nobly in the defense of the city. The women ofRhodes manifested a courage and zeal which history has loved to recordas most honorable to their sex. Some of them carried about bread andwine to recruit the fainting and refresh the wearied, others were readywith bandages and lint to stanch the blood which flowed from thewounded, some conveyed earth in wheelbarrows, to stop up the breachesmade in the walls, and others bore along immense stones to hurl downupon the assailants. 

Oh! it was a glorious, but a sad and mournful sight--that death-struggleof the valiant Christians against the barbarism of the East. And manytouching proofs of woman's courage and daring characterized thatmemorable siege. Especially does this fact merit our attention:--Thewife of a Christian captain, seeing her husband slain, and the enemygaining ground rapidly, embraced her two children tenderly, made thesign of the cross upon their brows, and then, having stabbed them to theheart, threw them into the midst of a burning building near, exclaiming, "The infidels will not now be able, my poor darlings, to wreak theirvengeance on you, alive or dead!" In another moment she seized her deadhusband's sword, and plunging into the thickest of the fight, met adeath worthy of a heroine. 

The rain now began to fall in torrents, washing away the floods of gorewhich, since daybreak, had dyed the bastions and the wall; and theassault continued as arduously as the defense was maintained withdesperation. Solyman commanded in person the division which was opposedto the gate and the fort intrusted by the lord general of the Christiansto the care of the Italian auxiliaries. But, though it was now pastnoon, and the sultan had prosecuted his attack on that point withunabated vigor since the dawn, no impression had yet been made. TheItalians fought with a heroism which bade defiance to the numericalsuperiority of their assailants; for they were led on by a youngchieftain who, beneath an effeminate exterior, possessed the soul of alion. Clad in a complete suit of polished armor, and with crimson plumeswaving from his steel helmet, to which no visor was attached, thatyouthful leader threw himself into the thickest of the medley, soughtthe very points where danger appeared most terrible--and, alike by hisexample and his words, encouraged those whom he commanded to disputeevery inch of ground with the Moslem assailants. 

The sultan was enraged when he beheld the success with which thatItalian chieftain rallied his men again after every rebuff; and, callingto Ibrahim to keep near him, Solyman the Magnificent advanced toward thebreach which his cannon had already effected in the walls defended sogallantly by the Italian auxiliaries. And now, in a few minutes, beholdthe sultan himself, nerved with wonderful energy, rushing on--scimiterin hand--and calling on the young Italian warrior to measure weaponswith him. The Christian chieftain understood not the words which thesultan uttered, but full well did he comprehend the anxiety of thatgreat monarch to do battle with him; and the curved scimiter and thestraight, cross-handled sword clashed together in a moment. The youngwarrior knew that his opponent was the sultan, whose imperial rank wasdenoted by the turban which he wore; and the hope of inflictingchastisement on the author of all the bloodshed which had taken place onthe walls of Rhodes inspired the youth with a courage perfectlyirresistible. 

Not many minutes had this combat lasted, before Solyman was thrown downin the breach, and the cross-handled sword of his conqueror was about todrink his heart's blood, when the renegade Ibrahim dashed forward fromamidst the confused masses of those who were fighting around, and by adesperate effort hurled the young Italian warrior backward. 

"I owe thee my life, Ibrahim, " said the sultan, springing upon his feet. "But hurt not him who has combated so gallantly: we must respect thebrave!"

The Italian chieftain had been completely stunned by his fall; he was, therefore, easily made prisoner and carried off to Ibrahim's tent. 

Almost at the same moment a messenger from Ahmed Pasha presented to thesultan a letter, in which was stated that the grand master, Villiers ofIsle Adam, anxious to put a stop to the fearful slaughter that wasprogressing, had offered to capitulate on honorable terms. Thisproposition was immediately agreed to by the sultan, and a suspension ofhostilities was proclaimed around the walls. The Ottomans retired totheir camp, having lost upward of thirty thousand men during the deadlystrife of a few hours; and the Christians had now leisure to ascertainthe extent of their own disasters, which were proportionately appalling. 

CHAPTER XLVIII. 

THE PRISONER. 

In the meantime Ibrahim had ordered his prisoner, the young Italianchieftain, to be conveyed to his tent; and when the renegade's slaveshad disencumbered the Christian of his armor, he began to revive. AsIbrahim bent over him, administering restoratives, a suspicion, whichhad already struck him the moment he first beheld his face, grewstronger and stronger; and the apostate at length became convinced thathe had seen that countenance on some former occasion. 

Ordering his slaves to withdraw, Ibrahim remained alone with hisprisoner, who was now able to sit up on the sofa and gaze around him. 

"I understand it all!" he exclaimed, the blood rushing back to his palecheek; "I am in the power of the barbarians!"

"Nay, call us not harsh names, brave chieftain, " said Ibrahim, "seeingthat we do not treat you unworthily. "

"I was wrong!" cried the prisoner; then, fixing his fine blue eyes uponthe renegade, he added, "Were you not habited as a Moslem, I shouldconceive, by the purity with which you speak my native language, thatyou were a Christian, and an Italian. "

"I can speak many languages with equal fluency, " said Ibrahim, evasively, as a pang shot through his heart. "But tell me thy name, Christian--for thou art a brave man, although so young. "

"In my own country, " answered the youth, proudly, "I am called the Countof Riverola. "

We have before stated that Ibrahim was the complete master of hisemotions: but it required all his powers of self-possession to subduethem now, when the name of that family into which he was well aware hissister had entered fell upon his ears. His suspicion was well founded;he had indeed seen Francisco before this day--had seen him when he was amere boy, in Florence, for Alessandro was three or four years older thanthe young count. But he had never, in his native land, exchanged a wordwith Francisco; he had merely, occasionally, seen him in public; and itwas quite evident that even if Francisco had ever noticed him at thattime, he did not recollect him now. Neither did Ibrahim wish the youngcount to ascertain who he was; for the only thing which the renegadeever feared was the encounter of any one who had known him as aChristian, and who might justly reproach him for that apostasy which hadled him to profess Mohammedanism. 

"Lord Count of Riverola, " said Ibrahim, after a short pause, "you shallbe treated in a manner becoming your rank and your bravery. Such, indeed, was the command of my imperial master, the most glorious sultan;but even had no such order been issued, my admiration of your gallantdeportment in this day's strife would lead to the same result. "

"My best thanks are due for these assurances, " returned Francisco. "Buttell me how fares the war without?"

"The grand master has proffered a capitulation, which has beenaccepted, " answered Ibrahim. 

"A capitulation!" exclaimed Francisco. "Oh! it were better to die indefense of the cross, than live to behold the crescent triumphant on thewalls of Rhodes!"

"The motive of the grand master was a humane one, " observed Ibrahim; "hehas agreed to capitulate, to put an end to the terrific slaughter thatis going on. "

"Doubtless the lord general acts in accordance with the dictates of amatured wisdom!" exclaimed the Count of Riverola. 

"Your lordship was the leader of the Italian auxiliaries?" said Ibrahim, interrogatively. 

"Such was the honorable office intrusted to me, " was the reply. "Whenmessengers from Villiers of Isle-Adam arrived in Florence, beseechingsuccor against this invasion, which has, alas! proved too successful, Ipanted for occupation to distract my mind from ever pondering on theheavy misfortunes which had overtaken me. "

"Misfortunes!" exclaimed Ibrahim. 

"Yes--misfortunes of such a nature that the mere thought of them ismadness!" cried Francisco, in an excited tone. "First, a beauteous andamiable girl--one who, though of humble origin, was endowed with virtuesand qualifications that might have fitted her to adorn a palace, andwhom I fondly, devotedly loved--was-snatched from me. She disappeared Iknow not how! All trace of her was suddenly lost, as if the earth hadswallowed her up and closed over her again! This blow was in itselfterrible. But it came not alone. A few days elapsed, and my sister--mydearly beloved sister--also disappeared, and in the same mysteriousmanner. Not a trace of her remained--and what makes this secondaffliction the more crushing--the more overwhelming, is that she is deafand dumb! Oh! Heaven grant me the power to resist, to bear up againstthese crowning miseries! Vain were all my inquiries--useless was all thesearch I instituted to discover whither had gone the being whom I wouldhave made my wife, and the sister who was ever so devoted to me! Atlength, driven to desperation, when weeks had passed and they returnednot--goaded on to madness by bitter, bitter memories--I resolved todevote myself to the service of the cross. With my gold I raised andequipped a gallant band; and a favoring breeze wafted us from Leghorn tothis island. The grand master received me with open arms; and, formingan estimation of my capacities far above my deserts, placed me incommand of all the Italian auxiliaries. You know the rest; I fought withall my energy, and your sultan was within the grasp of death, when yourushed forward and saved him. The result is that I am your prisoner. "

"So young--and yet so early acquainted with such deep affliction!"exclaimed Ibrahim. "But can you form no idea, Christian, of the cause ofthat double disappearance? Had your sister no attendants who could throwthe least light upon the subject?" he asked, with the hope of elicitingsome tidings relative to his own sister, the beauteous Flora. 

"I dare not reflect thereon!" cried Francisco, the tears starting intohis eyes. "For, alas! Florence has long been infested by a desperateband of lawless wretches--and my God! I apprehend the worst--the veryworst. "

Thus speaking, he rose and paced the spacious tent with agitated steps;for this conversation had awakened in his mind all the bitter thoughtsand dreadful alarms which he had essayed to subdue amidst the excitementand peril of war. A slave now entered to inform Ibrahim that the sultancommanded his immediate presence in the imperial pavilion. 

"Christian, " said Ibrahim, as he rose to obey this mandate, "wilt thoupledge me thy word, as a noble and a knight, not to attempt to escapefrom this tent?"

"I pledge my word, " answered Francisco, "seeing that thou thyself art sogenerous to me. "

Ibrahim then went forth; but he paused for a few moments outside thetent to command his slaves to serve up choice refreshments to theprisoner. He then hastened to the pavilion of the sultan, whom he foundseated upon a throne, surrounded by the beglerbegs, the councilors ofstate, the viziers, the lieutenant-generals of the army, and all thehigh dignitaries who had accompanied him on his expedition. Ibrahimadvanced and prostrated himself at the foot of his throne; and at thesame moment two of the high functionaries present threw a caftan ofhonor over his shoulders--a ceremony which signified that the sultan hadconferred upon him the title of beglerbeg, or "prince of princes. "

"Rise, Ibrahim Pasha!" exclaimed Solyman, "and take thy place in ourcouncils, for Allah and his prophet have this day made thee theirinstrument to save the life of thy sovereign. "

The newly-created pasha touched the imperial slipper with his lips, andthen rising from his prostrate position, received the congratulations ofthe high functionaries assembled. 

Thus it was that in a few months, protected by that secret influencewhich was hurrying him so rapidly along in his ambitious career, theItalian apostate attained to a high rank in the Ottoman Empire; but hewas yet to reach the highest, next to that of the sovereign, ere hecould hope to receive the fair hand of his mysterious patroness as thecrowning joy of his prosperity, for her image, her charming image, everdwelt in his mind, and an ardent fancy often depicted her as sheappeared, in all the splendor of her beauty, reclining on the sofa atthe dwelling to which he had been conducted with so much precaution, asdetailed in a preceding chapter. On the following day peace was formallyconcluded between the Ottomans and the knights of Rhodes, the latterconsenting to surrender the island to the formidable invaders. Anexchange of prisoners was the result, and Francisco, Count of Riverola, again found himself free within twenty-four hours after his capture. 

"Your lordship is now about to sail for your own clime, " said Ibrahim, when the moment of separation came. "Is there aught within my power thatI can do to testify my friendship for one so brave and chivalrous asthou art?"

"Nothing, great pasha!" exclaimed Francisco, who felt his sympathyirresistibly attracted toward Ibrahim, he knew not why, "but, on theother hand, receive my heartfelt thanks for the kindness which I haveexperienced during the few hours I have been thy guest. "

"The history of thy afflictions has so much moved me, " said IbrahimPasha, after a brief pause, "that the interest I experience in yourbehalf will not cease when you shall be no longer here. If then youwould bear in mind the request I am about to make, gallantChristian----"

"Name it!" cried Francisco; "'tis already granted!"

"Write me from Florence, " added Ibrahim, "and acquaint me with thesuccess of thy researches after thy lost sister and the maiden whom thoulovest. The ships of Leghorn trade to Constantinople, whither I shallspeedily return, and it will not be a difficult matter to forward aletter to me occasionally. "

"I should be unworthy of the kind interest you take in my behalf, greatpasha, were I to neglect this request, " answered Francisco. "Oh! may thegood angels grant that I may yet recover my beloved sister Nisida, andthat sweetest of maidens--Flora Francatelli!"

Francisco was too overpowered by his own emotions to observe the suddenstart which Ibrahim gave, and the pallor which instantaneouslyoverspread his cheeks as the name of his sister thus burst upon hisears--that sister who, beyond doubt, had disappeared most strangely. 

But, with an almost superhuman effort, he subdued any further expressionof the agony of his feelings, and, taking Francisco's hand, said, in alow, deep tone: "Count of Riverola, I rely upon your solemn promise towrite me, and write soon and often. I shall experience a lively pleasurein receiving and responding to your letters. "

"Fear not that I shall forget my promise, your highness, " respondedFrancisco. 

He then took leave of Ibrahim Pasha, and returned to the city of Rhodes, whence he embarked on the same day for Italy, accompanied by the fewFlorentine auxiliaries who had survived the dreadful slaughter on theramparts. The hustle and excitement attending the departure from Rhodessomewhat absorbed the grief which Ibrahim felt on account of themysterious disappearance of his sister Flora. 

Solyman left a sufficient force, under an able commander, to garrisonthe island, which was speedily evacuated by Villiers of Isle Adam andhis knights; and by the middle of May the sultan, attended by Ibrahimand the other dignitaries of the empire, once more entered the gates ofConstantinople. 

Not many days had elapsed when, at a divan or state council, at whichSolyman the Magnificent himself presided, Ibrahim Pasha was desired togive his opinion upon a particular question then under discussion. Therenegade expressed his sentiments in a manner at variance with thepolicy recommended by the grand vizier; and this high functionaryreplied, in terms of bitterness and even grossness, at the same timereproaching Ibrahim with ingratitude. The apostate delivered a rejoinderwhich completely electrified the divan. He repudiated the charge ofingratitude on the ground of being influenced only by his duty towardthe sultan; and he entered upon a complete review of the policy of theGrand Vizier Piri Pasha. He proved that the commerce of the country hadgreatly fallen off--that the revenues had diminished--that arrears weredue to the army and navy--that several minor powers had not paid theirusual tribute for some years past--and, in a word, drew such a frightfulpicture of the maladministration and misrule, that the grand vizier wasoverwhelmed with confusion, and the sultan and other listeners werestruck with the lamentable truth of all which had fallen from the lipsof Ibrahim Pasha. Nor less were they astonished at the wonderfulintimacy which he displayed with even the minutest details of themachinery of the government; in a word, his triumph was complete. 

Solyman the Magnificent broke up the divan in haste, ordering themembers of the council to return each immediately to his own abode. Inthe evening a functionary of the imperial household was sent to thepalace of the grand vizier to demand the seals of office; and thus fellPiri Pasha. 

It was midnight when the sultan sent to order Ibrahim Pasha to wait uponhim without delay. The conference that ensued was long and interesting, and it was already near daybreak when messengers were dispatched to thevarious members of the divan to summon them to the seraglio. Then, inthe presence of all the rank and talent in the capital, the sultandemanded of Ibrahim whether he felt sufficient confidence in himself toundertake the weight and responsibility of office. All eyes were fixedearnestly upon that mere youth of scarcely twenty-three, who was thussolemnly adjured. 

In a firm voice he replied that with the favor of the sultan and theblessing of the Most High, he did not despair of being enabled torestore the Ottoman Empire to its late prosperity and glory. Theastronomer of the court declared that the hour was favorable to investthe new grand vizier with the insignia of office; and at the moment whenthe call to prayer, "God is great!" sounded from every minaret inConstantinople, Ibrahim Pasha received the imperial seals from the handof the sultan. 

CHAPTER XLIX. 

THE NEW GRAND VIZIER. 

The call to prayer, "_God is great_, " sounded from every minaret inConstantinople, when Solyman the Magnificent raised the renegade Ibrahimto a rank second only to his own imperial station. The newly appointedprime minister received the congratulations of the assembled dignitariesof the empire; and when this ceremony was accomplished, he repaired tothe palace of the viziership, which Piri Pasha had vacated during thenight. 

A numerous escort of slaves, and a guard of honor, composed of an entirecompany of Janizaries, attended Ibrahim to his new abode, the streetsthrough which he passed being lined with spectators anxious to obtain aglimpse of the new minister. 

But calm, almost passionless, was the expression of Ibrahim'scountenance: though he had attained to his present high stationspeedily, yet he had not reached it unexpectedly; and, even in themoment of this, his proud triumph, there was gall mingled with the cupof honey which he quaffed. For, oh! the light of Christianity was notextinguished within his breast; and though it no longer gleamed there toinspire and to cheer, it nevertheless had strength enough to burn withreproachful flame. 

The multitudes cheered and prostrated themselves as he passed; but hissalutation was cold and indifferent, and he felt at that moment that hewould rather have been wandering through the Vale of Arno, hand-in-handwith his sister, than be welcomed in the streets of Constantinople asthe Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire!

O crime! thou may'st deck thy brow with flowers, and adorn thy garmentswith the richest gems--thou may'st elicit the shouts of admiringmyriads, and proceed attended by guards ready to hew down those whowould treat thee with disrespect--thou may'st quit the palace of amighty sovereign to repair to a palace of thine own--and in thy handsthou may'st hold the destinies of millions of human beings; but thoucanst not subdue the still small voice that whispers reproachfully inthine ear, nor pluck from thy bosom the undying worm. 

Though Ibrahim Pasha felt acutely, yet his countenance, as we havebefore said, expressed nothing--he was still sufficiently master of hisemotions to retain them pent up in his own breast; and if he could notappear perfectly happy, he would not allow the world to perceive thathis soul harbored secret care. He entered the palace now destined tobecome his abode, and found himself the lord and master of anestablishment such as no Christian monarch in Europe possessed. But ashe passed through marble halls and perfumed corridors lined withprostrate slaves--as he contemplated the splendor and magnificence, thewealth and the luxury, by which he was now surrounded--and as he evendwelt upon the hope--nay, the more than hope, the conviction, that heshould full soon be blest with the hand of a being whose ravishingbeauty was ever present to his mental vision--that still small voicewhich he could not hush, appeared to ask what avail it was for a man, ifhe gain the whole world but lose his own soul?

But Ibrahim Pasha was not the man to give way to the influence of evenreflections so harrowing as these; and he immediately applied himself tothe business of the state, to divert his mind from unpleasurablemeditations. Holding a levee that same day, he received and confirmed intheir offices all the subordinate ministers; he then dispatched lettersto the various governors of provinces to announce to them his elevationto the grand viziership; and he conferred the Pashalic of Egypt upon thefallen minister, Piri Pasha. In the afternoon he granted audiences tothe embassadors of the Christian powers; but the Florentine envoy, itshould be observed, had quitted Constantinople some weekspreviously--indeed, at the time when the sultan undertook his expeditionagainst Rhodes; for the representative of the republic had entirelyfailed in the mission which had been intrusted to him by his government. 

In the evening, when it was quite dusk, Ibrahim retired to hisapartment; and hastily disguising himself in a mean attire, he issuedforth by a private gate at the back part of the palace. Intent uponputting into execution a scheme which he had hastily planned that veryafternoon, he repaired to the quarter inhabited by the Christians. Therehe entered a house of humble appearance where dwelt a young Greek, withwhom he had been on friendly terms at that period when his presentgreatness was totally unforeseen--indeed, while he was simply theprivate secretary of the Florentine envoy. He knew that Demetrius waspoor, intelligent and trustworthy; and it was precisely an agent of thisnature that Ibrahim required for the project which he had in view. 

Demetrius--such was the young Greek's name--was seated in a small andmeanly furnished apartment, in a desponding manner, and scarcelyappearing to notice the efforts which his sister, a beautiful maiden ofnineteen, was exerting to console him, when the door opened, and a mandressed as a water-carrier entered the room. 

The young Greek started up angrily, for he thought the visitor was oneof the numerous petty creditors to whom he was indebted, and whosedemands he was unable to liquidate; but the second glance which he cast, by the light of the lamp that burnt feebly on the table, toward thecountenance of the meanly dressed individual, convinced him of hismistake. 

"His highness the grand vizier!" ejaculated Demetrius, falling on hisknees; "Calanthe!" he added, speaking rapidly to his sister, "bow downto the representative of the sultan!"

But Ibrahim hastened to put an end to this ceremony, and assured thebrother and sister that he came thither as a friend. 

"A friend!" repeated Demetrius, as if doubting whether his ears heardaright; "is it possible that Heaven has indeed sent me a friend in onewho has the power to raise me and this poor suffering maiden from thedepths of our bitter, bitter poverty?"

"Dost thou suppose that my rapid elevation has rendered me unmindful offormer friendships?" demanded Ibrahim; although, had he not his ownpurposes to serve, he would never have thought of seeking the abode, norinquiring after the welfare of the humble acquaintance of his obscuredays. 

The young Greek knew not, however, the thorough selfishness of therenegade's character; and he poured forth his gratitude for the vizier'skindness and condescension with the most sincere and heart-felt fervor:while the beauteous Calanthe's large dark eyes swam in tears of hope andjoy, as she surveyed with mingled wonder and admiration the countenanceof that high functionary whose rapid rise to power had electrified theOttoman capital, and whom she now saw for the first time. 

"Demetrius, " said Ibrahim, "I know your worth--I have appreciated yourtalents; and I feel deeply for the orphan condition of your sister andyourself. It is in my power to afford you an employment whereby you mayrender me good service, and which shall be liberally rewarded. You arealready acquainted with much of my former history; and you have oftenheard me speak, in terms of love and affection, of my sister Flora. During my recent sojourn in the island of Rhodes, a Florentine nobleman, the Count of Riverola, became my prisoner. From him I learned that hewas attached to my sister, and his language led me to believe that hewas loved in return. But alas! some few months ago Flora suddenlydisappeared; and the Count of Riverola instituted a vain search todiscover her. Too pure-minded was she to fly of her own accord from hernative city; too chaste and too deeply imbued with virtuous principleswas she to admit the suspicion that she had fled with a vile seducer. No; force or treachery--if not _murder_, " added Ibrahim, in a toneindicative of profound emotion, "must have caused her suddendisappearance. The Count of Riverola has doubtless ere now arrived inItaly; and his researches will most assuredly be renewed. He promised tocommunicate to me the result, but as he knew not to whom that pledge wasgiven--as he recognized not in me the brother of the Flora whom heloves--I am fearful lest he forget or neglect the promise. It is, therefore, my intention to send a secret agent to Florence--an agent whowill convey rich gifts to my aunt, but without revealing the name of himwho sends them--an agent, in a word, who may minister to the wants andinterests of my family, and report to me whether my beloved sister beyet found, and if so, the causes of her disappearance. It seems to methat you, Demetrius, are well fitted for this mission. Your knowledge ofthe Italian language, your discreetness, your sound judgment, all renderyou competent to enact the part of a good genius watching over theinterests of those who must not be allowed to learn whence flow thebounties which suddenly pour upon them!"

"Gracious lord, " said the young Greek, his countenance radiant with joy. "I will never lose any opportunity of manifesting my devotion to thecause in which your highness condescends to employ me. "

"You will proceed alone to Italy, " continued Ibrahim; "and on yourarrival in Florence, you will adopt a modest and reserved mode of life, so that no unpleasant queries may arise as to your object in visitingthe republic. "

Demetrius turned a rapidly inquiring glance upon Calanthe, who hastenedto observe that she did not fear being left unprotected in the city ofConstantinople. Ibrahim placed a heavy purse and a case containing manycostly jewels in the hands of Demetrius, saying: "These are as anearnest of my favor and friendship;"--then, producing a second case, tied round with a silken cord, he added, "And this is for my aunt, theSignora Francatelli. "

Demetrius promised to attend to all the instructions which he hadreceived; and Ibrahim Pasha took his leave of the brother and thecharming sister, the latter of whom conveyed to him the full extent ofher gratitude for his kindness and condescension toward them in a fewwords uttered in a subdued tone, but with all the eloquence of her finedark eyes. 

"Did I not love my unknown protectress, " murmured Ibrahim to himself, ashe sped rapidly back to his palace, "I feel that Calanthe's eyes wouldmake an impression upon my heart. "

Scarcely had he resumed his magnificent garb, on his return home, when aslave announced to him that his imperial majesty, the sultan, requiredhis immediate attendance at the seraglio, whither he was to repair inthe most private manner possible. A sudden misgiving darted throughIbrahim's imagination. Could Solyman have repented of the step which hehad taken in thus suddenly elevating him to the pinnacle of power? Washis viziership to last but a few short hours? had the secret influence, which had hitherto protected him, ceased?

Considering the times and the country in which he lived, these fearswere justifiable; and it was with a rapidly beating heart that the newminister hastened, attended only by a single slave, to the dwelling ofhis imperial master. But when he was ushered into the presence of thesultan--his own slave remaining in the ante-room--his apprehensions weredissipated by the smiling countenance with which the monarch greetedhim. Having signaled his attendants to retire, Solyman the Magnificentaddressed the grand vizier in the following manner:

"Thy great talents, thy zeal in our service, and the salvation which Iowed to thee in the breach at Rhodes, have been instrumental, oh, Ibrahim! in raising thee to thy present high state. But the bounties ofthe sultan are without end, as the mercy of Allah is illimitable! Thouhast doubtless heard that among my numerous sisters, there is one ofsuch unrivaled beauty--such peerless loveliness, that the world hath notseen her equal. Happy may the man deem himself on whom the fair Aischashall be bestowed; and thou art that happy man, Ibrahim--and Aischa isthine. "

The grand vizier threw himself at the feet of his imperial master, andmurmured expressions of gratitude--but his heart sank within him--for heknew that in marrying the sultan's sister he should not be allowed theenjoyment of the Mussulman privilege of polygamy, and thus his hopes ofpossessing the beautiful unknown to whom he owed so much appeared tohover on the verge of annihilation. But might not that unknown lady andthe beauteous Aischa be one and the same person? The unknown wasevidently the mistress of an influence almost illimitable; and was itnot natural to conceive that she, then, must be the sister of thesultan? Again, the sultan had many sisters; and the one who had exertedher interest for Ibrahim, might not be the Princess Aischa, who was nowpromised to him! All these conjectures and conflicting speculationspassed through the mind of Ibrahim in far less time than we have takento describe their nature; and he was cruelly the prey to mingled hopeand alarm, when the sultan exclaimed, "Rise, my Vizier Azem, and followme. "

The apostate obeyed with beating heart, and Solyman the Magnificentconducted him along several passages and corridors to a splendidlyfurnished room, which Ibrahim immediately recognized as the very one inwhich he had been admitted, many months previously, to an interview withthe beauteous unknown. Yes--that was the apartment in which he hadlistened to the eloquence of her soft, persuasive voice--it was therethat, intoxicated with passion, he had abjured the faith of a Christianand embraced the creed of the false Prophet Mohammed. And, reclining onthe very sofa where he had first seen her--but attended by a troop ofcharming female slaves--was the fair unknown--his secretprotectress--more lovely, more bewitching, than she appeared when lastthey met. 

An arch smile played upon her lips, as she rose from the magnificentcushions--a smile which seemed to say, "I have kept my word, I haveraised thee to the highest dignity, save one in the Ottoman Empire--andI will now crown thine happiness by giving thee my hand. "

And, oh, so beauteous, so ravishingly lovely did she appear, as thatsmile revealed teeth whiter than the Oriental pearls, which she wore, and as a slight flush on her damask cheek and the bright flashing of hereyes betrayed the joy and triumph which filled her heart--so elegant andgraceful was her faultless form, which the gorgeous Ottoman garb soadmirably became, that Ibrahim forgot all his recent compunction--lostsight of home and friends--remembered not the awful apostasy of which hehad been guilty--but fell upon his knees in adoration of that charmingcreature, while the sultan with a smile which showed that he was nostranger to the mysteries of the past, exclaimed in a benignant tone, "Vizier Azem! receive the hand of my well-beloved sister Aischa!"

CHAPTER L. 

THE COUNT OF ARESTINO--THE PLOT THICKENS. 

Return we now to the fair city of flowers--to thee, delightfulFlorence--vine crowned queen of Tuscany! The summer has come, and thegardens are brilliant with dyes and hues of infinite variety; the hillsand the valleys are clothed in their brightest emerald garment--and theArno winds its peaceful way between banks blushing with choicest fruitsof the earth. 

But, though gay that July scene--though glorious in its splendor thatunclouded summer sun, though gorgeous the balconies filled with flowers, and brilliant the parterres of Tuscan roses, yet gloomy was thecountenance and dark were the thoughts of the Count of Arestino, as hepaced with agitated steps one of the splendid apartments of his palace. The old man was actually endowed with a good, a generous, a kind andforgiving disposition; but the infidelity of his wife, the being on whomhe had so doted, and who was once his joy and his pride--that infidelityhad warped his best feelings, soured his temper, and aroused the darkspirit of vengeance. 

"She lives! she lives!" he murmured to himself, pausing for a moment topress his feverish hand to his heated brow; "she lives! and doubtlessunder the protection of her paramour! But I shall know more presently. Antonio is faithful--he will not deceive me!"

And the count resumed his agitated walk up and down the room. A fewminutes elapsed, when the door opened slowly, and Antonio, whom thereader may remember to have been a valet in the service of the Riverolafamily, made his appearance. 

The count hastened toward him, exclaiming: "What news, Antonio?Speak--hast thou learnt aught more of--of _her_?"

"My lord, " answered the valet, closing the door behind him, "I haveascertained everything. The individual who spoke darkly and mysteriouslyto me last evening, has within this hour made me acquainted with manystrange things. "

"But the countess?--I mean the guilty, fallen creature who once bore myname?" ejaculated the old nobleman, his voice trembling with impatience. 

"There is no doubt, my lord, that her ladyship lives, and that she isstill in Florence, " answered Antonio. 

"The shameless woman, " cried the Count of Arestino, his usually paleface becoming perfectly death-like through the violence of his inwardemotions. "But how know you all this?" demanded his lordship, suddenlyturning toward the dependent; "who is your informant--and can he berelied on? Remember I took thee into my service at thine ownsolicitation--I have no guarantee for thy fidelity, and I am influentialto punish as well as rich to reward!"

"Your lordship has bound me to you by ties of gratitude, " respondedAntonio, "for when discarded suddenly by the young Count of Riverola, Ifound an asylum and employment in your lordship's palace. It is yourlordship's bounty which has enabled me to give bread to my aged mother;and I should be a villain were I to deceive you. "

"I believe you, Antonio, " said the count: "and now tell me how you areassured that the countess escaped from the conflagration and ruin of theinstitution to which my just vengeance had consigned her--how, too, youhave learnt that she is still in Florence. "

"I have ascertained, my lord, beyond all possibility of doubt, " answeredthe valet, "that the assailants of the convent were a terrible horde ofbanditti, at that time headed by Stephano Verrina, who has sincedisappeared no one knows whither; that the Marquis of Orsini was one ofthe leaders in the awful deed of sacrilege, and that her ladyship thecountess, and a young maiden named Flora Francatelli, were rescued bythe robbers from their cells in the establishment. These ladies and themarquis quitted the stronghold of the banditti together, blindfolded andguided forth by that same Stephano Verrina whom I mentioned just now, Lomellino (the present captain of the horde), and another bandit. "

"And who is your informant? how learned you all this?" demanded thecount, trembling with the excitement of painful reminiscencesreawakened, and with the hope of speedy vengeance on the guilty pair, his wife and the marquis. 

"My lord, " said Antonio, "pardon me if I remain silent; but I dare notcompromise the man----"

"Antonio, " exclaimed the count, wrathfully, "you are deceiving me! Tellme who was your informant--I command you--hesitate not----"

"My lord! my lord!" cried the valet, "is it not enough that I prove myassertions--that I----"

"No!" cried the nobleman; "I have seen so much duplicity where allappeared to be innocence--so much deceit where all wore the aspect ofintegrity, that I can trust man no more. How know I for certain that allthis may not be some idle tale which you yourself have forged, to induceme to put confidence in you, to intrust you with gold to bribe yourpretended informant, but which will really remain in your own pocket?Speak, Antonio--tell me all, or I shall listen to you no more, and yourservitude in this mansion then ceases. "

"I will speak frankly, my lord, " replied the valet; "but in the courseyou may adopt----"

"Fear not for yourself, nor for your informant, Antonio, " interruptedthe count, impatiently. "Be ye both leagued with the bandittiyourselves, or be ye allied to the fiends of hell, " he added, withfiercer emphasis, "I care not so long as I can render ye the instrumentsof my vengeance!"

"Good, my lord!" exclaimed Antonio, delighted with this assurance; "andnow I can speak fearlessly and frankly. My informant is that _other_bandit who accompanied Stephano Verrina and Lomellino when the countess, Flora, and the marquis were conducted blindfold from the robbers'stronghold. But while they were yet all inmates of that stronghold, thissame bandit, whose name is Venturo, overheard the marquis informStephano Verrina that he intended to remain in Florence to obtain theliberation of a Jew who was imprisoned in the dungeons of theinquisition: and this Jew, Venturo also learnt by subsequent inquiryfrom Verrina, is a certain Isaachar ben Solomon. "

"Isaachar ben Solomon!" ejaculated the count, the whole incident of thediamonds returning with all its painful details to his mind. "Oh! nowonder, " he added, bitterly, "that the marquis has so much kindness forhim! I But, proceed--proceed, Antonio. "

"I was about to inform your lordship, " continued the valet, "thatVenturo, of whom I have spoken, happened the next day to overhear themarquis inform the countess that he should be compelled to stay for thatpurpose in Florence; whereupon Flora Francatelli offered her ladyship ahome at her aunt's residence, whither she herself should return on herliberation from the stronghold. Then it was that the maiden mentioned tothe countess the name of her family, and when Venturo represented allthese facts to me just now, I at once knew who this same FloraFrancatelli is and where she dwells. "

"You know where she dwells!" cried the count, joyfully. "Then, Giulia, the false, the faithless, the perjured Giulia is in my power! Unless, indeed, " he added, more slowly--"unless she may have removed to anotherplace of abode----"

"That, my lord, shall be speedily ascertained, " said Antonio. "I willinstruct my mother to call, on some pretext, at the cottage inhabited byDame Francatelli: and she will soon learn whether there be anotherfemale resident there besides the aunt and the niece Flora. "

"Do so, Antonio, " exclaimed the count. "Let no unnecessary delay takeplace. Here is gold--much gold, for thee to divide between thyself andthe bandit informant. See that thou art faithful to my interests, andthat sum shall prove but a small earnest of what thy reward will be. "

The valet secured about his person the well-filled purse that was handedto him, and retired. 

The Count of Arestino remained alone to brood over his plans ofvengeance. It was horrible--horrible to behold that aged and venerableman, trembling as he was on the verge of eternity, now meditatingschemes of dark and dire revenge. But his wrongs were great--wrongswhich, though common enough in that voluptuous Italian clime, andespecially in that age and city of licentiousness and debauchery, werenot the less sure to be followed by a fearful retribution, whereretribution was within the reach of him who was outraged. 

"Ha! ha!" he chuckled fearfully to himself, as he now paced the roomwith a lighter step--as if joy filled his heart; "all those who haveinjured me are within the reach of my vengeance. The Jew in theinquisition; the marquis open to a charge of diabolical sacrilege--andGiulia assuredly in Florence! I dealt too leniently with that Jew--Isent to pay for the redemption of jewels which were my own property! Allmy life have I been a just--a humane--a merciful man; I will be so nomore. The world's doings are adverse to generosity and fair-dealing. Inmy old age have I learnt this! Oh! the perfidy of women toward adoting--a confiding--a fond heart, works strange alterations in theheart of the deceived one! I, who but a year--nay, six months ago--wouldnot harm the meanest reptile that crawls, now thirst forvengeance--vengeance, " repeated the old man, in a shrieking, hystericaltone, "upon those who have wronged me! I will exterminate them at onefell swoop--exterminate them all--all!" And his voice rang screechinglyand wildly through the lofty room of that splendid mansion. 

CHAPTER LI. 

THE MEETING. 

On the bank of the Arno, in a somewhat retired situation, stood a neatcottage in the midst of a little garden, surrounded by no formal pile ofbricks to constitute a wall, but protected only by its own sweet hedgeor fragrant shrubs and blooming plants. Over the portico of the humblebut comfortable tenement twined the honeysuckle and the clematis; andthe sides of the building were almost completely veiled by the vinesamidst the verdant foliage of which appeared large hunches of purplegrapes. 

At an open casement on the ground floor, an elderly female, very plainlybut very neatly attired, and wearing a placid smile and a good-naturedexpression upon a countenance which had once been handsome, sat watchingthe glorious spectacle of the setting sun. The orb of day went down in aflood of purple and gold, behind the western hills; and now the damebegan suddenly to cast uneasy glances toward the path that led along thebank of the river. 

But the maiden for whose return the good aunt felt anxious, was not fardistant; indeed Flora Francatelli, wearing a thick veil over her head, was already proceeding homeward after a short ramble by the margin ofthe stream, when the reverie in which she was plunged was interrupted bythe sounds of hasty footsteps behind. Ever fearful of treachery sincethe terrible incident of her imprisonment in the Carmelite Convent, sheredoubled her speed, blaming herself for having been beguiled by thebeauty of the evening to prolong her walk farther than she intended onsetting out--when the increasing haste of the footsteps behind herexcited the keenest alarms within her bosom--for she now felt convincedthat she was pursued. 

The cottage was already in sight, and a hundred paces only separated herfrom its door, when a well-known voice--a voice which caused every fiberin her heart to thrill with surprise and joy--exclaimed: "Flora! belovedone; fly not! Oh! I could not be deceived in the symmetry of thyform--the graciousness of thy gait--I knew it was thou. "

And in another moment the maiden was clasped in the arms of Francisco, Count of Riverola. Impossible were it to describe the ecstatic bliss ofthis meeting--a meeting so unexpected on either side: for a minutebefore, Flora had deemed the young nobleman to be far away, fighting inthe cause of the cross, while Francisco was proceeding to make inquiriesat the cottage concerning his beloved, but with a heart that scarcelydared nourish a hope of her reappearance. 

"Oh! my well-beloved Flora!" exclaimed Francisco; "and are we indeedthus blest, or is it a delusive dream? But tell me, sweet maiden, tellme whether thou hast ceased to think of one, from whose memory thineimage has never been absent since the date of thy sudden and mysteriousdisappearance. "

Flora could not reply in words--her heart was too full for the utteranceof her feelings; but as she raised the veil from her charmingcountenance, the tears of joy which stood upon her long lashes, and theheavenly smile which played upon her lips, and the deep blushes whichoverspread her cheeks spoke far more eloquently of unaltered affectionthan all the vows and pledges which might have flowed from the tongue. 

"Thou lovest me--lovest me--lovest me still!" exclaimed the enrapturedcount, again clasping her in his arms, and now imprinting innumerablekisses on her lips, her cheeks, and her fair brow. Hasty explanationsspeedily ensued, and Francisco now learnt for the first time the causeof Flora's disappearance--her incarceration in the convent--and theparticulars of her release. 

"But who could have been the author of that outrage?" exclaimed thecount, his cheeks flushing with indignation, and his hand instinctivelygrasping his sword; "whom could you, sweet maiden, have offended? whatfiend thus vented his malignity on thee?"

"Hold, my lord!" cried Flora, in a beseeching tone; "perhaps you----"

And she checked herself abruptly. 

"Call me not '_my lord_, ' dearest maiden, " said the count; "to thee I amFrancisco, as thou to me art Flora--my own beloved Flora! But whereforedidst thou stop short thus? wherefore not conclude the sentence that washalf uttered? Oh, Flora--a terrible suspicion strikes me! Speak--relieveme from the cruel suspicion under which I now labor; was it mysister--my much lamented sister, who did thee that foul wrong?"

"I know not, " replied Flora, weeping; "but--alas! pardon me, dearFrancisco--if I suspect aught so bad of any one connected with thee--andyet Heaven knows how freely, how sincerely I forgive my enemy----" Hervoice was lost in sobs; and her head drooped on her lover's breast. 

"Weep not, dearest one!" exclaimed Francisco. "Let not our meeting berendered mournful with tears. Thou knowest, perhaps, that Nisidadisappeared as suddenly and as mysteriously as thou didst; but could shealso have become the victim of the Carmelites? And did she, alas! perishin the ruins of the convent?"

"I am well assured that the Lady Nisida was not doomed to that fate, "answered Flora; "for had she been consigned to the convent, as apunishment for some real offense, or on some groundless charge, she musthave passed the ordeal of the chamber of penitence, where I should haveseen her. Yes, Francisco--I have heard of her mysterious disappearance, and I have shed many, many tears when I have thought of her, poor lady!although, " added the maiden in a low and plaintive tone, "I fear, Francisco, that it was indeed she who doomed me to that monasticdungeon. Doubtless, her keen perception--far more keen than in those whoare blessed with the faculties which were lost to her--enabled her topenetrate the secret of that affection with which you had honored me, and in which I felt so much happiness. "

"I confessed my love to Nisida, " interrupted Francisco; "but it was notuntil your disappearance I was driven to despair, Flora. I was mad withgrief, and I could not, neither did I, attempt to conceal my emotion. Itold Nisida all: and well--oh! well--do I recollect the reply which shegave me, giving fond assurance that my happiness would alone beconsulted. "

"Alas! Was there no double meaning in that assurance?" asked Flora, gently. "The Lady Nisida knew well how inconsistent with your highrank--your proud fortunes--your great name, was that love which you borefor a humble and obscure girl----"

"A love which I shall not be ashamed to own in the sight of allFlorence, " exclaimed Francisco in an impassioned tone. "But if Nisidawere the cause of that cruel outrage on thee, my Flora, we will forgiveher--for she could have acted only through conscientious, though mostmistaken, motives. Mistaken, indeed! for never could I have knownhappiness again hadst thou not been restored to me. It was to wean mymind from pondering on afflictions that goaded me to despair that Iembarked in the cause of Christendom against the encroachments of Moslempower. Thinking that thou wast forever lost to me--that my sister alsohad become the victim of some murderous hand, --harassed by doubts themost cruel--an uncertainty the most agonizing, --I sought death on thewalls of Rhodes; but the destroying angel's arrow rebounded from mycorselet--his sword was broken against my shield!

"During my voyage back to Italy--after beholding the crescent planted onthe walls where the Christian standard had floated for so many, manyyears--a storm overtook the ship; and yet the destroying angel gave menot the death I courted. This evening I once more set foot in Florence. From my own mansion Nisida is still absent: and no tidings have beenreceived of her. Alas! is she then lost to me forever? Without tarryingeven to change my travel-soiled clothes, I set out to make inquiriesconcerning another whom I love--and that other is thyself! Here, thanksto a merciful Heaven, my heart has not been doomed to experience asecond and equally cruel disappointment; for I have found thee at last, my Flora--and henceforth my arm shall protect thee from peril. "

"How have I deserved so much kindness at thine hands?" murmured themaiden, again drooping her blushing head. "And oh! what will you think, Francisco--what will you say, when you learn that I was there--there inthat cottage--with my aunt--when you called the last time to inquire ifany tidings had been received of me----"

"You were there!" exclaimed Francisco, starting back in surprise notunmingled with anger; "you were there, Flora--and you knew that I was indespair concerning thee--that I would have given worlds to have heard ofthy safety, --I, who thought that some fiend in human shape had sent theeto an early grave?"

"Forgive me, Francisco: forgive me!" cried Flora, bursting into tears;"but it was not my fault! On the night following the one in which thebanditti stormed the convent, as I ere now detailed to your ears, Ireturned home to my aunt. When the excitement of our meeting was past, and when we were alone together, I threw myself at her feet, confessedall that had passed between thee and me, and implored her advice. 

"'Flora, ' she said, while her tears fell upon me as I knelt, 'nohappiness will come to thee, my child, from this attachment which hasalready plunged thee into so much misery. It is beyond all doubt certainthat the relations of the count were the authors of thy imprisonment;and their persecutions would only be renewed, were they to learn thatthe count was made aware of your reappearance in Florence. For thy sake, then, my child, I shall suffer the impression of thy continued absenceand loss to remain on the minds of those who may inquire concerningthee; and should his lordship call here again, most especially to himshall I appear stricken with grief on account of thee. His passion, mychild, is one of boyhood--evanescent, though ardent while it endures. Hewill soon forget thee; and when he shall have learnt to love anotherthere will no longer be any necessity for thee to live an existence ofconcealment. '

"Thus spoke my aunt, dear Francisco, and I dared not gainsay her. Whenyou came the last time. I heard your voice; I listened from my chamberdoor to all you said to my aunt, and I longed to fly into your arms. Youwent away and my heart was nearly broken. Some days afterward we learntthe strange disappearance of the Lady Nisida and then knew that you musthave received a severe blow, for I was well aware how much you lovedher. Two or three weeks elapsed, and then we heard that you were aboutto depart to the wars. Oh! how bitter were the tears that I shed, howfervent were the prayers that I offered up for your safety. "

"And those prayers have been heard on high, beloved one, exclaimedFrancisco, who had listened with melting heart and returning tendernessto the narrative which the maiden told so simply but so sincerely, andin the most plaintive tones of her musical voice. 

"Can you forgive me now?" asked the blushing maiden, her swimming eyesbending on her lover glances eloquently expressive of hope. 

"I have nothing to forgive, sweet girl, " replied Francisco. "Your auntbehaved with a prudence which in justice I cannot condemn; and you actedwith an obedience and submission to your venerable relative which Icould not be arbitrary enough to blame. We have both endured much foreach other, my Flora; but the days of our trials are passed; and yourgood aunt will be convinced that in giving your young heart to me, youhave not confided in one who is undeserving of so much love. Let ushasten into her presence. But one question have I yet to ask you, " headded, suddenly recollecting an idea which had ere now made someimpression on his mind. "You informed me how you were liberated from theconvent, and you mentioned the name of the Countess of Arestino, whomcircumstances had made your companion in that establishment, and to whomyour aunt gave an asylum. Know you not, dearest Flora, that fame reportsnot well of that same Giulia of Arestino--and that a woman of tarnishedreputation is no fitting associate for an innocent and artless maidensuch as thou?"

"During the period that the Lady of Arestino and myself were companionsin captivity, " responded Flora, with a frankness as amiable as it wasconvincing, "she never in the most distant manner alluded to her lovefor the Marquis of Orsini. When the marquis appeared in the convent, incompany with the robbers, I was far too much bewildered with the passingevents, to devote a thought to what might be the nature of theirconnection; and even when I had more leisure for reflection, during theentire day which I passed in the stronghold of the banditti, I sawnaught in it save what I conceived to be the bond of close relationship. I offered her ladyship an asylum at the abode of my aunt, as I shouldhave given a home, under such circumstances, to the veriest wretchcrawling on the face of the earth. But in that cottage the countess andmyself have not continued in close companionship; for my auntaccidentally learnt that fame reported not well of the Lady of Arestino, and in a gentle manner she begged her to seek another home at herearliest leisure. The countess implored my venerable relative to permither to retrain at the cottage, as her life would be in danger were shenot afforded a sure and safe asylum. Moved by her earnest entreaties, myaunt assented; and the countess has almost constantly remained in herown chamber. Sometimes--but very rarely--she goes forth after dusk, andin a deep disguise; the marquis has not, however, visited the cottagesince my aunt made this discovery relative to the reputation of the Ladyof Arestino. "

"Thanks, charming Flora, for that explanation!" cried the young count. "Let us now hasten to thine aunt; and in her presence will I renew tothee all the vows of unalterable and honorable affection which my heartsuggests, as a means of proving that I am worthy of thy love. "

And, hand-in-hand, that fine young noble and that beauteous, blushingmaiden proceeded to the cottage. 

Two persons, concealed in an adjacent grove, had overheard everysyllable of the above conversation. These were the valet Antonio, andhis mother, Dame Margaretha, at whose dwelling, it will be recollected, the unfortunate Agnes had so long resided, under the protection of thelate Count of Riverola. 

"This is fortunate, mother!" said Antonio, when Francisco and Flora hadretired from the vicinity of the grove. "You are spared the trouble of avisit to the old Signora Francatelli; and I have learned sufficient toenable me to work out all my plans alike of aggrandizement and revenge. Let us retrace our way into the city; thou wilt return to thy home--andI shall hence straight to the Lord Count of Arestino. "

CHAPTER LII. 

THE GREEK PAGE--SONG OF THE GREEK PAGE--A REVELATION. 

Three months had now elapsed since Ibrahim-Pasha had risen to theexalted rank of grand vizier, and had married the sister of Solyman theMagnificent. The sultan daily became more attached to him; and he, onhis part, acquired influence over his imperial master. Vested with apower so nearly absolute that Solyman signed without ever perusing thehatti-sheriffs, or decrees, drawn up by Ibrahim, --and enjoying theconfidence of the divan, all the members of which were devoted to hisinterests, --the renegade administered according to his own discretion, the affairs of that mighty empire. Avaricious, and ever intent upon theaggrandizement of his own fortunes, he accumulated vast treasures; buthe also maintained a household and lived in a style unequaled by any ofhis predecessors in office. Having married a sister of the sultan, hewas not permitted a plurality of wives;--but he purchased the mostbeauteous slaves for his harem, and plunged headlong into a vortex ofdissipation and pleasure. 

For some weeks he had manifested the most ardent and impassionedattachment toward Aischa, who, during that period, was happy in thebelief that she alone possessed his heart. But the customs of the East, as well as the duties of his office, kept them so much apart, that hehad no leisure to discover the graces of her mind, nor to appreciate allthe powers of her naturally fine, and indeed well-cultivated intellect;so that the beauty of her person constituted the only basis on which hisaffection was maintained. The fervor of such a love soon cooled withsatiety: and those female slaves whom he had at first procured asindispensable appendages to his rank and station, were not long inbecoming the sources of new pleasure and voluptuous enjoyment. Aischabeheld his increasing indifference, and strove to bind him to her byrepresenting all she had done for him. He listened coldly at first; butwhen, on several occasions, the same remonstrances were repeated, heanswered angrily. 

"Had it not been for my influence, " she said to him one day, when thedispute had become more serious than preceding quarrels of the kind, "you might still have been an humble secretary to a Christian noble. "

"Not so, " replied the grand vizier; "for at the very time when I firstbeheld thee in the Bezestein, certain offers had been secretly conveyedto me from the reis-effendi. "

"In whose service you would have lingered as a mere subordinate forlong, long years, " returned Aischa. "It was I who urged you on. Have Inot often assured you that your image dwelt in my memory after theaccident which first led to our meeting--that one of my faithful womennoticed my thoughtful mood--and that when I confessed to her the truth, she stated to me that, by a singular coincidence, her own brother wasemployed by the reis-effendi as an agent to tempt you with the offers towhich you have alluded? Then, inquiries which my slave instituted, brought to my ears the flattering tidings that you also thought of me, and I resolved to grant you an interview. From that moment my influencehurried you on to power--and when you became the favorite of the mightySolyman, I confessed to him that I had seen and that I loved you. Hisfraternal attachment to me is great--greater than to any other of hissisters, seeing that himself and I were born of the same mother, thoughat a long interval. Thus was it that my persuasion made him think higherand oftener of you than he would else have done--and now that you haveattained the summit of glory and power, she who has helped to raise youis neglected and loved no longer. "

"Cease these reproaches, Aischa, " exclaimed Ibrahim, who had listenedimpatiently to her long address, "or I will give thee less of my companythan heretofore. See that the next time I visit thee my reception may bewith smiles instead of tears--with sweet words instead of reproaches. "And in this cruel manner the heartless renegade quitted his beauteouswife, leaving her plunged in the most profound affliction. 

But as Ibrahim traversed the corridors leading to his own apartments, his heart smote him for the harshness and unfeeling nature of hisconduct; and as one disagreeable idea, by disposing the spirits tomelancholy, usually arouses others that were previously slumbering inthe cells of the brain, all the turpitude of his apostasy was recalledwith new force to his mind. 

Repairing to a small but magnificently furnished saloon in a retiredpart of the palace, he dismissed the slaves who were waiting at thedoor, ordering them, however, to send into his presence a young Greekpage who had recently entered his service. In a few minutes the youthmade his appearance, and stood in a respectful attitude near the door. 

"Come and sit at my feet, Constantine, " said the grand vizier, "and thoushalt sing to me one of those airs of thy native Greece with which thouhast occasionally delighted mine ears. I know not how it is, boy--butthy presence pleases me, and thy voice soothes my soul, when oppressedwith the cares of my high office. "

Joy flashed from the bright black eyes of the young Greek page as heglided noiselessly over the thick carpet, but that emotion of pleasurewas instantly changed to one of deep deference. 

"Proceed, " said his master, "and sing me that plaintive song which issupposed to depict the woes of one of the unhappy sons of Greece. "

"But may not its sentiments offend your highness?" asked the page. 

"It is but a song, " responded Ibrahim. "I give thee full permission tosing those verses, and I should be sorry were you to subdue aught of theimpassioned feelings which they are well calculated to excite withinthee. "

The page turned his handsome countenance up toward the grand vizier, andcommenced in melodious, liquid tones, the following song--

 SONG OF THE GREEK PAGE. 

 "Oh, are there not beings condemned from their birth, To drag, without solace or hope o'er the earth, The burden of grief and of sorrow? Doomed wretches who know, while they tremblingly say, 'The star of my fate appears brighter to-day, ' That it is but a brief and a mocking ray, To make darkness darker to-morrow. 

 "And 'tis not to the vile and base alone That unchanging grief and sorrow are known, But as oft to the pure and guileless; And he, from whose fervid and generous lip, Gush words of the kindest fellowship, Of the same pure fountain may not sip In return, but it is sad and smileless!

 "Yes; such doomed mortals, alas! there be And mine is that self-same destiny; The fate of the lorn and lonely; For e'en in my childhood's early day, The comrades I sought would turn away; And of all the band, from the sportive play Was I thrust and excluded only. 

 "When fifteen summers had passed o'er my head, I stood on the battle-field strewn with the dead. For the day of the Moslem's glory Had made me an orphan child, and there My sire was stretched; and his bosom bare Showed a gaping wound; and the flowing hair Of his head was damp and gory. 

 "My sire was the chief of the patriot band, That had fought and died for their native land, When her rightful prince betrayed her; On his kith and kin did the vengeance fall Of the Mussulman foes--and each and all Were swept from the old ancestral hall, Save myself, by the fierce invader!

 "And I was spared from that blood-stained grave To be dragged away as the Moslem's slave, And bend to the foe victorious, -- But, O Greece! to thee does my memory turn Its longing eyes--and my heart-strings yearn To behold thee rise in thy might and spurn, As of yore, thy yoke inglorious!

 "But oh! whither has Spartan courage fled? And why, proud Athens! above thine head Is the Mussulman crescent gleaming? Have thine ancient memories no avail? And art thou not fired at the legend tale Which reminds thee how the whole world grew pale, And recoiled from thy banners streaming?"

"Enough, boy, " exclaimed Ibrahim: then in a low tone, he murmured tohimself, "The Christians have indeed much cause to anathematize theencroachments and tyranny of the Moslems. "

There was a short pause, during which the grand vizier was absorbed inprofound meditation, while the Greek page never once withdrew his eyesfrom the countenance of that high functionary. 

"Boy, " at length said Ibrahim, "you appear attached to me. I haveobserved many proofs of your devotion during the few months that youhave been in my service. Speak--is there aught that I can do to make youhappy? Have you relations or friends who need protection? If they bepoor, I will relieve their necessities. "

"My lips cannot express the gratitude which my heart feels toward yourhighness, " returned the page, "but I have no friends in behalf of whom Imight supplicate the bounty of your highness. "

"Are you yourself happy, Constantine?" asked Ibrahim. 

"Happy in being permitted to attend upon your highness, " was the reply, delivered in a soft and tremulous tone. 

"But is it in my power to render you happier?" demanded the grandvizier. 

Constantine hung down his head--reflected for a few moments, and thenmurmured "Yes. "

"Then, by Heaven!" exclaimed Ibrahim Pasha, "thou hast only to name thyrequest, and it will be granted. I know not wherefore, but I am attachedto thee much. I feel interested in thy welfare, and I would be rejoicedto minister to thy happiness. "

"I am already happier than I was--happier, because my lips have drunk insuch words flowing from the lips of one who is exalted as highly as I aminsignificant and humble. " said the page, in a voice tremulous withemotion, but sweetly musical. "Yes, I am happier, " he continued--"andyet my soul is filled with the image of a dear, a well-beloved sister, who pines in loneliness and solitude, ever dwelling on a hapless lovewhich she has formed for one who knows not that he is so loved, and whoperhaps may never--never know it. "

"Ah, thou hast a sister, Constantine?" exclaimed the grand vizier. "Andis she as lovely as a sister of a youth so handsome as thou art ought tobe?"

"She has been assured by those who have sought her hand, that she isindeed beautiful, " answered Constantine. "But of what avail are hercharms, since he whom she loves may never whisper in her ear thedelicious words, 'I love thee in return. '"

"Does the object of her affections possess so obdurate a heart?"inquired the grand vizier, strangely interested in the discourse of hisyouthful page. 

"It is not that he scorns my sister's love, " replied Constantine; "butit is that he knows not of its existence. It is true that he has seenher once--yet 'twere probable that he remembers not there is such abeing in the world. Thus came it to pass, my lord--an officer, holding ahigh rank in the service of his imperial majesty, the great Solyman, hadoccasion to visit a humble dwelling wherein my sister resided. She--poorsilly maiden! was so struck by his almost god-like beauty--so dazzled byhis fascinating address--so enchanted by the sound of his voice, thatshe surrendered up her heart suddenly and secretly--surrendered itbeyond all power of reclamation. Since then she has never ceased toponder upon this fatal passion--this unhappy love; she has nursed hisimage in her mind, until her reason has rocked with the wild thoughts, the ardent hopes, the emotions of despair--all the conflictingsentiments of feeling, in a word, which so ardent and so strange a lovemust naturally engender. Enthusiastic, yet tender; fervent, yet meltingin her soul; and while she does not attempt to close her eyes to theconviction that she is cherishing a passion which is preying upon hervery vitals, she nevertheless clings to it as a martyr to the stake! Oh!my lord, canst thou marvel if I feel deeply for my unhappy sister?"

"But wherefore doth she remain thus unhappy?" demanded Ibrahim-Pasha. "Surely there are means of conveying to the object of her attachment anintimation how deeply he is beloved? and he must be something more thanhuman, " he added, in an impassioned tone, "if he can remain obdurate tothe tears and sighs of a beauteous creature, such as thy sisterdoubtless is. "

"And were he to spurn her from him--oh! your highness, it would killher!" said the page, fixing his large, eloquent eyes upon thecountenance of the grand vizier. "Consider his exalted rank and herhumble position----"

"Doth she aspire to become his wife?" asked Ibrahim. 

"She would be contented to serve him as his veriest slave, " respondedConstantine, now strangely excited, "were he but to look kindly uponher: she would deem herself blest in receiving a smile from his lips, solong as it was bestowed as a reward for all the tender love she bearshim. "

"Who is this man that is so fortunate as to have excited so profound aninterest in the heart of one so beautiful?" demanded the grand vizier. "Name him to me--I will order him to appear before me--and, for thysake, I will become an eloquent pleader on behalf of thy sister. "

Words cannot express the joy which flashed from the eyes of the page, and animated his handsome though softly feminine countenance, as, casting himself on his knees at the feet of Ibrahim Pasha, he murmured, "Great lord, that man whom my sister loves, and for whom she would laydown her life, is thyself!"

Ibrahim was for some minutes too much overcome by astonishment to offeran observation--to utter a word; while the page remained kneeling at hisfeet. Then suddenly it flashed to the mind of the grand vizier that theonly humble abode which he had entered since he had become an officerholding a high rank in the service of Solyman, was that of his Greekemissary, Demetrius; and it now occurred to him, that there was astriking likeness between the young page and the beautiful Calanthe:whom he had seen on that occasion. 

"Constantine, " he said, at length, "art thou, then, the brother of thatDemetrius whom I dispatched some three months ago to Florence?"

"I am, my lord--and 'tis our sister Calanthe of whom I have spoken, " wasthe reply. "Oh! pardon my arrogance--my presumption, great vizier!" hecontinued, suddenly rising from his kneeling position, and now standingwith his arms meekly folded across his breast--"pardon the arrogance, the insolence of my conduct, " he exclaimed; "but it was for the sake ofmy sister that I sought service in the household of your highness. Ithought that if I could succeed in gaining your notice--if in any way Icould obtain such favor in your eyes as to be admitted to speak with oneso highly raised above me as thou art, I fancied that some opportunitywould enable me to make those representations which have issued from mylips this day. How patiently I have waited that occasion, Heaven knows!how ardent have been my hopes of success, when from time to time yourhighness singled me out from amongst the numerous free pages of yourprincely household to attend upon your privacy--how ardent, I say, thesehopes have been, your highness may possibly divine. And now, my lord, that I _have_ succeeded in gaining your attention and pouring thissecret into your ears, I will away to Calanthe and impart all thehappiness that is in store for her. Though the flowers may hold up theirheads high in the light of the glorious sun, yet she shall hold hershigher in the favor of your smile. Generous master, " he added, suddenlysinking his voice to a lower tone and reassuming the deferential airwhich he had partially lost in the excitement of speaking, "permit menow to depart. "

"This evening, Constantine, " said the grand vizier, fixing his dark eyessignificantly upon the page, "let your sister enter the harem by theprivate door in the garden. Here is a key; I will give the necessaryinstructions to the female slaves to welcome her. "

Constantine received the key, made a low obeisance, and withdrew, leaving the grand vizier to feast his voluptuous imagination withdelicious thoughts of the beauteous Calanthe. 

CHAPTER LIII. 

THE SULTANA VALIDA--THE THREE BLACK SLAVES. 

In the meantime the Princess Aischa, the now neglected wife of the grandvizier, had repaired to the imperial seraglio to obtain an interviewwith her brother, Solyman the Magnificent. The sultan, as the reader hasalready learnt, was deeply attached to Aischa. Their mother, thesultana, or empress mother, who was still alive, occupied apartments inthe seraglio. Her children entertained the greatest respect for her: andher influence over the sultan, who possessed an excellent heart, thoughhis sway was not altogether unstained by cruelties, was known to begreat. 

It was therefore to her mother and her brother that the beautiful Aischaproceeded; and when she was alone with them in the Valida's apartment, and removed her veil, they immediately noticed that she had beenweeping. Upon being questioned relative to the cause of her sorrow, sheburst into an agony of tears, and was for some time unable to reply. Atlength, half regretting that she had taken the present step, Aischaslowly revealed her various causes of complaint against the grandvizier. 

"By Allah!" exclaimed the sultan, "the ungrateful Ibrahim shall not thusspurn and neglect the costly gift which I, his master, condescended tobestow upon him! What! when the Shah of Persia, the Khan of the Tartars, and the Prince of Karamania all sought thine hand, and dispatchedembassadors laden with rich gifts to our court to demand thee inmarriage, did I not send them back with cold words of denial to theirsovereigns? And was it to bestow thee, my sister, on this ungratefulboy, who was so late naught save a dog of a Christian, ready to eat thedirt under our imperial feet, --was it to bestow thee on such an one ashe, that I refused the offers of the Persian Shah! By the tomb of theprophet! this indignity shall cease!"

"Restrain your wrath, my son, " said the Sultana Valida. "Ibrahim mustnot be openly disgraced: the effects of his punishment would redound onour beloved Aischa. No--rather intrust this affair to me; and fear notthat I shall fail in compelling this haughty pasha to return to the armsof his wife--ay, and implore her pardon for his late neglect. "

"Oh! dearest mother, if thou canst accomplish this, " exclaimed Aischa, her countenance becoming animated with joy and her heart palpitatingwith hope, "thou wouldst render me happy indeed. "

"Trust to me, daughter, " replied the Sultana Valida. "In the meantimeseek not to learn my intentions; but, on thy return home, send me bysome trusty slave thy pass-key to the harem. And thou, my son, wilt lendme thine imperial signet-ring for twelve hours!"

"Remember, " said the sultan, as he drew the jewel from his finger, "thathe who wears that ring possesses a talisman of immense power--a signwhich none to whom it is shown dares disobey; remember this, my mother, and use it with caution. "

"Fear not, my dearly beloved son, " answered the Sultana Valida, concealing the ring in her bosom. "And now, Aischa, do you return to thepalace of your haughty husband, who ere twelve hours be passed, shallsue for pardon at thy feet. "

The sultan and Aischa both knew that their mother was a woman ofpowerful intellect and determined character; and they sought not topenetrate into the secret of her intentions. 

Solyman withdrew to preside at a meeting of the divan; and Aischareturned to the palace of the grand vizier, attended by the slaves whohad waited for her in an anteroom leading to her mother's apartments. 

It was now late in the afternoon, and the time for evening prayer hadarrived ere the Sultana Valida received the pass-key to Ibrahim Pasha'sharem. But the moment it was conveyed to her, she summoned to herpresence three black slaves, belonging to the corps of the bostanjis, orgardeners, who also served as executioners, when a person of rank was tobe subjected to the process of bowstring, or when any dark deed was tobe accomplished in silence and with caution. Terrible appendages to thehousehold of Ottoman sultans were the black slaves belonging to thatcorps--like snakes, they insinuated themselves, noiselessly andominously into the presence of their victims, and it were as vain topreach peace to the warring elements which God alone can control, as toimplore mercy at the hands of those remorseless Ethiopians!

To the three black slaves did the Sultana Valida issue her commands; andto the eldest she intrusted Solyman's signet-ring and the pass-key whichAischa had sent her. The slaves bowed three times to the empressmother--laid their hands on their heads to imply that they would deservedecapitation if they neglected the orders they had received--and thenwithdrew. There was something terribly sinister in their appearance, asthey retired noiselessly but rapidly through the long, silent anddarkened corridors of the imperial harem. 

It was night--and the moon shone softly and sweetly upon the mighty cityof Constantinople, tipping each of its thousand spires and pinnacles aswith a star. 

Ibrahim Pasha, having disposed of the business of the day, and now withhis imagination full of the beautiful Calanthe, hastened to theanteroom, or principal apartment of the harem. 

The harem, occupying one complete wing of the vizier's palace, consistedof three stories. On the ground floor were the apartments of thePrincess Aischa and her numerous female dependents. These opened from aspacious marble hall; and at the folding-doors leading into them, werestationed two black dwarfs, who were deaf and dumb. Their presence wasnot in any way derogatory to the character of Aischa, but actuallydenoted the superior rank of the lady who occupied those apartments inrespect to the numerous females who tenanted the rooms above. As she wasthe sister of the sultan, Ibrahim dared not appear in her presencewithout obtaining her previous assent through the medium of one of themutes, who were remarkably keen in understanding and conveyingintelligence by means of signs. A grand marble staircase led from thehall to the two floors containing the apartments of the ladies of theharem; and thus, though Aischa dwelt in the same wing as those females, her own abode was as distinct from theirs as if she were the tenant of aseparate house altogether. 

On the first floor there was a large and magnificently furnished room inwhich the ladies of the harem were accustomed to assemble when theychose to quit the solitude of their own chambers for the enjoyment ofeach other's society. The ceiling of the anteroom; as this immenseapartment was called, was gilt entirely over; it was supported by twentyslender columns of crystal; and the splendid chandeliers which weresuspended to it, diffused a soft and mellow light, producing the moststriking effects on that mass of gilding, those reflecting columns, andthe wainscoted walls inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and with ivory ofdifferent colors. A Persian carpet three inches thick was spread uponthe floor. Along two opposite sides ran continuous sofas, supported bylow, white marble pillars, and covered with purple figured velvetfringed with gold. In the middle of this gorgeous apartment was a largetable, shaped like a crescent, and spread with all kinds of preservedfruits, confectionery, cakes, and delicious beverages of a non-alcoholicnature. 

The room was crowded with beauteous women when the presence of Ibrahimwas announced by a slave. There were the fair-complexioned daughters ofGeorgia--the cold, reserved, but lovely Circassians--the warm andimpassioned Persians--the voluptuous Wallachians--the timid Tartars--thedusky Indians--the talkative Turkish ladies--beauties, too, of Italy, Spain, and Portugal--indeed, specimens of female perfection from many, many nations. Their various styles of beauty, and their characteristicnational dresses, formed a scene truly delightful to gaze upon: but thegrand vizier noticed none of the countenances so anxiously turned towardhim to mark on which his eyes would settle in preference; and the ladiesnoiselessly withdrew, leaving their master alone with the slave in theanteroom. 

Ibrahim threw himself on a sofa, and gave some hasty instructions to theslave, who immediately retired. In about a quarter of an hour he cameback, conducting into the anteroom a lady veiled from head to foot. Theslave then withdrew altogether; and Ibrahim approached the lady, saying, "Calanthe--beauteous Calanthe! welcome to my palace. "

She removed her veil; and Ibrahim fixed his eager eyes upon thecountenance thus disclosed to him; but he was immediately struck by themarvelous resemblance existing between his page Constantine, and thecharming Calanthe. It will be remembered that when he called, in a meandisguise, at the abode of Demetrius, he saw Calanthe for the first time, and only for a short period; and though he was even then struck by herbeauty, yet the impression it made was but momentary: and he had so farforgotten Calanthe as never to behold in Constantine the leastresemblance to any one whom he had seen before. 

But now that Calanthe's countenance burst upon him in all the glory ofits superb Greek beauty, that resemblance struck him with all the forceof a new idea; and he was about to express his astonishment that sowondrous a likeness should subsist between brother and sister, when themaiden sunk at his feet, exclaiming, "Pardon me, great vizier; butConstantine and Calanthe are one and the same thing. "

"Methought the brother pleaded with marvelous eloquence on behalf of hissister, " said Ibrahim, with a smile; and raising Calanthe from hersuppliant posture, he led her to a seat, gazing on her the while witheyes expressive of intense passion. 

"Your highness, " observed the maiden, after a short pause, "has heardfrom my own lips how profound is the attachment which I have dared toconceive for you--how great is the admiration which I entertain for thebrilliant powers of your intellect. To be with thee, great Ibrahim, willI abandon my country, friends--ay, and even creed, shouldst thou demandthat concession; for in thee--and in thee only--are all my hopes ofhappiness now centered!"

"And those hopes shall not be disappointed, dearest Calanthe!" exclaimedIbrahim, clasping her in his arms. "But a few minutes before you enteredthis room a hundred women--the choicest flowers of all climes--weregathered here; and yet I value one smile on thy lips more than all thetender endearments that those purchased houris could bestow. For thylove was unbought--it was a love that prompted thee to attach thyself tome in a menial capacity----"

The impassioned language of the grand vizier was suddenly interrupted bythe opening of the door, and three black slaves glided into theanteroom--half crouching as they stole along--and fixing on thebeauteous Calanthe eyes, the dark pupils of which seemed to glarehorribly from the whites in which they were set. 

"Dogs! what signifies this intrusion?" exclaimed Ibrahim Pasha, startingfrom the sofa, and grasping the handle of his scimiter. 

The chief the three slaves uttered not a word of reply, but exhibitedthe imperial signet, and at the same time unrolled from the coil whichhe had hitherto held in his hand a long green silken bowstring. At thatominous spectacle Ibrahim fell back, his countenance becoming ashy pale, and his frame trembling with an icy shudder from head to foot. 

"Choose between this and her, " whispered the slave, in a deep tone, ashe first glanced at the bowstring and then looked toward Calanthe, whoknew that some terrible danger was impending, but was unable to divinewhere or when it was to fall. 

"Merciful Allah!" exclaimed the grand vizier; and throwing himself uponthe floor, he buried his face in his hands. 

In another moment Calanthe was seized and gagged, before even a word ora scream could escape her lips; but Ibrahim heard the rustling of herdress as she unavailingly struggled with the monsters in whose power shewas. The selfish ingrate! he drew not his scimiter to defend her--he nolonger remembered all the tender love she bore him--but, appalled by themenace of the bowstring, backed by the warrant of the sultan's signetring, he lay groveling on the rich Persian carpet, giving vent to hisalarms by low and piteous groans. 

Then he heard the door once more close as softly as possible: he lookedup--glared with wild anxiety around--and breathed more freely on findinghimself alone! For the Ethiopians had departed with their victim! Slowlyrising from his supine posture, Ibrahim approached the table, filled acrystal cup with sherbet to the brim, and drank the cooling beverage, which seemed to go hissing down his parched throat--so dreadful was thethirst which the horror of the scene just enacted had produced. 

Then the sickening as well as maddening conviction struck to his verysoul, that though the envied and almost worshiped vizier of a mightyempire--having authority of life and death over millions of humanbeings, and able to dispose of the governments and patronage of hugeprovinces and mighty cities--he was but a miserable, helpless slave inthe eyes of another greater still--an ephemeron whom the breath ofSolyman the Magnificent could destroy! And overcome by this conviction, he threw himself on the sofa, bursting into an agony of tears--tears ofmingled rage and woe. Yes; the proud, the selfish, the haughty renegadewept as bitterly as ever even a poor, weak woman was known to weep!

 * * * * *

How calm and beautiful lay the waters of the Golden Horn beneath thelight of that lovely moon which shone so chastely and so serenely above, as if pouring its argent luster upon a world where no evil passions wereknown--no hearts were stained with crime--no iniquity of human imaginingwas in the course of perpetration. But, ah! what sound is that whichbreaks on the silence of the night! Is it the splash of oars? No--forthe two black slaves who guide yon boat which has shot out from theshore into the center of the gulf, are resting on the slight sculls--theboat itself, too, is now stationary--and not a ripple is stirred up byits grotesquely-shaped prow. What, then, was that sound?

'Twas the voice of agony bursting from woman's throat; and the boat isabout to become the scene of a deed of horror, though one offrequent--alas! too frequent--occurrence in that clime, and especiallyon that gulf. 

The gag has slipped from Calanthe's mouth; and a long loud scream ofagonizing despair sweeps over the surface of the water--rending the calmand moonlit air--but dying away ere it can raise an echo on eithershore. Strong are the arms and relentless is the black monster who hasnow seized the unhappy Greek maiden in his ferocious grasp--while theluster of the pale orb of night streams on that countenance latelyradiant with impassioned hope, but now convulsed with indescribablehorror. 

Again the scream bursts from the victim's lips; but its thrilling, cutting agony is interrupted by a sudden plunge--a splash--a gurglingand a rippling of the waters--and the corpse of the murdered Calanthe isborne toward the deeper and darker bosom of the Bosporus. 

The sun was already dispersing the orient mists, when the chief of thethree black slaves once more stood in the presence of the grand vizier, who had passed the night in the anteroom, alone, and a prey to the mostlively mental tortures. So noiselessly and reptile-like did the hideousEthiopian steal into the apartment, that he was within a yard of thegrand vizier ere the latter was aware that the door had even opened. Ibrahim started as if from a snake about to spring upon him--for theominous bowstring swung negligently from the slave's hand, and theimperial signet still glistened on his finger. 

"Mighty pasha!" spoke the Ethiopian in a low and cold tone; "thus saiththe Sultana Valida: 'Cease to treat thy wife with neglect. Hasten toher--throw thyself at her feet--implore her pardon for the past--andgive her hope of affection for the future. Shouldst thou neglect thiswarning, then every night will the rival whom thou preferrest to her betorn from thine arms, and be devoted as food for the fishes. She whomthou didst so prefer this night that is passed sleeps in the dark greenbed of the Bosporus. Take warning, pasha; for the bowstring may be usedat last. Moreover, see that thou revealest not to the Princess Aischathe incident of the night, nor the nature of the threats which send theeback repentant to her arms. '"

And, with these words, the slave glided hastily from the room, leavingthe grand vizier a prey to feelings of ineffable horror. His punishmenton earth had begun--and he knew it. What had his ambition gained? Thoughrich, invested with high rank, and surrounded by every luxury, he wasmore wretched than the meanest slave who was accustomed to kiss the dustat his feet. 

But, subduing the fearful agitation which oppressed him--composing hisfeelings and his countenance as well as he was able, the proud andhaughty Ibrahim hastened to implore admittance to his wife's chamber, and when the boon was accorded, and he found himself in her presence, hebesought her pardon in a voice and with a manner expressive of the mosthumiliating penitence. Thus, at the moment when thousands--perhapsmillions, were envying the bright fortunes and glorious destiny ofIbrahim the Happy, as he was denominated--the dark and terribledespotism of the Sultana Valida made him tremble for his life, andcompelled him to sue at Aischa's feet for pardon. And if, at the sameinstant of his crushed spirit and wounded pride, there were a balm foundto soothe the racking fibers of his heart, the anodyne consisted in thetender love which Aischa manifested toward him, and the touchingsincerity with which she assured him of her complete forgiveness. 

 * * * * *

Return we again to that Mediterranean island on which Fernand Wagner andthe beauteous Nisida espoused each other by solemn vows plighted in theface of Heaven, and where they have now resided for six long months. Atfirst how happy--how supremely happy was Nisida, having tutored herselfso far to forget the jarring interests of that world which lay beyondthe sea, as to abandon her soul without reservation to the delights ofthe new existence on which she had entered. Enabled once more to usethat charming voice which God had given her, but which had remainedhushed for so many years, --able also to listen to the words that fellfrom the lips of her lover, without being forced to subdue and crush theemotions which they excited, --and secure in the possession of him towhom she was so madly devoted, and who manifested such endearingtenderness toward herself, Nisida indeed felt as if she were anotherbeing, or endowed with the lease of a new life. 

At first, too, how much had Wagner and Nisida to say to each other, --howmany fond assurances to give--how many protestations of unalterableaffection to make! For hours would they sit together upon the seashore, or on the bank of the limpid stream in the valley, and converse almostunceasingly, wearying not of each other's discourse, and sustaining theinterests and the enjoyment of that interchange of thoughts by flyingfrom topic to topic just as their unshackled imagination suggested. ButFernand never questioned Nisida concerning the motive which had inducedher to feign dumbness and deafness for so many years; she had given himto understand that family reasons of the deepest importance, andinvolving dreadful mysteries from the contemplation of which sherecoiled with horror, had prompted so tremendous a self-martyrdom:--andhe loved her too well to outrage her feelings by urging her to touchmore than she might choose on that topic. 

Careful not to approach the vicinity of large trees, for fear of thesedreadful tenants of the isle who might be said to divide its sovereigntywith them, the lovers--may we not venture to call them husband andwife?--would ramble hand-in-hand, along the stream's enchanting banks, in the calm hours of moonlight, which lent softer charms to the scenethan when the gorgeous sun was bathed all in gold. Or else they wouldwander on the sands to the musical murmur of the rippling sea, --theirarms clasping each other's neck--their eyes exchanging glances offondness--hers of ardent passion, his of more melting tenderness. Butthere was too much sensuality in the disposition of Nisida to render herlove for Wagner sufficient and powerful enough to insure permanentcontentment with her present lot. 

The first time that the fatal eve drew near when he must exchange theshape of man for that of a horrid wolf, he had said to her, "BelovedNisida, I remember that there are finer and different fruits on theother side of the island, beyond the range of mountains; and I shouldrejoice to obtain for thee a variety. Console thyself for a few hoursduring mine absence; and on my return we shall experience renewed andincreased happiness, as if we were meeting again after a longseparation. " Vainly did Nisida assure him that she reckoned not for amore extensive variety of fruits than those which the nearest groveyielded, and that she would rather have his society than all theluxuries which his absence and return might bring; he overruled herremonstrances--and she at length permitted him to depart. Then hecrossed the mountains by means of the path which he had described whenhe escaped from the torrent at the point where the tree stretched acrossthe stream, as described in the preceding chapter; and on the other sideof the range of hills he fulfilled the dreadful destiny of theWehr-Wolf! On his return to Nisida--after an absence of nearlytwenty-four hours, for the time occupied in crossing and recrossing themountains was considerable--he found her gloomy and pensive. His longabsence had vexed her: she in the secrecy of her own heart had felt acraving for a change of scene--and she naturally suspected that it wasto gratify a similar want that Fernand had undertaken the transmontanejourney. She received his fruits coldly; and it was some time ere hecould succeed in winning her back to perfect good humor. 

The next interval of a month glided away, the little incident which hadfor a moment ruffled the harmony of their lives was forgotten--at leastby Nisida;--and so devoted was Fernand in his attention, so tenderlysincere in his attachment toward her--and so joyful, too, was she in thepossession of one whose masculine beauty was almost superhumanly great, that those incipient cravings for change of scene--those nascentlongings for a return to the great and busy world, returned but seldomand were even then easily subdued in her breast. 

When the second fatal date after their union on the island approached, Wagner was compelled to urge some new but necessarily trivial excuse foragain crossing the mountains; and Nisida's remonstrances were moreauthoritative and earnest than on the previous occasion. Nevertheless hesucceeded in obtaining her consent: but during his absence of four orfive-and-twenty hours, the lady had ample leisure to ponder on home--thebusy world across the sea--and her well-beloved brother Francisco. Fernand when he came back, found her gloomy and reserved; then, as heessayed to wean her from her dark thoughts, she responded petulantly andeven reproachingly. 

The ensuing month glided away as happily as the two former ones; andthough Fernand's attentions and manifestations of fondness increased, ifpossible, still Nisida would frequently sigh and look wistfully at thesea as if she would have joyed to behold a sail in the horizon. Thethird time the fatal close of the month drew nigh, Wagner knew not howto act; but some petulance on the part of Nisida furnished him with anexcuse which his generous heart only had recourse to with the deepest, the keenest anguish. Throwing back the harsh word at her whom he lovedso devotedly, he exclaimed, "Nisida, I leave thee for a few hours untilthy good humor shall have returned;" and without waiting for a reply hedarted toward the mountains. For some time the lady remained seatedgloomily upon the sand; but as hour after hour passed away, and the sunwent down, and the moon gathered power to light the enchanting scene oflandscape and of sea, she grew uneasy and restless. Throughout thatnight she wandered up and down on the sands, now weeping at the thoughtthat she herself had been unkind--then angry at the conviction thatFernand was treating her more harshly than she deserved. 

It was not till the sun was high in the heavens that Wagner reappeared;and though Nisida was in reality delighted to find all her wild alarms, in which the monstrous snakes of the isle entered largely, thuscompletely dissipated, yet she concealed the joy which she experiencedin beholding his safe return, and received him with gloomy hauteur. Oh!how her conduct went to Wagner's heart!--for he knew that, so long asthe direful necessity which had compelled his absence remainedunexplained, Nisida was justified in attributing that absence to unkindfeelings and motives on his part. A thousand times that day was he onthe point of throwing himself at her feet and revealing all the detailsof that frightful destiny; but he dared not--oh! no, he dared not--and aprofound melancholy seized upon his soul. Nisida now relented, chieflybecause she herself felt miserable by the contemplation of hisunhappiness; and harmony was restored between them. 

But during the fourth month of their union, the lady began to speak morefrequently and frankly of the weariness and monotony of their presentexistence; and when Fernand essayed to console her, she responded bydeep-drawn sighs. His love was based on those enduring elements whichwould have rendered him content to dwell forever with Nisida on thatisland, which had no sameness for him so long as she was there to be hiscompanion; but _her_ love subsisted rather sensually than mentally; andnow that her fierce and long-pent up desires had experiencedgratification, she longed to return to the land of her birth, to embraceher brother Francisco; yes, even though she should be again compelled tosimulate the deaf and dumb. The close of the fourth month was at hand, and Wagner was at a loss how to act. New excuses for a fresh absencewere impossible; and it was with a heart full of anguish that he wascompelled to seize an opportunity in the afternoon of the last day ofthe month, to steal away from Nisida and hasten across the mountains. Oh! what would she think of his absence now?--an absence for which hehad not prepared her, and which was not on this occasion justified byany petulance or willfulness on her part? The idea was maddening, butthere was no alternative. 

It was noon on the ensuing day when Fernand Wagner, pale and care-worn, again sought that spot on the strand where the rudely constructedcottage stood; but Nisida was not within the hut. He roved along theshore to a considerable distance, and still beheld her not. Terriblealarms now oppressed him. Could she have done some desperate deed to ridherself of an existence whereof she was weary? or had some fatalaccident befallen her. From the shore he hastened to the valley; andthere, seated by the side of the crystal stream, he beheld the object ofhis search. He ran--he flew toward her; but she seemed not to observehim; and when he caught a glimpse of her countenance, he shrank back indismay--it was so pale, and yet so expressive of deep, concentratedrage!

But we cannot linger on this portion of our tale. Suffice it to say thatWagner exerted all his eloquence, all his powers of persuasion to induceNisida to turn a kind glance upon him; and it was only when, goaded todesperation by her stern silence and her implacable mien, he exclaimed, "Since I am no longer worthy of even a look or a syllable, I will quitthee forever!" It was only when these words conveyed to Nisida afrightful menace of loneliness, that she relented and gradually sufferedherself to be appeased. But vainly did she question him relative to thecause of his absence on this occasion; he offered a variety of excuses, and she believed none of them. 

The month that followed was characterized by many quarrels and disputes;for Nisida's soul acquired all the restlessness which had marked it ereshe was thrown on the island, but which solitude at first and then thepossession of Wagner, had for a time so greatly subdued. Nevertheless, there were still occasions when she would cling to Wagner with all theconfiding fondness of one who remembered how he had saved her life fromthe hideous anaconda, and who looked up to him as her only joy andsolace in that clime, the beauty of which became painful with itsmonotony--yes, she would cling to him as they roved along the sandstogether--she would gaze up into his countenance, and as she readassurances of the deepest affection in his fine dark eyes, she wouldexclaim rapturously, "Oh! how handsome--how god-like art thou, myFernand! Pardon me--pardon me, that I should ever have nursed resentmentagainst thee!"

It was when she was in such a mood as this that he murmured in her ears, "Nisida dearest, thou hast thy secret which I have never sought topenetrate. I also have my secret, beloved one, as I hinted to thee onthat day which united us in this island; and into that mystery of minethou mayest not look. But at certain intervals I must absent myself fromthee for a few hours, as I hitherto have done; and on my return, Odearest Nisida! let me not behold that glorious countenance of thineclouded with anger and with gloom!"

Then ere she could utter a word of reply, he sealed her lips withkisses--he pressed her fervently to his heart, and at that moment shethought he seemed so divinely handsome, and she felt so proud ofpossessing the love of a man invested with such superhuman beauty andsuch a splendid intellect, that she attempted not a remonstrance nor acomplaint against what was but the preface to a fifth absence offour-and-twenty hours. And when Fernand Wagner reappeared again, hisNisida hastened to meet him as he descended from the mountains--thosemountains which were crossed over by a surefooted and agile man with somuch difficulty, and which he knew it would be impossible for him totraverse during that mad career in which he was monthly doomed to whirlalong in his lupine shape--yes, she hurried to meet him--receiving himwith open arms--smiled tenderly upon him--and led him to the sea-shore, where she had spread the noonday meal in the most inviting manner. 

The unwearied and unchanging nature of his love had touched her heart;and, during the long hours of his fifth absence, she had reasoned on thefolly of marring the sweet harmony which should prevail between the onlytwo human tenants of that island. The afternoon passed more happily thanmany and many a previous day had done; Nisida thought that Fernand hadnever seemed so handsome, though somewhat pale, and he fancied that hiscompanion had never appeared so magnificently beautiful as now, whileshe lay half reclining in his arms, the rays of the setting sun faintlyilluminating her aquiline countenance, and giving a glossy richness tothe luxuriant black hair which floated negligently over her nakedshoulders. 

When the last beams of the orb of day died flickeringly in the farhorizon, the tender pair retired to their hut rejoicing in the sereneand happy way in which the last few hours had glided over theirheads--when a dark figure passed along the sand and stopped at a shortdistance from the door of the rudely constructed tenement. 

And assuredly this was no mortal being--nor wore it now a mortalshape--but Satan--in all the horrors of his ugliness, though stillinvested with that sublimity of mien which marked the mighty fallenangel--Satan, clothed in terrors ineffable, it was. 

For a few moments he stood contemplating the hut wherein the sleeperslay; dread lightnings flushed from his eyes, and the forked electricfluid seemed to play round his haughty brow, while his fearfulcountenance, the features of which no human pen may venture to describe, expressed malignant hate, anticipated triumph, and tremendous scorn. 

Then, extending his right hand toward the hut, and speaking in that deepsonorous tone, which when heard by mortal ears, seemed to jar againstthe very soul, he chanted the following incantation:--

 "Woman of wild and fierce desires! Why languish thus the wonted fires That arm'd thine heart and nerved thine hand To do whate'er thy firmness planned? Has maudlin love subdued thy soul, Once so impatient of control? Has amorous play enslaved the mind Where erst no common chains confined? Has tender dalliance power to kill The wild, indomitable will? No more must love thus paralyze And crush thine iron energies; No more must maudlin passion stay Thy despot soul's remorseless sway; Henceforth thy lips shall cease to smile Upon the beauties of this Isle; Henceforth thy mental glance shall roam, O'er the Mediterranean foam, Toward thy far-off Tuscan home! Alarms for young Francisco's weal, And doubts into thy breast steal; While retrospection carries back Thy memory o'er time's beaten track And stops at that dread hour when thou With burning eyes and flashing brow, Call'd Heaven to hear the solemn vow Dictated with the latest breath Of the fond mother on the untimely bed of death. "

Thus spoke the demon; and having chanted the incantation, full of menaceand of deep design, he turned to depart. 

Sleep was still upon the eyes of Fernand and Nisida as they lay in eachother's arms--the island and the sea, too, were sleeping in the softlight of the silver moon, and the countless stars which gemmed the vaultof heaven, --when the dark figure passed along the sand, away from therudely-constructed tenement. 

CHAPTER LIV. 

When the sun rose again from the orient wave, Fernand repaired to thegrove, as was his wont, to gather fruits for the morning repast, whileNisida bathed her fair form in the waters of the Mediterranean. 

But there was a gloom upon that lady's brow, and there was a somberflashing in her large dark eyes which denoted an incipient conflict ofemotions stirring within her breast. 

She had retired to rest, as we have seen on the previous evening, with aheart glowing toward her beloved and handsome Fernand--she had fallenasleep with the tender sounds of his musical yet manly voice in herears, and the image of his beautiful countenance in her mind--but in thenight--she knew not at what hour--strange dreams began to oppress her, ominous visions filled her with anxiety. 

It seemed as if some being, having right to reproach and power to taunt, whispered to her as she slept, stern remonstrances against the idle, voluptuous, and dreaming life she was leading, mocking her for passingher time in the maudlin delights of love, calling upon her to arouse herlatent energies and shake off that luxurious lethargy, teaching her tolook upon the island, beauteous though it were, as one vast prison inwhich she was confined, from whence there were, nevertheless, means ofescape, raising up before her mental vision all the most alluring andbustling scenes of her own fair, native city of Florence, then bitterlyreproaching her for having allowed her soul to be more wrapped up in thesociety of Fernand Wagner, than solicitous, as it was wont to be, forthe welfare of her brother Francisco, creating, too, wild doubts in herimagination as to whether circumstances might not, after all, haveunited her brother and Flora Francatelli in the bonds of a union whichfor many reasons she abhorred, and lastly thundering in her ears theterrific accusation that she was perjured to a solemn and an awful vowpledged by her lips, on a dread occasion, and to the dictating voice ofher dying mother. 

When she awoke in the morning her brain appeared to be in confusion, butas her thoughts gradually settled themselves in the various cells of theseat of memory, the entire details of her long dream assumed thesemblance of a connected chain, even as we have just described them. 

For these thoughts had arisen in the nature and order commanded by thedemon. 

Fernand Wagner saw that the mind of his lovely companion, his charmingbride, was ruffled; and, as he embraced her tenderly, he inquired thecause. His caresses for the moment soothed her, and induced her tostruggle against the ideas which oppressed: _for there are thoughts thatSatan excites within us_, which we can wrestle with--ay, and conquer ifwe will. 

Finding that Nisida became more composed, and that she treated hermournfulness and his agitation merely as the results of a disagreeabledream, Fernand rose, hastened to perform his own ablutions, and thenrepaired to the adjacent grove, as above stated. But Nisida remained notlong in the Mediterranean's mighty bath; the moment Wagner had departedfrom her presence, thoughts which had recently passed in sad processionthrough her brain came back with renewed vigor; forcing themselves, asit were, upon her contemplation, because she offered but a feebleresistance to their returning invasion. And as she stood on the shore, having donned her scant clothing, and now combing out her long, luxuriant hair, to the silk richness of which the salt water had lent amore glorious gloss--she became a prey to an increasing restlessness--anaugmenting anxiety, a longing to quit the island, and an earnest desireto behold her brother Francisco once again, sentiments and cravingswhich gave to her countenance an expression of somber lowering andconcentrated passion, such as it was wont to exhibit in those days whenher simulated deafness and dumbness forced her to subdue all theworkings of her excited soul, and compress her vermilion lips to checkthe ebullition of that language which on those occasions struggled topour itself forth. 

"O Italy! Italy!" she exclaimed in an impassioned tone; "shall I everbehold thee again? O! my beloved native land, thou too, fair city, whosename is fraught with so many varied reminiscences for me, am I doomednever to visit ye more?"

"Nisida--dearest Nisida!" said Wagner, who had returned to herunperceived, and unheard--for his feet passed noiselessly over the sand;"wherefore those passionate exclamations? why this anxious longing torevisit the busy, bustling world? Are not the calm and serene delightsof this island sufficient for our happiness? or art thou wearied of mewho love thee so tenderly?"

"I am not wearied of thee, my Fernand!" replied Nisida, "nor do I failto appreciate all thy tender affection toward me. But--I can conceal itfrom myself and from thee no longer--I am overcome with the monotony ofthis isle. Unvaried sunshine during the day, unchanging calmness bynight, pall upon the soul. I crave variety, even the variety that wouldbe afforded by a magnificent storm, or the eruption of yon sleepingvolcano. My thoughts wander in spite of myself toward Italy; I think, too, of my brother--the young and inexperienced Francisco! Moreover, there is in our mansion at Florence, a terrible mystery which pryingeyes may seek to penetrate, --a closet containing a fearful secret, which, if published to the world, would heap loathing execrations anddisgrace on the haughty name of Riverola! And now Francisco is the soleguardian of that mystery, which he himself knows not, or at least knewnot, when last we were together. But it requires a strong and energeticmind, like my own, to watch over that awful secret. And now, Fernand, dear Fernand, thou canst not blame me, thou wilt not reproach me, if Iexperience an irresistible longing to return to my native land?"

"And know you not, Nisida, " said Wagner, in a tone of mingledmournfulness and reproach, "that, even if there were any means for theeto return to Florence, I could not accompany thee? Dost thou notremember that I informed thee, that being doomed to death, I escapedfrom the power of the authorities--it matters not how; and that were Ito set foot in Florence, it would be to return to my dungeon?"

"Alas! all this I remember well--too well!" exclaimed Nisida. "And thinknot, my Fernand, that I feel no pang, when I lay bare to thee the stateof my soul. But if it were possible for us to go to Italy, thou couldstdwell secretly and retiredly in some suburb of Florence, and we shouldbe together often--very often!"

"No--Nisida, " answered Wagner; "that were impossible! Never more may Iventure into that city--and if thou couldst even find the means torevisit thy native clime, thither must thou go, and there must thoudwell _alone_!"

For Wagner knew full well that were the lady to return to Florence, shewould hear of the frightful incidents which marked his trial and alsothe day of his escape; and, though he had at first inclined to impart toher the terrible secret of his fate--yet subsequent and more calmdeliberation in his own mind had convinced him of the imprudence ofgiving her love a shock by such a tremendous--such an appallingrevelation. 

"Fernand, " said Nisida, breaking silence after a long pause, duringwhich she was wrapped in profound meditation, "thy words go to my heartlike fiery arrows! O my handsome--my beautiful--my beloved Fernand, whydoes destiny thus persecute us? It is impossible for thee to return toFlorence:--it is equally impossible for me to renounce the firstopportunity which Heaven may afford for me to repair thither! My God!wherefore do our fates tend in such opposite directions? to separatefrom thee were maddening: to abandon my brother Francisco--to desert thegrave and solemn interests which demand my presence at home, were torender myself perjured to a vow which I breathed and which Heavenwitnessed, when I knelt long years ago at the death-bed of my mother!"

"After all thou hast said, my beloved Nisida, " exclaimed Fernand, in avoice expressive of the deepest melancholy, "I should be wrong--I shouldbe even criminal to listen only to the whispering of my own selfishnessand retain thee here, did opportunity serve for thy departure. But onthis island shall I remain--perhaps forever! And if the time should comewhen you grew wearied of that bustling world across the sea, and thymemory traveled to this lonely isle where thy Fernand was left behindthee, --haply thou wouldst embark to return hither and pass the remainderof thy days with one who can never cease to love thee!"

Tears came into the eyes of Nisida--of her who so seldom, so very seldomwept;--and throwing herself into Wagner's arms, she exclaimed, "Godgrant that I may revisit my native land; and believe me, oh! believe me, when I declare that I would come back to thee the moment the interestsof my brother no longer demanded my presence!"

They embraced fondly, and then sat down upon the sand to partake oftheir morning repast. 

But the thoughts of both were naturally intent upon the recent topic oftheir discourse; and their conversation, though each endeavored to forceit into other channels, reverted to the subject which was now uppermostin their minds. 

"What must my poor brother Francisco conjecture to be the cause of myprolonged, and to him mysterious absence?" said Nisida, as her eyes werecast wistfully over the wide expanse of waters. "Methinks that I havealready hinted to thee how the foolish passion which he had conceivedfor a maiden of low degree and obscure birth, compelled me, inaccordance with his nearest and best interest, to consign the object ofhis boyish love to the convent of the Carmelites? Yes, and it was withsurprise and dismay incredible that I heard, ere I was torn away fromFlorence by the villain Stephano, how that convent was sacked anddestroyed by unknown marauders----"

"Full intelligence of which terrible sacrilege you communicated to me bysigns the second and last time you visited me in my dungeon, " observedWagner. 

"And I heard also, with increased fear, " continued Nisida, "that some ofthe inmates of that convent had escaped; and, being unable, inconsequence of my simulated deafness and dumbness, to set on foot thenecessary inquiries, I could not learn whether Flora Francatelli wasamongst those who had so escaped the almost general ruin. O! if sheshould have survived that fatal night--and if she should have againencountered my brother! Alas! thou perceivest, my Fernand, how necessaryit is for me to quit the island on the first occasion which may servefor that purpose!"

"And wouldst thou, Nisida, " asked Wagner reproachfully, "place thyselfas a barrier between the Count of Riverola and her whom he loves?"

"Yes!" ejaculated Nisida, her countenance suddenly assuming a stern andimperious expression: "for the most important interests are involved inthe marriage which he may contract. But enough of this, Fernand, " sheadded, relapsing into a more tender mood. "And now tell me--canst thoublame me for the longing desire which has seized upon me--the ardentcraving to return to Florence?"

"Nay--I do not blame thee, dearest Nisida!" he exclaimed; "but I pitythee--I feel for thee! Because, " he continued, "if I understand rightly, thou wilt be compelled to feign deafness and dumbness once more, inorder to work out thy mysterious aims;--thou wilt be compelled to submitto that awful martyrdom--that terrible duplicity which thou wilt find sopainful and difficult to resume, after the full enjoyment of the blessedfaculties of speech and hearing. "

"Alas! such will be my duty!" murmured Nisida; "and oh! that destiny isa sad one! But, " she exclaimed, after a moment's pause, and as areminiscence appeared suddenly to strike her, "dost thou not think thateven such a destiny as that becomes tolerable, when it is fulfilled asthe only means of carrying out the conditions of a vow breathed to awell-beloved and dying mother? But wearisome--oh! crushingly tedious wasthat mode of existence;--and the first bright day of real happinesswhich I enjoyed, was that when I first knew that thou didst love me! Andagain, Fernand--oh! again was I supremely happy when, one evening--thoumay'st remember well, --it was the eve that my brother and the minionFlora exchanged tender words together in the room adjoining that wherewe were seated--on that evening, Fernand, I besought by signs that thouwouldst breathe the words--_I love thee!_ and thou didst so--and I drankin those words as a person dying with thirst would imbibe pure springwater placed to his lips!"

Fernand pressed Nisida to his heart--for he saw, in spite of her anxietyto return to Italy, that she really loved him. 

But though sensual and impassioned feelings led the beauteous Nisidathus frequently to melt into softness and tenderness when shecontemplated the wondrously handsome countenance of Fernand, yet fromthis day forth her longing to return to Italy became more earnest--moreirresistible; and she would compel him to sit by her side for hourstogether on the shore, while she eagerly watched for the appearance of asail in the horizon. And Fernand, who divined her object, himself nowlonged for the advent of a ship;--so sincere was his love for Nisidathat he was ready to make any sacrifice in order to promote herhappiness. Thus passed away the sixth month; and on the afternoon of thelast day thereof, when Wagner was about to observe to her that the timehad now arrived for him to pass the mountains once again, she said ofher own accord, "Fernand, my beloved, when next you visit the other sideof the island, you would do well to raise some sign, or leave somepermanent mark to show that there are inhabitants on this island. For aship might touch at that point--the sailors might seek the shore forwater, and they would then search to discover where those who raised thesignal-post are dwelling. "

"Your wish shall be fulfilled, dearest, " answered Wagner; "and withoutdelay will I seek the other side of the island. "

They then embraced tenderly, and Fernand departed, once more to fulfillhis frightful doom! Nisida watched his receding form until it was lostin the groves intervening between the plains and the acclivities of therange of mountains; and then she seated herself again on the sand, wondering of what nature her husband's secret could be, and why itcompelled him to absent himself occasionally from her. Though _he_ keptan accurate calculation of the lapse of time, and counted the passingdays with unvarying precision, yet she retained no such faithfulcalendar in her memory, and had not observed that his absence alwaysoccurred on the last day of the month. 

The hour of sunset was now rapidly approaching, and as Nisida waswrapped in thought, but with her eyes fixed wistfully upon the mightybosom of the deep, a slight sound as of the rustling of garments fellupon her ears. She started up and glanced suddenly around. But howineffable was her astonishment--how great was her sudden joy, when shebeheld the figure of a man approaching her; for it instantly struck herthat the same ship which had conveyed him thither might bear her awayfrom a scene which had latterly become insupportably monotonous. 

The individual whose presence thus excited her astonishment and herdelight, was tall, thin, and attired rather in the German than in theItalian fashion: but, as he drew nearer, Nisida experienced indefinableemotions of alarm, and vague fears rushed to her soul--for theexpression of that being's countenance was such as to inspire nopleasurable emotions. It was not that he was ugly;--no--his featureswere well formed, and his eyes were of dazzling brilliancy. But theirglances were penetrating and reptile-like, --glances beneath which thoseof ordinary mortals would have quailed; and his countenance was stampedwith a mingled sardonism and melancholy which rendered it painful tocontemplate. 

Nisida attributed her feeling of uneasiness and embarrassment to theshame which she experienced at finding herself half-naked in thepresence of a stranger, for so oppressive bad become the heat of thesummer, that her clothing was most scanty, and she had long ceased todecorate her person with garlands and wreaths of fantastically wovenflowers. 

"Fear not, lady, " said the demon, for he indeed it was; "I am come tocounsel and solace, not to alarm thee. "

"How knowest thou that I require counsel? and who art thou that talkestto me of solace?" asked Nisida, her sentiment of shame yielding to oneof boundless surprise at hearing herself thus addressed by a being whoappeared to read the very inmost secrets of her soul. 

"I am one who can penetrate into all the mysteries of the human heart, "returned the fiend, in his sonorous, deep-toned voice; "and I can gatherthy history from the expression of thy countenance, the attitude inwhich I first beheld thee, while thou wast still seated upon the strand, and the mingled emotions of surprise and joy with which thou didst markmy presence. Is it, then, difficult to imagine that thou requirestcounsel to teach thee how to proceed so as to obtain thine emancipationfrom this isle? or would it be extraordinary if, moved by thy sorrow, Ioffered to befriend thee? And is it not ever the way with mortals--poor, weak, miserable beings that they are--to grow speedily dissatisfied withtheir lot? In the spirit of religion ye say that Heaven controls yourdestinies according to its own wise purposes; and when all goes wellwith ye, and you have your desires, ye pray and are thankful, because, forsooth, " added the demon, with a smile of bitter scorn, "it is so easyto pray when ye are contented and happy, and so easy to be thankful whenye are pampered with all ye require. Here art thou, lady, on an islandteeming with all the choicest fruits of the earth, and enjoying aneternal summer, where all is pleasant to the view, and to whose silentshores the cares of the great world cannot come; and yet thou wouldstquit this calm retreat, and rush back into the vortex of evil passions, warring interests, conflicting pursuits! But I will not weary thee withmy reflections; although it is my nature first to upbraid and tauntthose whom I intend to serve!"

"And who art thou, strange being, that reasoneth morally with the smileof scorn upon thy lips?" demanded Nisida, the vague alarms which hadpreviously influenced her reviving with additional power; "who art thou, I say, that comest to reproach, and yet profferest thine aid?"

"No matter who I am, " replied the fiend. "Some day thou may'st know mebetter, if thou----"

"But how camest thou hither? Where is the ship that brought thee--theboat that landed thee?" demanded Nisida in a tone of feverishimpatience. 

"No ship brought me hither--no boat set me on the shore, " answered thedemon, fixing his eyes--those piercing eyes upon Nisida's countenance, as if to read the impression which this strange revelation made upon hersecret soul. 

"Then who art thou?" exclaimed the lady, a cold shudder passing over herentire frame, although she retreated not nor withdrew the glances whichshe, through her wondrous strength of mind, was enabled to retain fixedupon the demon's countenance. 

"Seek not to learn as yet who I am, " said the fiend. "Let it suffice forthee to know that I am something more than a mere mortal--a being giftedwith powers which, in the hands of such a one as thou, would throw theentire world into convulsions; for there is much in thee after my ownheart, beauteous Nisida of Riverola. "

"Ah! thou art even acquainted with my name, " cried Nisida, againshuddering violently in spite of her powerful efforts to appear calm andfearless. 

"I am acquainted with thy name, and with all that concerns thee andthine, Nisida, " replied the fiend; "ay, " he added, with a malignantchuckle, "even to the mystery of the closet in thy late father'schamber, and the contents of the terrible manuscript which taught theesuch dreadful secrets! I know, too, all that thou hast done to servethine aims--thy simulated deafness and dumbness--the assassination ofAgnes--the imprisonment of Flora in the convent----"

"Then art thou indeed some superhuman power, " interrupted Nisida, in atone of inexpressible alarm; "and I dare hold no further converse withthee. "

"One moment--and thou wilt think differently!" exclaimed the demon. "ButI will give thee an evidence of my power. Here, take thisinstrument--'tis called a telescope--and use it for a single minute. Glance across the waters, and thou shalt behold a scene which willinterest thee somewhat, I trow. "

The fiend handed her a telescope and directed her to apply it to hereyes. She obeyed him, though reluctantly; but intense curiosity overcameher scruples, and, moreover, her extraordinary strength of mind aidedher in supporting the presence of one whom she knew to be invested withsuperhuman powers--but of what nature she feared to guess. Nisida turnedtoward the sea, and used the magic telescope as directed, while thedemon stood behind her, his countenance expressing a diabolical triumph, mingled with blighting scorn. 

But ah! what does Nisida behold? The moment she applies the telescope toher eye, she is transported as it were to her own native city. She is inFlorence--yes, in the fair capital of Tuscany. Every familiar scene ispresented to her again; and she once more views the busy crowds and thebustling haunts of men. She sweeps them all with a hurried glance; andthen her look settled upon a young couple walking together in a secludedplace on the banks of the Arno. But oh! how terribly flashed hereyes--how changed with wrath and concentrated rage suddenly becomes hercountenance! For in that fond pair, wandering so lovingly together onthe Arno's margin she recognized her brother Francisco and the maidenFlora Francatelli!

"Thou hast seen enough!" cried the demon, snatching the telescope fromher hands. "And now, more than ever, " he added with a malignant smile oftriumph, "dost thou long to revisit thy native land. It was to confirmthat longing that I showed thee the scene thou hast just witnessed. "

"And canst thou give me the means to return thither?" demanded Nisida, almost maddened by the spectacle that had met her eyes. 

"Listen!" exclaimed the fiend, "and hear me patiently. I charge thee notto breathe to thy Fernand one word descriptive of this interview whichthou hast had with me. Thou couldst simulate dumbness for ten long yearsor more, with a success which rendered thee great and glorious in myeyes--for I love the hypocrite and the deceiver, " he added with one ofhis diabolical smiles; "although I myself deceive them! Be dumb, then, in all that relates to my visit to thee here. But thou mayst so besetthy Fernand with earnest entreaties to give thee the means of departurefrom this island--for he can do so, if he have the will--that he shallbe unable to resist thy prayer--thy fears--thy anguish, real or feigned, whichever that anguish may be. And should he not yield to thyintercessions, then assail him on another point. Tell him that thou wiltnever rest until thou shalt have discovered the cause of thoseperiodical visits which he makes to the other side of themountains--threaten to accompany him the next time he goes thither. ButI need not teach you how to be energetic nor eloquent. For thou art awoman of iron mind and of persuasive tongue; and thy perseverance, as isthy will, is indomitable. Follow my counsel, then--and, though thefuture to a great extent be concealed from my view, yet I dare prophesysuccess for thee! And now farewell, Nisida--farewell!"

And the demon retreated rapidly toward the forests, as if to seek theabode of those terrible serpents whose cunning was akin to his own. 

Nisida was too much astonished by the nature of the counsel which hisdeep sonorous voice had wafted to her ear, to be able to utter a worduntil his receding form was no longer visible, and then she exclaimedwildly; "I have assuredly seen Satan face to face!"

And her blood ran cold in her veins. But a few moments were sufficientto enable that woman of wondrous energy to recover her presence of mindand collect her scattered thoughts; and she sat down on the sand toponder upon the strange incidents which had so terribly varied themonotony of her existence. She thought, too, of the scene which she hadbeholden on the banks of the Arno--her worst fears were confirmed; Florahad escaped from the ruin of the Carmelite convent--was alive, was atliberty--and was with Francisco! Oh! how she now longed for the returnof Fernand Wagner; but many hours must elapse--a night must pass--andthe orb of day which had by this time gone down, must gain the meridianonce more ere he would come back. And in the meantime, although shesuspected it not, he must fulfill the awful doom of a Wehr-Wolf, as thereader will find by the perusal of the next chapter. 

CHAPTER LV. 

It was within a few minutes of sunset, as Fernand Wagner, having crossedthe mountains, hastened down that bituminous declivity constituting thescene of desolation which separated the range of volcano hills from thedelightful plains and verdant groves stretching to the sea-shore. 

A shudder passed over his frame as he beheld the solitary tree in whichhe had seen the monstrous snake playing and gamboling, on the morningwhen he was thrown upon this Mediterranean isle. 

"Oh!" he exclaimed aloud, as he sped onward, "what happiness and alsowhat misery have I known in this clime. But, doomed and fated being thatI am, such is my destiny; and so must I be, here or elsewhere, inwhichever land I may visit, in whatever part of the earth I may abide. Oh! merciful Heaven, can no prayer, no self-mortification, remove theban--the curse--from my devoted head?

"Oh! just Heaven, " he exclaimed, stretching forth his arms toward thesky, and with ineffable anguish depicted on his upturned countenance;"spare me! Have I not been punished enough! Oh! take away from me thisappalling doom--let me become old, wrinkled, forlorn, and poor oncemore, --let me return to my humble cot in the Black Forest, or let medie. Almighty power! if thou wilt--but spare me--spare me now!Wretch--wretch that I was to be dazzled by the specious promises, OFaust! But I am justly punished--thy vengeance, O Heaven, is welldeserved--sinner, sinner that I am!"

Those were the last human sounds he uttered for several hours; for, scarcely had they escaped his lips, when the horrible change began, andin a few moments a wild yell rent the air, and a monstrous wolf sprungfrom the spot where Wagner had fallen down in such agonizing writhings. 

Away--away went the ferocious animal heading toward the sea--careering, thundering on, as if intent on plunging into the silent depths, andthere ending its course in a watery grave. 

But no: death yawns not for the Wehr-Wolf! Scarcely have its feettouched the verge of the water, when the monster wheels round andcontinues its whirlwind way without for an instant relaxing one tittleof its speed. Away--away, through the fruit-bearing groves, clearing foritself a path of ruin and havoc, --scattering the gems of the trees, andbreaking down the richly-laden vines; away--away flies the monster, hideous howls bursting from its foaming mouth. The birds scream andwhistle wildly, as startled from their usual tranquil retreats, theyspread their gay and gaudy plumage, and go with gushing sound throughthe evening air. He reaches the bank of a stream, and bounds along itspleasant margin, trampling to death noble swans which vainly seek toevade the fury of the rushing monster. 

Away--away toward the forest hurries the Wehr-Wolf--impelled, lashed onby an invincible scourge, and filling the woods with its appallingyells--while its mouth scatters foam like thick flakes of snow. Hark, there is an ominous rustling in one of the trees of the forest; and themonster seems to instinctively know the danger which menaces it. Butstill its course is not changed;--it seems not to exercise its own willin shaping its course. Down the tremendous snake flings itself from thetree--and in an instant its hideous coils are wound round the foaming, steaming, palpitating body of the wolf. The air is rent with the yell ofagony that bursts from the throat of the horrified monster as it tumblesover and over, as if it had run to the length of a tether--for the snakeclings with its tail to the bough from which it has darted down. But theyielding of the wolf is only momentary; up--up it springs again--andaway, --away it careers, more madly, more desperately, more ferociously, if possible, than before. 

And the snake? Oh! poor, weak and powerless was even that dread reptileof forty feet in length, when combated with a monster lashed on and alsoprotected by invisible fiends. For, as the wolf sped on again, the boawas dragged as if by a thousand horses from its coiling hold upon thebough--and shaken, lacerated, and affrighted, the hideous reptileunwound itself from the ferocious animal, and fell powerless on thegrass, where the vermin of the forest attacked it with their greedy mawsere its pestilential breath had ceased. 

Away--away toward the mountains rushes the Wehr-Wolf, --those mountainswhich constitute the barrier of safety to protect Nisida from the fangsof the animal that would mangle her fair form were she to cross itspath. But, ah! he rushes up the acclivity--he clears rugged rock andjutting crag with wondrous bounds;--just Heaven! will he pass thoseheights--will he cross the range of volcanic hills?

Oh! Nisida, who art on the other side of that range, little dreamestthou of the peril that menaces thee. Joy! joy!--the danger has passed;the wolf turns aside from a loftier impediment of crag than had yetappeared in its course: and down--down again toward the groves andvalleys--over the bituminous waste made by the volcano--on, on goes themonster. Away, away, through the verdant scenes once more, freshhavoc--fresh desolation--fresh ruin marking his maddening course, --away, away the Wehr-Wolf speeds. 

The moon rises to give a stronger and purer light to the dreadfulspectacle, a light stronger and purer than that of night itself, whichis never completely dark in the tropics. Away, away, and still on, on--outstripping time--running a race with the fleeting moments, tillhours and hours of unrelaxing speed are numbered--thus goes the wolf. And now he snuffs the morning air: the fresh breeze from the east raisesthe foam of the Mediterranean waves, and allays the heat on the body ofthe careening, bounding, and almost flying monster. 

His howling grows less ferocious--his yells become less terrible; andnow his pace is a trifle more measured, --that relaxation of a whirlwindspeed gradually increasing. 

'Tis done; the course is o'er--the race is run;--and the Wehr-Wolf fallsin writhing agonies upon the fresh grass, whence in a few moments risesFernand Wagner--a man once more! But as he throws a glance of horroraround on the scene of his night's dread employment, he starts back withmingled aversion and alarm; for there--with folded arms, eyes terribleto look upon, and a countenance expressing infernal triumph and bitterscorn, stood the demon. 

"Fiend, what would'st thou with me?" demanded Wagner. "Are not thesufferings which I have just endured, enough to satisfy thy hatred ofall human beings? are not the horrors of the past night sufficient toglut even thine insatiate heart?"

"Mortal, " said the demon, speaking in his profound and awe-inspiringtones, "didst thou take all thy miseries which at this moment afflictthy race, combine all the bitter woes, and crushing sorrows that maddenthe brains of men, mix up all the tears and collect all the sobs andsighs that tell of human agony, then multiply the aggregate by tenmillion, million times its sum, and go on multiplying by millions andmillions, till thou wast tired of counting, thou would'st not form evenan idea of that huge amount of human misery which could alone appeaseme. For on man do I visit the hate wherewith my own fall has animatedme; powerless on high, where once I was so powerful, I make my kingdomof earth and hell--and in both my influence is great and is terrible!"

"Yes--yes; too great--too terrible!" exclaimed Wagner. "But why dostthou persecute me with thy presence? I did not call thee--I did notinvoke thine aid. "

"No, but thou requirest it!" said the demon, with a satirical smile. "Thinkest thou to be enabled to dream away thine existence in thisisland, with the warm, impassioned Nisida? No, mortal--no! Already dothshe pine for her own native Italian clime; and she will end by loathingthee and this land, if she continue to dwell here, and with only thee asher companion. But it is in thy power to make Nisida forgetItaly--Francisco--Flora--and all the grave interests and dreadfulmysteries which seem to demand her presence in the busy world;--it is inthy power to render her happy and contented in this island--to attachher to thee for the remainder of thine existence--to provide her withthe means of preserving her youth and her beauty unimpaired, even asthine own--to crush forever all those pinings and longings which nowcarry her glances wistfully across the sea, --in a word, to bend her mindto all thy wishes--her soul to all thy purposes! Yes;--it is in thypower to do all this--and the same decision which shall place thatamount of ineffable happiness within thy reach, will also redeem theefrom the horrible destiny of a Wehr-Wolf--leaving thee thy youth and thybeauty, and investing thee with a power equal to that enjoyed by thylate master, Faust. "

"And doubtless on the same conditions?" said Wagner, half-ironically, and half in horror at the mere thought of surrendering his soul toSatan. 

"Art thou blind to the means of promoting thy earthly happiness?"demanded the demon, fixing on Fernand a glance intended to appal andintimidate, but at which he on whom it was bent quailed not. "Hast thounot received sufficient experience of the terrific sufferings whichtwelve times a year thou art doomed to endure? Knowest thou not on eachoccasion thou destroyest human life, where mortal beings are in thypath--or that thou ravagest the fair scenes which He whose name I darenot mention has created? and art thou ignorant of the tremendous horrorand loathsome obloquy which attach themselves to the name of aWehr-Wolf? See--thou art already wearied of traveling through thevarious climes of the earth; thou no longer delightest in cultivatingthine intellect, so marvelously adapted to receive knowledge of allkinds; and thy power to create whole mines of wealth is exercised nomore. But thou would'st fix thine abode in this island forever, wereNisida to remain thy companion! Well--and if thou losest her? forassuredly a vessel will some day touch on these shores--what would'stthou do then? All lonely, desolate, forlorn, thou would'st curse the daythat gave thee regenerated life--thou would'st seek death--and to theedeath may not come yet for many, many years! Fernand, thou art worsethan mad not to embrace my offers. Consent to become mine--mineeternally, when thy mortal breath shall leave thy body, and in themeantime I promise thee power illimitable--happiness such as no humanbeing ever yet enjoyed----"

"No--no!" exclaimed Wagner. "Rather the destiny of a Wehr-Wolf--ratherthe solitude of this island for the remainder of my days--than resignall chance of salvation! And that mine immortal soul is yet safe, thevery temptations thou offerest with such eloquent persuasion fullyproves! Oh! Heaven, of its infinite mercy, will receive the dreadfulsufferings 'tis mine to endure each month, as an atonement for that hourof weakness, madness, folly, when dazzled by the words of Faust, andoverwhelmed by a weight of miseries, I accepted a regenerated existence. Yes, Heaven will forgive me yet: and therefore avaunt, fiend! avaunt!"And as he uttered these words he made the sign of the cross, and thedemon fled away howling. Wagner turned aside in dismay, and sank uponthe ground as if blasted by the lightning. A deep sleep fell onFernand's eyes, and in his dreams he thought he heard a solemn butrejoicing strain of music filling the air. That divine melody seemed tospeak a language eloquent and intelligible, and to give him hope andpromise of a deliverance from the dreadful destiny which his weaknessand folly had entailed upon him. The music grew fainter and fainter, andat the moment when it died away altogether a heavenly and radiant beingrose in the midst of a cloud, an angel, clad in white and shininggarments, and with snowy wings closed, and drooping from its shoulders. Looking benignly upon the sleeping Wagner the angel said in a soft andliquid tone, "Thrice hast thou resisted the temptations of the enemy ofmankind: once in thy dungeon at Florence, a second time amidst thedefiles of yon mountains, and now on this spot. He will appear to theeno more, unless thou thyself summon him. Much hast thou already done inatonement for the crime that endangered thy soul when, withdrawing thyfaith from Heaven, thou didst accept new life on the conditions proposedto thee by the agent of Satan; but much more must thou yet do, ere thatatonement will be complete!" The form ceased to speak, and graduallybecame fainter and fainter, until it disappeared with its glorious haloaltogether. 

Then Fernand awoke, and his dream was vividly impressed upon his memory. 

Assuming a kneeling posture, he clasped his hands fervently together, and said aloud, "Merciful Heaven! be the vision one divinely sent, or beit but the sport of an imagination fevered by a long night of suffering, I receive it as an emblem and as a sign of hope and promise!"

He arose. The sun was now high in the heaven, and he hastened to theshore to perform his ablutions. Refreshed in body with the bath which hetook in the Mediterranean, and in mind with the influence of the vision, he retraced his way toward the mountains. The range was passed insafety, and he once more set foot on that section of the island whereNisida was so anxiously awaiting his presence. 

The hour at which Fernand Wagner was accustomed to return after hisperiodical excursions beyond the mountains, had long passed; for it willbe remembered that he had fallen asleep and slumbered some time, afterhis restoration to human shape and his encounter with the demon. Nisidawas already a prey to the wildest alarms, which were not altogetheruntainted with selfishness; for the enemy of mankind had led her tobelieve that Wagner had within his reach certain means of enabling herto quit the island, and she trembled lest death might have intervened tosnatch him away, and thus annihilate the hopes which had been soinsidiously infused into her soul. She was also distressed at hisprolonged absence on grounds more creditable to her heart, for sheshuddered at the idea that her handsome Fernand might at that verymoment be writhing in the coils of a horrible snake. Then, arousingherself, Nisida resolved to attempt the passage of the mountains, andseek for her lover and rescue him if possible, and if not, to die withhim. But as she drew near the craggy mountains she suddenly beheld theobject of her anxiety approaching her, and in a few minutes they werelocked in each other's arms. 

"My Fernand, " said Nisida at length, "I feared that some danger hadbefallen you, and I was hastening to join you on the other side of theseheights, either to aid you in escaping from the peril, or to share itsconsequences with you. "

"Beloved Nisida!" exclaimed Wagner, "how welcome to me is this proof ofthy regard, this earnest of thy love. "

"I can never cease to love you, dear Fernand, " answered Nisida, turningher fine large eyes upon his handsome face. "Oh, that I should seek toquit thee! The thought smites me to the inmost recesses of my heart. Andyet it is to some extent thy fault, for wherefore wilt thou notaccompany me?"

"In the first place, beloved one, " replied Wagner, "thou talkest as if aship were already in sight, or a boat lay ready to launch from thisshore; secondly, I have before assured thee that I dared not return toFlorence, and that as I cannot therefore be thy companion thither, itwould be better for me to remain on the island, to which, perhaps, " headded in a mournful tone, "you might, after all, never come back!"

"Oh! Fernand, think not so ill of your Nisida!" she cried, throwing oneof her snowy full arms round his neck, and looking earnestly, but yettenderly on his countenance. "Never, never shall I know happiness againuntil I have revisited Florence. Each day that passes without giving mea hope to see this aim fulfilled, increases my misery, adds to myuneasiness, augments my anxiety--so that in a short time my suspensewill become intolerable. It is nearly so already, Fernand--but pity me;yes--and help me, if you can!"

"Dearest Nisida, willingly would I sacrifice my own inclinations toforward thine, " exclaimed Wagner in a tone of deep sincerity; "but howis it possible that I can aid thee? I have not wings to affix to thyfair shoulder, I have not a voice powerful enough to raise echoes on ashore whence assistance might be sent. Nay, look not so sternly on me, beloved Nisida, I did not intend to vex thee with idle jestings; butthou knowest that I cannot aid thee. "

"Fernand, you love me not!" exclaimed Nisida, suddenly withdrawing herarm from its fond position about his neck, and retreating a few paces. "No; you do not love me as you were wont, or as I love you! Youdoubtless have some means of gratifying my ardent longings. A secretvoice whispers within me that if you chose to exert all your powers, youmight render me happy--at least so happy as I could be when separatedfrom you! I have assured you that naught save the most importantinterests would render me thus anxious to return to my native city; andif you find me thus importunate, you should pity me, not refuse to aidme. "

"Holy Virgin! this is maddening!" cried Wagner. "Nisida--be reasonable;how can I assist thee? how can I enable thee to cross that sea whichappears to us boundless? And thou accusest me of not loving thee, Nisida! Oh! this is too cruel!"

"No, it is thou who art cruel!" exclaimed Nisida, in an impassionedtone. "I know that you are not a being of an ordinary stamp, that yourintellect is as wonderful as your person is godlike, --and that youpossess a mine of knowledge in the extent of which no mortal can equalthee. Is it strange--is it marvelous, then, that I should implore theeto exert thy powers--the vast powers of thy glorious intelligence, toforward my design? Nay, seek not to interrupt me, Fernand, denial isvain! A secret voice continues to whisper within me that thou art ableto do all I ask; I know not the means to be used--I seek not to knowthem; but that thou hast such means within thy reach, is a convictionfirmly impressed upon my mind. Here, then, Fernand, at thy feet, on myknees, do I implore thee, beseech thee, not to refuse the boon which I, thy loving wife, crave at the hands of thee, my husband, as if I were ahumble suppliant suing at the footstool of a throned king!"

"Nisida, Nisida!" cried Fernand, painfully excited by this suddenmovement on her part, and endeavoring to rise: "what means so strange aproceeding? Rise, dearest, rise; it is not to me that you must thushumble yourself!"

"No; I will not quit this suppliant attitude until you shall havegranted my request--my prayer, " said Nisida. "Refuse me not, my Fernand. Oh! I implore you not to refuse me! Whatever means be within your reach, exert them on my behalf. A brother's interest, the remembrance of asolemn vow breathed only to my lamented and much-wronged mother--and thesafeguard of a mystery, the discovery of which by curious and pryingeyes would heap infamy and disgrace upon the family that bears the nameof Riverola--all these reasons render me thus anxious to return toItaly. And if you keep me here, Fernand, I shall pine away--I shallperish before your eyes, and you will repent of your harshness when itis too late. Or else, " she added, speaking with wild rapidity, "I shallbe reduced to despair, and in a moment of excitement shall seek death inthose silent waters, or climb yon craggy mountains to fling myselfheadlong from their summit. "

"Nisida, your menaces are maddening as your supplications to me are vainand useless!" said Wagner, himself now laboring under a fearfulexcitement. "Rise, I implore you, rise, and let us endeavor to conversemore calmly--more rationally. "

"Yes--I will rise, " said Nisida, now affecting a sullen haughtiness, andpreparing to wield another of the weapons which the demon had placed inher hand: "I rise, Fernand, because I feel that I was wrong thus toabase myself--I, who bear the proud name of Riverola;"--and she tossedher head indignantly. "Well--it seems that you are resolved to keep mechained to your side on this island. Be it so: but henceforth let therebe no mistrust--no mystery--no secrets between us. If Italy must beforgotten forever, then this isle shall become our world, and ourthoughts shall travel not beyond its confines. All shall be mutualconfidence--a reciprocal outpouring of our minutest thoughts. On thatcondition only will existence _here_ be tolerable to us both. And now asa proof that thou wilt assent to this proposal--than which nothing canbe more rational--let our new life of mutual confidence date from thismoment. Tell me then, my Fernand, " she proceeded, assuming a winningmanner, and throwing as much pathos as possible into her sweetly musicalvoice--that voice which gave new and indescribable, charms to the softItalian language--"tell me then, my Fernand, wherefore thou quittest meat certain intervals--why thou invariably seekest on those occasions theopposite side of the island--and whether thou wilt in future suffer meto be the companion of those journeys?"

"Thou be my companion--thou, Nisida!" exclaimed Wagner, his whole frameconvulsed with mental agony. "Merciful Heaven! what fiend has promptedthee thus to speak! Nisida, " he said, suddenly exercising a strongmastery over his emotions, as he seized her hand and pressed it withspasmodic violence--"Nisida, as thou valuest our happiness seek not topenetrate into my secret--proffer not that mad request again!"

And dropping her hand he paced the shore with the agitation of revivingexcitement. 

"Fernand, " said Nisida, approaching him, and once more speaking in aresolute and even severe tone--"listen to me. When we met upon theisland, an accident of a terrible nature led me to forget my vow ofself-imposed dumbness; and when the excitement occasioned by thataccident had somewhat passed you were in doubt whether you had reallyheard my voice or had been deluded by fevered imagination. It would havebeen easy for me to simulate dumbness again; and you would have believedthat the bewilderment of the dread scene had misled you. But I chose notto maintain a secret from thee--and I confess that my long supposed lossof two glorious faculties was a mere deed of duplicity on my part. Atthat time you said that you also had explanations to give; and yetmonths and months have passed by, and confidence has not begottenconfidence. Let this mistrust on your part cease. Reveal to me the causeof these frequent excursions across the mountains; or else the next timethat you set out on one of these mysterious journeys, I shall assuredlybecome your companion. "

"Now, Nisida, " exclaimed Wagner, his heart rent with indescribabletortures--"it is you who are cruel--you are unjust!"

"No, Fernand--it is you!" cried Nisida, in a thrilling, penetratingtone, as if of anguish. 

"Merciful Heaven! what misery is in store for us both!" said Wagner, pressing his hand to his burning brow. "Oh! that some ship would appearto bear thee away--or that my destiny were other than it is!"

And he flung himself upon the sand in a fit of blank despair. Nisida nowtrembled at the violence of those emotions which she had raised in thebreast of him whom she loved; and for a minute she reproached herselffor having so implicitly obeyed the counsel of the evil spirit. 

Her own feelings were worked up to that pitch of excitement with whichwomen--even in the strongest-minded, must have its vent in tears; andshe burst into an agony of weeping. 

The sound of those sobs was more than the generous-hearted andaffectionate Fernand could bear; and starting from the sand whereon hehad flung himself, he exclaimed, "Nisida, my beloved Nisida, dry thosetears, subdue this frenzied grief! Let us say no more upon theseexciting topics this evening; but I will meditate, I will reflect uponthe morrow, and then I will communicate to thee the result of mydeliberations. "

"Oh! there is then hope for me yet!" cried Nisida, joyfully; "and thouhast the means to grant my wishes, but thou fearest to use them. We willsay no more this evening on subjects calculated to give so littlepleasure; but to-morrow, my Fernand, to-morrow. "

And Nisida stopped her own utterance by pressing her lips to those ofWagner, winding her beauteous arms most lovingly round his neck at thesame time, and pressing him to her bosom. 

But that night and the ensuing morn were destined to wring theheart-cords of the unhappy Fernand: for the influence of the demon, though unknown and unrecognized, was dominant with Nisida. 

CHAPTER LVI. 

It was night--and Fernand was pacing the sand with even greateragitation than he had manifested during the cruel scene of the evening. He was alone on the seashore; and Nisida slept in the hut. Terriblethoughts warred in the breast of Wagner. Nisida's language hadastonished and alarmed him: he was convinced that Satan himself hadinspired her with those ideas, the utterance of which had nearly goadedhim to madness. She had insisted on the belief that he was acquaintedwith the means of enabling her to return to Italy; and yet Nisida wasnot a mere girl--a silly, whimsical being, who would assert the wildestphysical impossibilities just as caprice might prompt her. No--shereally entertained that belief--but without having any ostensiblegrounds to establish it. 

"Such an impression could only have been made upon her mind by the fiendwho seeks to entangle me in his meshes!" murmured Wagner to himself, ashe paced the strand. "The demon has failed to tempt me as yet--thricehas he failed;--and now he musters all his force to assail me, --toassail me, too, in the most vulnerable points! But, O Heaven, give mestrength to resist the dread influence thus brought to bear upon me!What course can I adopt? what plan pursue? If to-morrow must witness arenewal of that scene which occurred this evening, I shall succumb--Ishall yield; in a moment of despair I shall exclaim, 'Yes, Nisida--Iwill sacrifice everything to acquire the power to transport thee back toItaly;'--and I shall hurry to yon mountains, and seeking their wildestdefile, shall evoke the enemy of mankind, and say, 'Come, Satan, I givethee my soul in exchange for the illimitable power thou offerest. ' Andthus will be the terrible result--the fearful catastrophe. "

Big drops of agony stood upon Fernand's brow as he uttered these words. He saw that he was hovering on the verge of a fearful abyss--and hetrembled lest he should fall, so intense was his love for Nisida. At onemoment he thought of the soothing vision, full of hope and promise, which had occupied his slumber in the morning; at another he pondered onthe tears, the prayers, and the threats of Nisida. The conflictingthoughts were, indeed, sufficient to urge him on to a state of utterdespair:--his eternal salvation and the happiness of her whom he lovedso tenderly were placed in such antagonistic position that they raised afierce--a painful--an agonizing warfare in his breast. Now he would fallupon his knees and pray--and pray fervently for strength to continue inthe right path: then he would again give way to all the maddeninginfluences of his bitter reflections; and, while in this mood, had Satansuddenly stood before him, he would have succumbed--yes, he would havesuccumbed. But the fiend had no longer any power to offer directtemptation to the wretched Wagner. Oh! if he could die that moment, howgladly would he release himself from an existence fraught with so muchmisery; but death was not yet within the reach of him who bore the doomof a Wehr-Wolf! The morning dawned, and Fernand Wagner was still pacingthe sand--dreading to meet Nisida again, and not daring to seek to avoidher. Were he to fly to the mountains or to the forests, she would searchafter him; and thus he would only be leading her into perils amidstyawning precipices, or where she might become the prey of the terribleanaconda. To remain were anguish--to fly were madness!

"Oh, wretch, miserable wretch that I am!" exclaimed Wagner, as he beheldthe twilight--so short in the tropics--growing more powerful, and knewthat Nisida would soon come forth from the hut. In a few minutes the orbof day appeared above the Orient wave--and almost at the same time thelady made her appearance on the shore. 

"Fernand, thou hast not sought repose throughout the night just past!"she said, advancing toward him, and endeavoring to read upon hiscountenance the thoughts which filled his brain. 

"Nisida, " he replied, in a rapid and excited tone, "I have gone throughso much during the last few hours that 'tis a marvel reason hasmaintained its seat. If thou lovest me, let us forget all those topicswhich have so strongly excited us both: and let us unite our prayersthat Heaven will send thee means to quit this isle and return to thynative land. "

"Fernand, " said Nisida, in a tone of deep disappointment and reproach, "I was not prepared for this. Your words imply that you possess thepower to aid my departure hence, but that you have resolved not to useit. Is that your decision?"

"I scorn to deceive thee, Nisida, by a direct falsehood in so serious amatter as this, " exclaimed Wagner. "Knowest thou, my beloved, at whatprice must be purchased the power which alone can enable _me_ to effectthy return to Italy? canst thou divine the immeasurable sacrifice whichI must make to gratify thy wishes?"

"Fernand, " answered Nisida, in a reproachful and yet resolute tone, "there is no price that I would not pay to obtain the means of pleasingthee!--there is no sacrifice that I should shrink from were yourhappiness at stake!"

"Nisida, " ejaculated Wagner, in a tone of fearful excitement, "you driveme to despair! Have mercy upon me, Nisida, have mercy upon me! My God!if you taunt me--if you reproach me--thus I will do all that youcommand; but force me not to believe, Nisida--my well belovedNisida--that, in espousing thee in the sight of Heaven, I took to mybosom a fiend instead of a woman, a relentless demon in the mostcharming female shape that evil spirit ever wore. Oh! if you knew all, you would pity me as it is. So wretched on earth you would not compel meto renounce every hope of salvation; for, know, Nisida, " he added, hiscountenance wearing an expression of indescribable horror, "know that indemanding of me this last sacrifice, you ordain that I should sell myimmortal soul to Satan!"

For a moment Nisida appeared shocked and appalled at the words which mether ears; but she rather recoiled from the manner of fearful excitementin which they were uttered, than from the intelligence which theyconveyed. 

"He who truly loves, " she said coldly, as she recovered her equanimity, "would make _even that_ sacrifice! and now listen--Fernand, " shecontinued, her eyes flashing fire, and her naked bosom heavingconvulsively as she spoke, while her splendid form was drawn up to itsfull height, and her whole aspect sublimely terrible and wondrouslybeautiful, even in that fit of agitated passion--"listen, Fernand!" shecried, in her musical, flute-like voice, which, however, assumed theimperious accent and tone of command: "thou art a coward, and unworthysuch an earnest--such a profound, such a devoted love as mine, if thourefusest to consummate a sacrifice which will make us both powerful andgreat as long as we live! Consider, my Fernand--the spirit with whomthou wouldst league thyself can endow us with an existence running overcenturies to come, can invest us with eternal youth, can place countlesstreasures at our disposal, can elevate us to the proudest thrones ofChristendom! Oh! wilt thou spurn advantages like those? wilt thou refuseto avail thyself of gifts that must render us so supremely happy? No, no: and we can return together to my native city, we can enter Florencein triumph, thou no longer fearing the terror of the law, I no longercompelled to simulate the doom of the deaf and dumb! Our enemies shalllick the dust at our feet, and we shall triumph wherever success may bedesirable. Oh! I understand that beseeching, appealing look, Fernand:thou thinkest that I shall love thee less if this immense sacrifice beconsummated, that I shall look upon thee with loathing. No, not so: andto convince thee that mine is a soul endowed with an iron will, thatmine is an energy which can grapple even with remorse, I will reveal tothee a secret which thou hast perhaps never even suspected. Fernand!"she exclaimed, now becoming absolutely terrible with the excitement thatanimated her; "Fernand!" she repeated, "'twas I who murdered the girlAgnes, in the garden of thy mansion at Florence!"

"Thou, thou, Nisida?" almost shrieked Wagner wildly; "oh, no, no! Recallthat dreadful avowal! And yet--oh! yes--I see it all--my formersuspicions are confirmed. Wretched woman. What harm did the unfortunateAgnes do to thee?"

"I saw in her a rival, Fernand--or fancied that she was so, " answeredNisida; "I overheard your conversation with her that morning in thegarden--I saw her embrace thee tenderly--mine ears drank in her words;oh, I remember them even now! She said, 'Oh, what a night of uneasinesshave I passed! But at length thou art restored to me; thou whom I haveever loved so fondly; although I abandoned thee for so long a time!'Were not those her very words? And thou didst speak to her in a toneequally tender. Ah! I have ever suspected that she was thy mistress;although thou didst swear upon the cross, in thy dungeon, that she wasnot. But so great was my love for thee, that I smothered the dreadsuspicion----"

"Suspicion, " repeated Wagner, in the penetrating tone of heart-rendinganguish, --an anguish so intense that his brain whirled, and he knew notwhat he said or did. "Oh, wretched woman, and thou didst slay Agnes on amere suspicion?"

"I hated her--even before I entertained that suspicion, " exclaimedNisida, impatiently; "for she was the mistress of my father! Thinkestthou that my quick ears had not gleaned the mysterious whisperings whichfrequently passed between my sire and his valet Antonio, relative to thelady who dwelt in seclusion at the abode of that menial's mother? orthinkest thou that when I once obtained a clew to my father's degradingpassion, I scrupled to watch him, to follow him, to learn all hisproceedings? No; for it was the more easily to enact the spy upon my ownfather that originally simulated the doom of the deaf and dumb. A purseof gold induced Dame Margaretha, Antonio's mother, to give me admissioninto her house; though she also believed that I was really deprived ofthe faculties of hearing and of speech. But often and often was Iconcealed in the chamber adjacent to that where my father passed hourswith his mistress; and it was not without advantage that I so acted. ForI discovered that amongst the presents which he had given her, were thejewels which had belonged to my sainted mother--that mother whose wrongswere so manifold, and whose sufferings were so great. Yes: and Ipossessed myself of those jewels, leaving the girl the other gifts whichshe had received from my sire. 

"And now, since I am involved in relations of such import, I shall dowell to inform thee, Fernand, that I had seen and loved thee before thoudidst come as a visitor to our mansion in Florence. For it was my habitto proceed occasionally to the dwelling of the good Dr. Duras, thedepositary of my grand secret of the feigned loss of faculties; andwhile wandering alone in his garden I once beheld thee! And the moment Ibeheld I loved thee. Often--often after that would I visit the kindphysician's grounds, whereof I possessed a pass-key; and my admirationof thee led me to pass the slight boundary which separated his gardenfrom thine. Then I would approach the windows of thy dwelling andcontemplate thee as thou wast seated in thy favorite apartment. On thenight of my father's funeral, although so very late when all thesubsequent business connected with the reading of the will wasconcluded, my mind was so perturbed and restless that I could not sleep;and quitting the Riverola mansion by a private door, I sought the freshair with the hope that it would calm me. Some vague and indescribablesentiment of curiosity, or else something that I heard on the return ofthe mourners, relative to the strange scene enacted in the church, Iknow not which, led me to the vicinity of your abode; and there, in yourfavorite room, I beheld you seated, listening attentively to some sweetwords, doubtless, which Agnes was breathing into your ear. But shecaught a glimpse of my countenance by the light of the lamps----"

"Enough! enough!" exclaimed Wagner; "thou hast indeed cleared upinnumerable mysteries! But, oh! Nisida--would that thou hadst remainedsilent--that thou hadst not drawn aside the veil which my elevatedopinion of thee had thrown over the suspicions that, I admit, from timeto time----"

"And if I have told thee all this, Fernand, " interrupted Nisida, impatiently, "it is that thou may'st be convinced not only of thenatural energy of my mind, but also of the deep love which I bear thee. And now, now that thou seest me in my true character, a murderess ifthou wilt, " she added with an emphasis of bitter scorn, "now canst thourefuse that sacrifice----"

"Nisida! Nisida! enough crime has been perpetrated by both us, Heavenknows!" ejaculated Wagner, still writhing with the anguish produced bythe avowal which had so lately met his ears. "Oh! accursed be the day, blotted from the annals of Time be the hour, Nisida, when thy handstruck the fatal dagger into the heart of Agnes. "

"What! this to my face?" said Nisida, her countenance becoming crimsonwith indignation, and not her face only, but her swan-like neck, hershoulders, and her bosom. "Then she _was_ thy mistress, Fernand! Andthou didst love her, while I fancied, false one that thou art, thineaffections to be wholly and solely mine. "

"Nisida, " exclaimed Fernand, cruelly bewildered, "you drive me todespair. I know not whether to loathe thee for this avowal which thouhast made, or to snatch thee to my arms, abandon all hope of salvation, and sacrifice myself entirely for one so transcendently beautiful asthou art. But thy suspicions relative to Agnes are ridiculous, monstrous, absurd. For, as surely as thou art there, Nisida--as theheaven is above us and the earth beneath us--as surely as that I lovethee so well as to be unable to reproach thee more for the deed whichthou hast confessed--so surely, Nisida, was Agnes my own granddaughter, and I--I, Fernand Wagner--young, strong, and healthy as thou beholdestme, am fourscore and fifteen years of age. "

Nisida started in affright, and then fixed a scrutinizing glance uponFernand's countenance; for she feared that his reason was abandoninghim--that he was raving. 

"Ah! Nisida, I see that you do not credit my words, " he exclaimed; "andyet I have told thee the solemn, sacred truth. But mine is a sad historyand a dreadful fate; and if I thought that thou would'st soothe mywounded spirit, console, and not revile me, pity, and not loathe me, Iwould tell thee all. "

"Speak, Fernand, speak!" she cried; "and do me not so much wrong as tosuppose that I could forget my love for thee--that love which made methe murderer of Agnes. Besides, " she added, enthusiastically, "I seethat we are destined for each other; that the dark mysteries attached toboth our lives engender the closest sympathies; that we shall flourishin power, and glory, and love, and happiness together. "

Wagner threw his arms around Nisida's neck, and clasped her to hisbreast. He saw not in her the woman who had dealt death to hisgranddaughter; he beheld in her only a being of ravishing beauty andwondrous mind, so intoxicated was he with his passion, and so great wasthe magic influence which she wielded o'er his yielding spirit. Then, asher head reclined upon his breast, he whispered to her, in a fewhurried, but awfully significant words, the nature of his doom, thedread conditions on which he had obtained resuscitated youth, an almostsuperhuman beauty, a glorious intellect, and power of converting thevery clods of the earth into gold and precious stones at will. 

"And now, dearest, " he added, in a plaintive and appealing tone, "andnow thou may'st divine wherefore on the last day of every month I havecrossed these mountains; thou may'st divine, too, how my escape from theprison of Florence was accomplished; and, though no mortal power canabridge my days--though the sword of the executioner would fall harmlesson my neck, and the deadly poison curdle not in my veins--still, man canbind me in chains, and my disgrace is known to all Florence. "

"But thou shalt return thither, Fernand, " exclaimed Nisida, raising hercountenance and gazing upon him, not with horror and amazement, but inpride and triumph; "thou shalt return thither, Fernand, armed with apower that may crush all thine enemies, and blast with destructivelightning the wretches who would look slightingly on thee. Already thouart dearer, far dearer to me than ever thou wast before; for I love themarvelous--I glory in the supernatural--and thou art a being whom suchwomen as myself can worship and adore. And thou repinest at thy destiny?thou shudderest at the idea of that monthly transformation which makesthy fate so grand, because it is so terrible? Oh, thou art wrong, thouart wrong, my Fernand. Consider all thou hast gained, how many, manyyears of glorious youth and magnificent beauty await thee! Think of thepower with which thy boundless command of wealth may invest thee. Oh, thou art happy, enviable, blest. But I--I, " she added, the impassionedexcitement of her tone suddenly sinking into subdued plaintiveness asher charming head once more fell upon his breast--"I am doomed to fadeand wither like the other human flowers of the earth. Oh, that thoughtis now maddening. While thou remainest as thou art now, vested with thatfine, manly beauty which won my heart when first I saw thee, and beforeI knew thee: I shall grow old, wrinkled, and thou wilt loathe me. Ishall be like a corpse by the side of one endowed with vigorous life. Oh, Fernand; this may not be; and thou canst purchase the power tobestow unperishing youth, unchanging beauty upon me; the power, moreover, to transport us hence, and render us happy in inseparablecompanionship for long, long years to come. "

"Merciful heavens! Nisida, " exclaimed Fernand, profoundly touched by theurgent, earnest appeal of the lovely siren whose persuasive eloquencebesought him to seal his own eternal damnation--"would'st thou have meyield up my soul to the enemy of mankind?"

"Do you hesitate? Can you even pause to reflect?" cried Nisida, withwhose tongue the demon himself was as it were speaking. "Oh, Fernand, you love me not, you have never, never loved me. " And she burst into aflood of tears. Wagner was painfully moved by this spectacle, whichconstituted so powerful an argument to support the persuasive eloquenceof her late appeal. His resolution gave way rapidly--the more agonizingbecame her sobs the weaker grew his self-command; and his lips wereabout to murmur the fatal assent to her prayer--about to announce hisreadiness to summon the enemy of mankind and conclude the awfulcompact--when suddenly there passed before his eyes the image of theguardian angel whom he had seen in his vision, dim and transparent asthe thinnest vapor, yet still perceptible and with an expression ofcountenance profoundly mournful. The apparition vanished in a moment;but its evanescent presence was fraught with salvation. Tearing himselfwildly and abruptly from Nisida's embrace, Wagner exclaimed in a toneindicative of the horror produced by the revulsion of feeling in hismind, "No--never--never!" and, fleet as the startled deer he ran--heflew toward the mountains. Frightened and amazed by his sudden cry andsimultaneous flight, Nisida cast her eyes rapidly around to ascertainthe cause of his alarm, thinking that some dreadful spectacle hadstricken terror to his soul. But ah--what sees she? Why do her glancessettle fixedly in one direction? What beholds she in the horizon? For afew moments she is motionless, speechless, she cannot believe her eyes. Then her countenance, which has already experienced the transition froman expression of grief and alarm to one of suspense and mingled hope andfear, becomes animated with the wildest joy; and forgetting the lateexciting scene as completely as if it had never taken place, but withall her thoughts and feelings absorbed in the new--the one idea whichnow engrosses her--she turns her eyes rapidly round toward themountains, exclaiming, "Fernand, dearest Fernand! a sail--a sail. "

But Wagner hears her not: she stamps her foot with impatient rage uponthe sand; and in another moment the groves conceal her lover from view. 

Yes; Wagner looked not round; heard not the voice of Nisida invoking himto return, but continued his rapid flight toward the mountains, as ifhurrying in anguish and in horror from the meshes which had been spreadto ensnare his mortal soul. And now Nisida became all selfishness; therewas at length a hope, a sudden hope that she should be speedily enabledto quit the hated monotonous island, and her fine, large dark eyes werefixed intently upon the white sails which gradually grew more and morepalpable in the azure horizon. She was not deceived; there was no doubt, no uncertainty, as to the nature of the object which now engrossed allher thoughts, and filled her heart with the wildest joy. It was indeed aship, and its course was toward the island; for, as she gazed with fixedand longing eyes, it by degrees assumed a more defined shape; and thatwhich had at first appeared to be but one small white piece of canvas, gradually developed the outlines of many sails, and showed the taperingspars, until at last the black hull appeared, completing the form of alarge and noble vessel. Joy! joy--she should yet be saved from theisland. And, ah--do the chances of that hoped-for safety multiply? Is itindeed another ship which has caught her eye in the far-off horizon?Yes; and not one only, but another, and another, and another, until shecan count seven vessels, all emerging from the mighty distance, andspreading their snow-white canvas to the breeze which wafts them towardthe isle. 

Crowds of conflicting thoughts now rush to the mind of Nisida; and sheseats herself upon the strand to deliberate as calmly as she may uponthe course which she should adopt. Alas, Fernand: thou wast not thenuppermost in the imagination of thy Nisida, although she had notentirely forgotten thee. But the principal topic of her meditations, thegrand question which demanded the most serious weighing and balancing inher mind, was whether she should again simulate the deafness anddumbness which she had now for many months been accustomed to affect. Grave and important interests and a deeply-rooted attachment to herbrother on the one side urged the necessity of so doing; but on theother, a fearful disinclination to resume that awful duplicity--thatdreadful self-sacrifice, an apprehension lest the enjoyment of thefaculties of hearing and speech for so long a period should haveunfitted her for the successful revival and efficient maintenance of thedeceit; these were the arguments on the negative side. But Nisida's wasnot a mind to shrink from any peril or revolt from any sacrifice whichher interests or her aims might urge her to encounter; and it was withfire-flashing eyes and a neck proudly arching, that she raised her headin a determined manner, exclaiming aloud, "Yes, it must be so. But theperiod of this renewed self-martyrdom will not last long. So soon asthine interests shall have been duly cared for, Francisco, I will quitFlorence forever, I will return to this island, and here will I pass theremainder of my days with thee, my beloved Fernand! And that I _do_ lovethee still, Fernand, although thou hast fled from my presence as if Iwere suddenly transformed into a loathsome monster, that I must evercontinue to love thee, Fernand, and that I shall anxiously long toreturn to thine arms, are truths as firmly based as the foundations ofthe island. Thine, then, shall be the last name, thy name shall be thelast word that I will suffer my lips to pronounce ere I once more placethe seal upon them. Yes, I love thee, Fernand; oh! would to God thatthou could'st hear me proclaim how much I love thee, my beauteous, mystrangely-fated Fernand!"

It was almost in a despairing tone that Nisida gave utterance to theselast words; for as the chance of escape from the island grew everymoment less equivocal, by the nearer approach of the fleet, which was, however, still far from the shore, the intensity of her sensual passionfor Wagner, that passion which she believed to be the purest and mostfirmly rooted love, revived; and her heart smote her for her readinessto abandon him to the solitude of that island. But as she was nowacquainted with all the mysteries of his fate, as she knew that he couldnot die for many, many years to come, nor lose that glorious beautywhich had proved alike her pleasure and her pride, her remorse and heralarms were to a considerable degree mitigated: for she thought withinherself, _although she now spoke aloud no more_; "Death will not snatchhim from me, disease will not impair his godlike features and elegantform, and he loves me too well not to receive me with open arms when Ishall be enabled to return to him. " These were her thoughts: andstarting upon her feet, she compressed her lips tightly, as if to remindherself that she had once more placed a seal there, a seal not to bebroken for some time. An hour had now passed since Fernand Wagner andNisida separated on the seashore; and he did not come back. Meantime thefleet of ships had drawn nearer, and though she more than onceentertained the idea of hastening after Wagner to implore him toaccompany her whithersoever those vessels were bound, or at least topart with the embrace of tenderness, yet her fear lest the ships mightsail past without touching at the island, predominated over her softerfeelings. And now, having settled in her mind the course she was toadopt, she hastened to the stores which she had saved from the wreck ofthe corsair vessel, and which had been piled up on the strand the dayafter she was first thrown on that Mediterranean isle. 

It will be remembered that amongst the articles thus saved were changesof apparel, which Stephano Verrina had procured for her use at Leghornere the corsair-bark set sail on that voyage from which it neverreturned, and during Nisida's long sojourn on the island, she hadfrequently examined those garments, and had been careful to secure themfrom the effects of rain or damp, in the hope that the day would sooneror later come when she might assume them for the purpose of biddingadieu to that lovely but monotonous island. And now that day has come;and the moment so anxiously longed for appeared to be rapidlyapproaching. Nisida accordingly commenced her toilet, as if she had onlyjust risen from her couch and was preparing to dress to go abroadamongst the busy haunts of human beings. 

Her dark luxuriant hair, which so long had floated negligently upon herivory shoulders, was now gathered up in broad massive bands at thesides, and artistically plaited and confined at the back of herwell-shaped head. The tight bodice was next laced over the swellingbosom: hose and light boots imprisoned the limbs which had so oftenborne her glancing along in their nudity to the soft music of the streamin the vale or of the wavelets of the sea; broidery set off the fineform of Nisida in all the advantage of its glowing, full and voluptuousproportions. Then the large black veil was fastened to the plaits of herhair, whence its ample folds swept over that admirable symmetry ofperson, endowing her once more with the queen-like air which became sowell her splendid, yet haughty style of beauty! Yes: no longer subduedby simplicity of attire--no longer tender and soft, was the lovelinessof Nisida; but grand, imperious, and dazzling did she now seem again, aserst she seemed ere her foot trod that island-shore. 

Appareled in handsome garments, and with the rich carnation glow ofhealth and animation on her cheeks, and with her eyes flashing the firesof hope, but with the vermilion lips compressed, Nisida now stood on thestrand where so oft she had wandered like a naiad, feeling no shame ather semi-nudity. 

During the time occupied by her toilet, the fleet of seven ships hadapproached much nearer to the island, and now they were not more thanthree miles distant. The hulls, which at first had seemed quite black, shone, as they drew closer, with the gay colors in which they werepainted, the gorgeous sunlight playing vividly on the gilding of theprows, the streaks of red and white along the sides, and the splendiddecorations of the poop lanterns. Noble and mighty ships theywere--ships of size such as Nisida had never seen before, and incomparison with which all the merchant-vessels she had beheld at Leghornwere but mere boats. There was no need to raise a signal to invite themto approach--for that fleet was evidently steering toward the island. Whence did this fleet come? whither was it bound? to what nation did itbelong? and would those on board treat her with attention and respect?

Such were the thoughts which flashed across her brain--and her heartbeat with anxiety for the arrival of the moment which should solve thosequestions. Absorbed as she was in the contemplation of the nobleships--those mighty but graceful swans of the ocean--she did not forgetto cast, from time to time, a rapid glance around, to see if Fernandwere retracing his way toward her. Alas! no--he came not--and she mustquit the isle without embracing him--without assuring him of herconstant love--without renewing her oft-repeated promise to return. Ah!a thought struck her: she would leave a note for him in the hut! Nosooner was the project determined on than she set about its execution;for there were writing materials amidst the stores saved from thecorsair-wreck. A brief but tender letter was hastily penned, and thensecured in a place where she knew he must find it should he revisit therude tenement in which they had so often slept in each other's arms. Andthat he would revisit it she both fondly hoped and firmlybelieved--revisit it so soon as the excitement and the terror, under theinfluence of which he had parted from her, should have subsided. Hermind was now much easier, and her beauty was wonderfully enhanced by theglow of animation which suffused itself over her countenance, givingadditional light to her ever brilliant eyes, and rendering her nobleaquiline face resplendent to gaze upon. 

The ships came to anchor at a distance of about two miles from theshore: and though the banners of each were fluttering in the breeze, yetNisida was not well skilled enough in discriminating the flags ofdifferent nations to be able immediately to satisfy herself to whichcountry that fleet belonged. But as she stood with her eyes fixed on theforemost vessel, which was also the largest, she observed that there wasa gilt crescent in the middle of the blood-red standard that floatedover her central poop-lantern; and a chill struck to her heart--for thethought of African pirates flashed to her mind! This alarm was, however, as evanescent as it was poignant; for another moment's reflectionconvinced her that none of the princes of Africa could send so proud afleet to sea. Following up the chain of reasoning thus suggested, andcalling to her aid all the accounts she had read of naval fights betweenthe Christians and the Moslems, she at length remembered that theblood-red banner, with the gilt crescent in the middle, denoted thepresence of the Kapitan-Pasha, or Lord High Admiral of the OttomanEmpire. Confidently believing that peace existed between Italy andTurkey, she had now no longer any fears as to the treatment she waslikely to experience at the hands of the Mohammedans; and it was withunfeigned joy that she beheld a boat, which had put off from theadmiral's ship, at length approaching the shore. 

As the magnificently painted and gorgeously gilt barge, whichtwenty-four white-turbaned rowers urged along with almost horse-racespeed, neared the strand, Nisida observed, beneath a velvet canopy inthe stern, a personage, who by his splendid apparel, his commandingdemeanor, and the respect paid to him by the slaves accompanying him, was evidently of exalted rank. She accordingly conceived that this mustbe the kapitan-pasha himself. But she was mistaken. Her delight at theapproach of the barge, which she fondly hoped would prove the means ofher deliverance from the island, was only equaled by the surprise ofthose on board at beholding a beautiful and elegantly dressed lady, unattended and alone, on the seashore, as if awaiting their arrival. And, during the few minutes which now elapsed ere the barge touched thestrand, it was evident that the high functionary seated beneath thecanopy surveyed Nisida with increasing wonder and admiration; while she, on her side, could not help noticing that he was remarkably handsome, very young, and possessing a countenance rather of an Italian than aTurkish cast of features. 

Meantime a profound silence, broken only by the slight and uniformsounds produced by the oars, prevailed: and when the boat touched thestrand, a long and wide plank, covered with velvet, was so placed as toenable the high functionary before alluded to to land conveniently. Attended by two slaves, who followed at a respectful distance, theMussulman chief advanced toward Nisida, whom he saluted in a mannerwhich strengthened her suspicion that he was not of Turkish origin, although habited in the richest Oriental costume she had ever seen, andevidently holding some very superior office among the Ottomans. Shereturned his salutation with a graceful bow and a sweet smile: and heimmediately addressed her in the Italian tongue--her own dear anddelightful language, saying, "Lady, art thou the queen of this land? orart thou, as appearances would almost lead one to conjecture, a solitaryinhabitant here?"

For he saw that she was alone--beheld no traces of culture; and therewas but one miserable dwelling, and that such as she might have built upwith her own hands. Nisida shook her head mournfully, making signs thatshe was deaf and dumb. The Mussulman chief uttered an ejaculation ofmingled surprise and grief, and surveyed the lady with additionalinterest and admiration. But in a few moments his countenance assumed asudden expression of astonishment, as if a light had broken in upon him, suggesting something more than a mere suspicion--nay, indeed, a positiveconviction; and having examined her features with the most earnestattention, he abruptly took his tablets from the folds of his garment, and wrote something on them. He then handed them to Nisida; and it wasnow her turn to experience the wildest surprise--for on the page openedto her view were these words, traced in a beautiful style ofcalligraphy, and in the Italian language: "Is it possible that yourladyship can be the Donna Nisida of Riverola?"

Nisida's eyes wandered in astonishment from the tablets to thecountenance of him who had penciled that question; but his features werecertainly not familiar to her--and yet she thought that there wassomething in the general expression of that handsome face not altogetherunknown to her. As soon as she had partially recovered from the surpriseand bewilderment produced by finding that she at least was known to theOttoman functionary, she wrote beneath his question the following reply:"I am indeed Nisida of Riverola, who for seven long months have been theonly inhabitant of this island, whereon I was shipwrecked, and I am nowanxious to return to Italy--or at all events to the first Christian portat which your fleet may touch. Have mercy upon me, then; and take mehence! But who are you, signor, that I should prove no stranger to you?"

The Ottoman chief read these words, and hastened to reply in thefollowing manner: "I have the honor to be the grand vizier of hisimperial highness the glorious Sultan Solyman, and my name is Ibrahim. Afew months ago I encountered your brother Francisco, Count of Riverola, who was then in command of a body of Tuscan auxiliaries, raised toassist in defending Rhodes against the invading arms of the mightySolyman. Your brother became my prisoner, but I treated him worthily. Heinformed me with bitter tears of the strange and mysteriousdisappearance of his well-beloved sister, who had the misfortune to bedeprived of the faculties of hearing and speech. Your brother was soonset free, after the fall of Rhodes, and he returned to his native city. But from all he told me of thee, lady, it was natural that I should erenow conjecture who thou must be. "

Ibrahim did not choose to add that he had remembered to have seen Nisidaoccasionally in their native city of Florence, and that he was indeedthe brother of her late dependent, Flora Francatelli. But theexplanation which he did give was quite sufficient to renew her deepestsurprise, as she now learnt for the first time that during her absenceher brother had been engaged in the perils of warfare. The grand viziergently withdrew from Nisida's hand the tablets on which her eyes werepositively riveted; but it was only to trace a few lines to afford heradditional explanations. When he returned the tablets to her again sheread as follows: "By a strange coincidence the glorious fleet which haswafted me hither to deliver you from this lonely isle, and which isunder the command of the kapitan-pasha in person, is bound for thewestern coast of Italy. Its mission is at present known only to myselfand a faithful Greek dependent; but your ladyship shall receive worthyattention and be duly conveyed to Leghorn. The squadron has been drivenfrom its course by a tempest which assailed us off the island of Candia;our pilot lost his reckonings, and when land was descried this morning, it was believed to be the coast of Sicily. Hast thou, lady, any means ofenlightening us as to the geographical position of this island?"

Nisida answered in the ensuing manner: "I have not the least notion ofthe geographical position of the island. An eternal summer appears toprevail in this clime, which would be a terrestrial paradise were notthe forests infested by hideous serpents of an enormous size. "

Ibrahim Pasha, having read this reply, summoned from the barge theofficer in command: and to him he communicated the intelligence which hehad just received from Nisida. That officer's countenance immediatelyunderwent a dreadful change; and, falling on his knees at Ibrahim'sfeet, he made some strong appeal, the nature of which Nisida could onlydivine by its emphatic delivery and the terrified manner of theindividual. Ibrahim smiled contemptuously, and motioned the officer withan imperious gesture to rise and return to the barge. Then, again, having recourse to the tablets, he conveyed the following information toNisida: "Lady, it appears that this is the Isle of Snakes, situated inthe Gulf of Sictra, on the African coast. Horrible superstitions areattached to this clime: and I dare not remain longer on its shore, lestI should seriously offend the prejudices of those ignorant sailors. Come, then, lady, you shall receive treatment due to your rank, yourbeauty, and your misfortunes. "

In the meantime the officer had returned to the barge, where whispersspeedily circulated in respect to the land on which that boat hadtouched; and the reader may imagine the extent of the loathing which themere name of the isle was calculated to inspire in the breasts of thesuperstitious Mussulmans, when we observe that the existence of thatisland was well known to the Turks and also to the Africans, but wasleft uninhabited, and was never visited knowingly by any of their ships. Nisida saw that the grand vizier was in haste to depart, not through anyridiculous fears on his part, because he was too enlightened to believein the fearful tales of mermaids, genii, ghouls, vampires, and otherevil spirits by which the island was said to be haunted, but because hisrenegadism had been of so recent a date that he dared not, powerful andaltered as he was, afford the least ground for suspecting that the lightof Christianity triumphed in his soul over the dark barbarism of hisassumed creed. Seeing, then, that Ibrahim Pasha was anxious to yield tothe superstitious feelings of the sailors, Nisida intimated, with agraceful bend of the head, her readiness to accompany him. But, as sheadvanced toward the boat, she cast a rapid and searching glance behindher. Alas! Wagner appeared not. 

A feeling of uneasiness, amounting almost to a pang of remorse, tookpossession of her, as she placed her foot upon the velvet-covered plank;and for an instant she hesitated to proceed. 

Could she abandon Fernand to the solitude of that isle? Could sherenounce the joys which his love had taught her to experience? And mightshe not be enabled to persuade him to make that sacrifice which wouldinvest him with a power that she herself would direct and wieldaccording to her own pleasure and suitably to her own interests? But, oh! that hesitation lasted not more than a moment; for her feet were onthe plank leading to the barge, and at a short distance floated the shipthat would bear her away from the isle. 

One longing, lingering look upon the shore of that island where she hadenjoyed so much happiness, even if she had experienced so much anxiety;one longing, lingering look, and she hesitated no more. Ibrahim escortedher to a seat beneath the velvet canopy; the officer in command gave thesignal, the barge was shoved off, the rowers plied their oars, and theisland was already far behind, ere Nisida had the courage to glancetoward it again!

CHAPTER LVII. 

Let us now return to Fernand Wagner, whom we left flying from hisNisida, flying in horror and alarm from her whom he nevertheless lovedso tenderly and devotedly. He fled as if from the brink of the yawningpit of hell, into which the malignant fiend who coveted his soul wasabout to plunge him. Nor once did he look back. Absorbed as his feelingswere in the full conviction of the tremendous peril from which he hadjust escaped, he still found room for the reflection that were he toturn and catch but one glimpse of the beauteous, oh! too beauteouscreature from whom he had torn himself away, he should be lost. His mindwas bent upon the salvation of his immortal soul; and he knew that theenemy of mankind was assailing him with a power and with an energy whichnothing save the assistance of Heaven could enable him to resist. Heknew also that Heaven helps only those who are willing and anxious tohelp themselves; and of this doctrine he had received a striking andtriumphant proof in the sudden and evanescent appearance of his guardianangel at the instant when, overpowered by the strong, the earnest, andthe pathetic pleading of the siren Nisida, he was about to proclaim hisreadiness to effect the crowning sacrifice. And it was to avoid thechance of that direful yielding--to fly from a temptation which becameirresistible when embellished with all the eloquence of a woman on whomhe doted, that Wagner sped with lightning rapidity toward the mountains. 

But the beauteous form of Nisida met not now his eyes; and deeply, profoundly, ardently as he still loved her, and felt that he must everlove her, yet, to speak soothly, he deplored not that she was no longerthere. The vision of the previous night had so firmly established hopein his soul, that he had prepared and tutored himself, during hisjourney across the mountains, to sacrifice all his happiness on earth toinsure the eternal felicity of heaven. 

No. Nisida was not there. But as he drew closer to the shore, he beheld, to his ineffable joy, the dark spot gradually assume that defined shapewhich left no room to doubt the truth of his vision, even were heinclined to be skeptical. For there, indeed, touching the strand, butstill so far in the water that a slight exertion would send itcompletely afloat, was a large boat, curiously shaped, and painted in avariety of fantastic colors. It had a mast standing, but the sail waslowered and, on a closer inspection, the boat proved to be altogetherunimpaired. 

"Heaven delights to effect its wise intentions by natural means, "thought Wagner within himself. "But surely it could not have beenthrough the agency of Nisida that this boat was left upon the shore?No, " he added aloud, after a still closer inspection; "the rope fastenedto the prow has been snapped asunder! Doubtless the boat became detachedfrom one of the ships which appeared off the island yesterday, andwhich, " he said in a low murmuring voice, and with an ill-subdued sigh, "have afforded Nisida the means of departure hence. "

He sat down, exhausted; and as he found leisure for recollection--as histhoughts composed themselves and settled down into something likecollected calmness--he felt a sensation of indescribable joy at havingtriumphed over the appalling temptations which had beset him. And in hissoul a voice seemed to be singing an anthem of delight and gratitude;and he soon experienced a serenity of mind such as he had not known formany hours past! When man, having yielded to temptation, succeeds inescaping the perils of the consequences, he beholds a strong motive forself-gratulation;--but how ineffably more sweet is it to be able toreflect that the temptation itself has been avoided in the firstinstance, and that the dangers of the results have never even beenrisked. 

Thus thought Wagner:--but not for a moment did he attribute to anystrength of mind on his own part, the escape which had just beeneffected from the snares set by the evil one. No; he acknowledged withinhimself, and with all due humility, that the hand of the Almighty hadsustained him in his most trying moments of peril; and ere he thought ofresuming his journey to that side of the island on which Nisida was not, he knelt in fervent prayer. Rising from his knees, his eyes accidentallyswept the sea:--and he was riveted to the spot from which he was aboutto turn away--for the white sails of the Ottoman fleet met hisastonished view. He remained gazing on those objects for some time, until he was convinced they were nearing the island. For a few moments adeep regret took possession of him:--he should lose his Nisidairrevocably! But his next impulse was to wrestle with this feeling--tocombat this weakness. How could he have hoped ever to rejoin her withoutrendering himself again liable to the witchery of her siren tongue--theeloquence of her silver-toned voice--the persuasiveness of her gracefulmanners? No; it were better that she should depart; it were preferablethat he should lose her and preserve his immortal soul. Thus reasonedhe;--and that reasoning was effectual. He waited only long enough toassure himself that the fleet was positively approaching the island:--hethen knew that she would depart;--and, without permitting himself toyield again to the weakness which had for a few moments threatened tosend him back within the sphere of Nisida's fatal influence, he torehimself away from that point amongst the heights which commanded theview of the side of the island where she was. Hastening around the baseof the volcano, he reached the defiles leading to that part of the islewhere he had periodically fulfilled his dreadful destiny as a Wehr-Wolf. Carefully avoiding the outskirts of the forest and the knots of largetrees, he proceeded toward the shore; and his heart was rent withfeelings of deep anguish as he everywhere beheld the traces ofdestruction left behind him by his recent run in the horrible form of asavage monster. Then, too, when melancholy thoughts had once againentered his soul, the image of Nisida appeared to flit before him in themost tempting manner; and the more he endeavored to banish from hismemory the recollection of her charms, the more vividly delineated didthey become. 

At length jealousy took possession of him;--and suddenly stopping shortin his progress toward the shore, he exclaimed aloud, "What if sheshould be wooed and won by another? If she return to her native land, asassuredly she now will, she may meet some handsome and elegant cavalierwho will succeed in winning her passions:--and I--I, who love her sowell--shall be forgotten! Oh! this is madness! To think that another maypossess her, clasp her in his arms, press his lips to hers, feel herfragrant breath fan his cheek, play with the rich tresses of herbeauteous hair, oh! no, no, the bare thought is enough to goad me todespair! She must not depart thus, we have separated, if not in anger atleast abruptly, too abruptly, considering how we have loved, and that wehave wedded each other in the sight of Heaven! Heaven!" repeated Wagner, his tone changing from despair to a deep solemnity; "heaven! Oh! Irejoice that I gave utterance to the word;--for it reminds me that toregain my Nisida I must lose heaven!"

And, as if to fly from his own reflections, he rushed on toward the sea;and there he stopped to gaze, as oft before he had gazed, on the mightyexpanse, seeming, in the liquid sunlight, as it stretched away from theyellow sand, a resplendent lake of molten silver bounded by a goldenshore. 

"How like to the human countenance art thou, oh mighty sea!" thoughtWagner, as he stood with folded arms on the brink of the eternal waters. "Now thou hast smiles as soft and dimples as beautiful as ever appearedin the face of innocence and youth, while the joyous sunlight is onthee. But if the dark clouds gather in the heaven above thee, thoustraightway assumed a mournful and a gloomy aspect, and thou growestthreatening and somber. And in how many varied voices dost thou speak. Oh, treacherous and changeful sea! Now thou whisperest softly as if thyripples conveyed faint murmurs of love;--but, if the gale arise, thoucanst burst forth into notes of laughter as thy waters leap to the shorewith bounding mirth;--and, if the wind grow higher, thou canst speaklouder and more menacingly; till, when the storm comes on, thou lashestthyself into a fury, --thou boilest with rage, and thy wrathful voicevies with the rush of the tempest and the roar of the thunder! Deceitfulsea--imaging the beauties, thoughts, and passions of the earth! Withinthy mighty depths, too, thou hast gems to deck the crowns of kings andthe brows of loveliness; and yet thou cravest for more--more--andengulfest rich argosies with all their treasures--thou insatiate sea!And in thy dark caverns are the skeletons of the myriads of human beingswhom thou hast swallowed up in thy fury; and whose bones are trophieswhich thou retainest in thy fathomless depths, as the heart of manenshrineth the relics of those hopes which have wasted away andperished!"

Thus thought Wagner, as he stood gazing upon the sea, then so calm andbeautiful, but which he knew to be so treacherous. When wearied of thereflections which that scene inspired, and not daring to allow his mindto dwell upon the image of Nisida, he repaired to the nearest grove andrefreshed himself with the cooling fruits which he plucked. Then heextended his rambles amongst the verdant plains, and strove strenuouslyto divert his thoughts as much as possible from the one grand andmournful idea--the departure of Nisida from the island! But vainly didhe endeavor to fix his attention upon the enchanting characteristics ofthat clime;--the flowers appeared to him less brilliant in hue than theywere wont to be--the fruits were less inviting--the verdure was of aless lively green--and the plumage of the birds seemed to have lost thebright gloss that rendered its colors so gorgeous in the sunlight. For, oh! the powers of his vision were almost completely absorbed in hismind; and that mind was a mirror wherein was now reflected with apainful vividness all the incidents of the last few hours. 

But still he was sustained in his determination not to retrace his wayto the spot where he had left Nisida; and when several hours had passed, and the sun was drawing near the western horizon, he exclaimed, in amoment of holy triumph, "She has doubtless by this time quitted theisland, and I have been enabled to resist those anxious longings whichprompted me to return and clasp her in my arms! O God! I thank thee thatthou hast given me this strength!"

Wagner now felt so overcome with weariness after his wanderings androamings of so many hours, especially as the two preceding nights hadbeen sleepless for him--that he sat down upon a piece of low rock nearthe shore. A quiet, dreamy repose insensibly stole over him: in a fewminutes his slumber was profound. And now he beheld a strange vision. Gradually the darkness which appeared to surround him grew less intense;and a gauzy vapor that rose in the midst, at first of the palest bluishtint possible, by degrees obtained more consistency, when its naturebegan to undergo a sudden change, assuming the semblance of a luminousmist. Wagner's heart seemed to flutter and leap in his breast, as ifwith a presentiment of coming joy; for the luminous mist became aglorious halo, surrounding the beauteous and holy form of a protectingangel, clad in white and shining garments, and with snowy wings droopingslowly from her shoulders! And ineffably--supernally benign andreassuring was the look which the angel bent upon the sleeping Wagner, as she said in the softest, most melodious tones, "The choir of theheavenly host has hymned thanks for thy salvation! After thou hadstresisted the temptations of the enemy of mankind when he spoke to theewith his own lips, an angel came to thee in a dream to give theeassurance that thou hadst already done much in atonement for the crimethat endangered thy soul; but he warned thee then that much moreremained to be done ere that atonement would be complete. And the restis now accomplished; for thou hast resisted the temptations of the evilone when urged by the tongue and in the melodious voice of lovely woman!This was thy crowning triumph: and the day when thou shalt reap thyreward is near at hand; for the bonds which connect thee with thedestiny of a Wehr-Wolf shall be broken, and thy name shall be inscribedin Heaven's own Book of Life! And I will give thee a sign, that whatthou seest and hearest now in thy slumber is no idle and delusive visionconjured up by a fevered brain. The sign shall be this: On awaking fromthy sleep, retrace thy way to the spot where this morning thou didstseparate from her whom thou lovest; and there shalt thou find a boatupon the sand. The boat will waft thee to Sicily; and there, in the townof Syracuse, thou must inquire for a man whose years have numbered onehundred and sixty-two; for that man it is who will teach thee how thespell which has made thee a Wehr-Wolf may be broken. "

Scarcely had the angel finished speaking, when a dark form rose suddenlynear that heavenly being; and Wagner had no difficulty in recognizingthe demon. But the enemy of mankind appeared not armed with terrors ofcountenance, nor with the withering scorn of infernal triumph; for amoment his features denoted ineffable rage--and then that expressionyielded to one of the profoundest melancholy, as if he were sayingwithin himself, "There is salvation for repentant man, but none for me!"A cloud now seemed to sweep before Wagner's eyes; denser and more denseit grew--first absorbing in its increasing obscurity the form of thedemon, and then enveloping the radiant being who still continued tosmile sweetly and benignly upon the sleeping mortal until the gloriouscountenance and the shining garments were no longer visible, but all wasblack darkness around. And Fernand Wagner continued to sleep profoundly. 

Many hours elapsed ere he woke; and his slumber was serene and soothing. At length when he opened his eyes and slowly raised his head from thehard pillow which a mass of rock had formed, he beheld the rich redstreaks in the eastern horizon, heralding the advent of the sun; and asthe various features of the island gradually developed themselves to hisview, as if breaking slowly from a mist, he collected and rearranged inhis mind all the details of the strange vision which he had seen. For afew minutes he was oppressed with a fear that his vision would indeedprove the delusive sport of his fevered brain; for there seemed to be inits component parts a wild admixture of the sublime and the fantastic. The solemn language of the angel appeared strangely diversified by theintimation that he would find a boat upon the shore, that this boatwould convey him to a place where he was to inquire for a man whose agewas one hundred and sixty-two years, and that this man was the beingdestined to save him from the doom of a Wehr-Wolf. 

Then, again, he thought that heaven worked out its designs by meansoften inscrutable to human comprehension: and he blamed himself forhaving doubted the truth of the vision. Feelings of joy thereforeaccompanied the reassurance of his soul; and, having poured forth histhanksgivings for the merciful intervention of Providence in his behalf, he tarried not even to break his fast with the fruits clustering at ashort distance from him, but hastened to retrace his way across themountains, no longer doubting to find the sign fulfilled and the boatupon the shore. And now these thoughts rose within him. Should he againbehold Nisida? Was the fleet, which he had seen on the previous day, still off the island? Or had it departed, bearing Nisida away to anotherclime?

He expected not to behold either the fleet or his loved one; for he feltconvinced that the angel would not send him back within the influence ofher temptations. Nor was he mistaken, for having traversed the volcanicrange of heights, he beheld naught to break the uniform and monotonousaspect of the sunlit sea. But, on drawing nearer to the shore, he saw adark spot almost immediately in front of the little hut which Nisida andhimself had constructed, and wherein they had passed so many, many happyhours. 

He now advanced with a beating heart to the hut. The door was closed. Was it possible that Nisida might be within? Oh, how weak in purpose isthe strongest minded of mortals. For an instant a pleasing hope filledWagner's breast; and then, again summoning all his resolutions to hisaid, he opened the door, resolved, should she indeed be there, to remainproof against all the appeals she might make to induce him to sacrificeto their mundane prosperity his immortal soul. But the hut was empty. Helingered in it for a few moments; and the reminiscences of happy hourspassed therein swept across his brain. Suddenly the note which Nisidahad left for him met his eyes; and it would be representing him assomething far more or else far less than human, were we to declare hedid not experience a feeling of intense pleasure at beholding thememorial of her love. The tears flowed down his cheeks as he read thefollowing lines:

 "The hour approaches, dearest Fernand, when, in all probability, I shall quit the island. But think not that this hope is unaccompanied by severe pangs. Oh, thou knowest that I love thee, and I will return to thee, my own adored Fernand, so soon as my presence shall be no longer needed at Florence. Yes, I will come back to thee, and we will not part until death shall deprive thee of _me_--for I must perish first, and while thou still remainest in all the glory of regenerated youth. Alas, thou hast fled from me this morning in anger--perhaps in disgust. But thou wilt forgive me, Fernand, if, yielding to some strange influence which I could not control, I urged an appeal so well calculated to strike terror into thy soul. Oh, that I could embrace thee ere I leave this isle; but alas! thou comest not back--thou hast fled to the mountains. It is, however, in the ardent hope of thy return to this spot, that I leave these few lines to assure thee of my undying affection, to pledge to thee my intention to hasten back to thine arms as soon as possible, and to implore thee not to nourish anger against thy devoted NISIDA. "

Wagner placed the letter to his lips, exclaiming, "Oh, wherefore did anevil influence ever prove its power on thee, thou loving, loved, andbeauteous being. Why was thy hand raised against the hapless Agnes?wherefore did fate make thee a murderess--and why, oh, why didst thouassail me with prayers, tears, reproaches, menaces, to induce me toconsign my soul to Satan? Nisida, may Heaven manifest its mercifulgoodness unto thee, even as that same benign care has been extended tome. "

Fernand then placed the letter in his bosom, next to his heart, anddashing away the tears from his long lashes, began to turn his attentiontoward the preparation for his own departure from the island. As heapproached the pile of stores, he beheld the light drapery which Nisidahad lately worn, but which she had laid aside previous to leaving theisland; and he also observed that the rich dress, which he had oftenseen her examine with care, was no longer there. 

"How beautiful she must have appeared in the garb!" he murmured tohimself. "But, alas! she returns to the great world to resume her formercharacter of the deaf and dumb. "

Nisida and himself had often employed themselves in gathering quantitiesof those fruits which form an excellent aliment when dried in the sun;and there was a large supply of these comestibles now at his disposal. He accordingly transferred them to the boat; then he procured a quantityof fresh fruits; and lastly he filled with pure water a cask which hadbeen saved by Nisida from the corsair-wreck. His preparations werespeedily completed; and he was about to depart, when it struck him thathe might never behold Nisida again, and that she might perform herpromise of returning to the island sooner or later. He accordinglyavailed himself of the writing materials left amongst the stores, to pena brief but affectionate note, couched in the following terms:

 "DEAREST NISIDA, --I have found, read, and wept over thy letter. Thou hast my sincerest forgiveness, because I love thee more than man ever before loved woman. Heaven has sent me the means of escape from this island--and the doom at which my regenerated existence was purchased, will shortly lose its spell. But perhaps my life may be surrendered up at the same time; at all events, everything is dark and mysterious in respect to means by which that spell is to be broken. Should we never meet again, but shouldst thou return hither and find this note, receive it as a proof of the unchanging affection of thy

 "FERNAND. "

The letter was placed in the hut, in precisely the same spot where theone written by Nisida had been left; and Wagner then hastened to theboat, which he had no difficulty in pushing away from the shore. Withoutbeing able to form any idea of the direction in which the island ofSicily lay, but trusting entirely to the aid of Heaven to guide him tothe coast whither his destiny now required him to proceed, he hoistedthe sail and abandoned the boat to the gentle breeze which swept thesurface of the Mediterranean. 

 * * * * *

The state-cabins--they might more properly be called spaciousapartments--occupied by the Grand Vizier Ibrahim Pasha, on board theship of the lord high admiral, were fitted up in a most sumptuous andluxurious manner. They consisted of two large saloons in a suit, andfrom each of which opened, on either side, a number of small cabins, tenanted by the officers immediately attached to the grand vizier'sperson, and the page and slaves in attendance on him. 

The first of the two large saloons was lighted by a handsome conicalskylight on the deck: the innermost had the advantage of the sternwindows. The drapery--the curtains, the carpets, the sofas, and thehangings were all of the richest materials; the sides and ceilings ofthe cabin were beautifully painted and elaborately gilded, and thewood-work of the windows was incrusted with thin slabs ofvariously-colored marbles, on which were engraved the ciphers of thedifferent lord high admirals who had hoisted their flags at any time onboard that ship. For the state-apartments which we are describingproperly belonged to the kapitan-pasha himself; but they had beensurrendered to the grand vizier, as a mark of respect to the superiorrank of this minister, during his stay on board. 

The little cabins communicating with the large saloons were in realityintended to accomodate the ladies of the kapitan-pasha's harem; butIbrahim did not turn them to a similar use, because it was contrary toOttoman usage for the Princess Aischa, being the sultan's sister, toaccompany her husband on any expedition; and he had received so menacinga warning in the fate of Calanthe not to provoke the jealousy of Aischaor the vengeance of her mother, the Sultana Valida, that he had broughtnone of the ladies of his own harem with him. Indeed, since the violentdeath of Calanthe the harem had been maintained at Constantinople ratheras an appendage of high rank than as a source of sensual enjoyment. 

Nisida of Riverola was treated with the utmost deference and attentionby the Grand Vizier, Ibrahim Pasha; and on reaching the lord highadmiral's ship, she was instantly conducted to the innermost saloon, which she was given to understand by signs would be exclusivelyappropriated to her own use. The slaves occupying the small cabinsopening therefrom were removed to another part of the ship; and the keyof the door connecting the two saloons was handed by the polite Ibrahimto the lady as a guaranty, or at least an apparent one, of the respectwith which she should be treated and the security she might hope toenjoy. 

The fleet weighed anchor and set sail again almost immediately after thereturn of the grand vizier to the admiral's ship; and as she was waftedaway from the Island of Snakes, Nisida sat at the window of her splendidsaloon gazing at the receding shores, and so strangely balancing betweenher anxiety to revisit Florence and her regrets at abandoning FernandWagner, that while smiles were on her lips, tears were in her eyes, andif her bosom palpitated with joy at one moment it would heave withprofound sighs at the next. 

In the afternoon four male slaves entered Nisida's cabin, and spreadupon the table a magnificent repast, accompanied with the most deliciouswines of Cyprus and Greece--and while the lady partook slightly of thebanquet, two other slaves appeared and danced in a pleasing style forseveral minutes. They retired, but shortly returned, carrying in theirhands massive silver censers, in which burnt aloes, cinnamon and otherodoriferous woods diffused a delicious perfume around. The four slaveswho attended at table removed the dishes on splendid silver salvers, andthen served sherbet and a variety of delicious fruits; and when therepast was terminated, they all withdrew, leaving Nisida once morealone. The Island of Snakes had been lost sight of for some hours, andthe fresh breeze of evening was playing upon the cheeks of the LadyNisida as she sat at the open casement of her splendid saloon, watchingthe ships that followed in the wake of that in which she was, when thesounds of voices in the adjacent cabin attracted her attention; and asthe partition was but slight, and the persons discoursing spoke Italian, she could not help overhearing the conversation which there look place, even if she had possessed any punctilious feelings to have prevented herfrom becoming a willing listener. 

"The Lady Nisida is a magnificent woman, Demetrius, " observed a voicewhich our heroine immediately recognized to be that of the grand vizier. "Such a splendid aquiline countenance I never before beheld! Such eyes, too, such a delicious mouth, and such brilliant teeth! What a pity 'tisthat she has not the use of her tongue! The voice of such a gloriouscreature, speaking mine own dear Italian language, would be musicitself. And how admirably is she formed--upon somewhat too large aScale, perhaps, to precisely suit my taste, and yet the contours of hershape are so well rounded--so perfectly proportioned in the mostharmonious symmetry, that were she less of the Hebe she would be lesscharming. "

"Is your highness already enamored of Donna Nisida?" asked the person towhom the grand vizier had addressed the preceding observations. 

"I must confess that I am, Demetrius, " replied Ibrahim; "I would give ayear of my life to become her favored lover for one day. But consideringthat I hope to see my sister Flora become the wife of Donna Nisida'sbrother Francisco, I must restrain this passion of mine within duebounds. But wherefore do you sigh thus heavily, Demetrius?"

"Alas! my lord, the mention you make of your sister reminded me that Ionce possessed a sister also, " returned the Greek in a plaintive tone. "But when I returned to Constantinople, I sought vainly for her, andHeaven knows what has become of her, and whether I shall ever see hermore. Poor Calanthe! some treachery has doubtless been practiced towardthee!"

"Don't give way to despair, Demetrius, " said the grand vizier. "Whoknows but Calanthe may have espoused some youth on whom her affectionswere set----"

"Ah! my lord!" interrupted the Greek, "it is considerate--it is kind onthe part of your highness to suggest such a consolatory belief; butCalanthe would not keep an honorable bridal secret. Yet better were itthat she should be dead--that she should have been basely murdered bysome ruthless robber, than that she should live dishonored. However, Iwill not intrude my griefs upon your highness, although the friendshipand the condescension which your highness manifests toward me, emboldensme to mention these sorrows in your presence. "

"Would that I could really console thee, Demetrius, " answered Ibrahim, with well-affected sincerity; "for thou hast shown thyself a sincerefriend to my poor sister Flora. And now that we are alone together, Demetrius, for almost the first time since this hastily undertakenvoyage began, let us recapitulate in detail all the occurrences whichhave led me to enter upon the present expedition the real nature ofwhich you alone know, save my imperial master. And, moreover, let uscontinue to discourse in Italian; for thou canst speak that languagemore fluently than I can express myself in thy native Greek; besides, itrejoices my heart, " he added with a sigh, "to converse in a tongue sodear as that of the land which gave me birth. And, if Donna Nisida onlyknew that in the representative of the mighty Solyman she had beholdenthe brother of her late menial, Flora, how surprised would she be!"

"And it were not prudent that she should learn that fact, my lord!"observed Demetrius, "for more reasons than one; since from sundry hintswhich the Signora Francatelli, your lordship's worthy aunt, dropped tome, it is easy to believe that the Donna Nisida was averse to theattachment which her brother Francisco had formed, and that her ladyshipindeed was the means of consigning your highness' sister to the conventof the Carmelites. "

"Albeit I shall not treat Count Francisco's sister the less worthily, now that she is in my power, " said Ibrahim Pasha; "indeed, her matchlessbeauty would command my forbearance, were I inclined to be vindictive. Moreover, deaf and dumb as she is, she could not obtain the leastinsight into my plans; and therefore she is unable to thwart them. "

The reader may suppose that not one single word of all this conversationwas lost upon Nisida, who had indeed learnt, with the most unboundedwonderment, that the high and mighty grand vizier of the OttomanEmpire--a man enjoying an almost sovereign rank, and who bore a titlewhich placed him on a level with the greatest princes of Christendom, was the brother of the detested Flora Francatelli! During a short pausewhich ensued in the dialogue between Ibrahim Pasha and his Greekconfidant, Nisida stole gently up to the door in the partitions betweenthe two saloons, so fearful was she of losing a single word of adiscourse that so deeply interested and nearly concerned her. 

"But, as I was saying ere now, Demetrius, " resumed the grand vizier, who, young as he was, had acquired all the methodical habits of a wisestatesman, "let us examine in detail the whole posture of affairs inFlorence, so that I may maturely consider the precise bearings of thecase, and finally determine how to act. For, although I have at mydisposal a fleet which might cope with even that of enterprising Englandor imperious France, though twenty thousand well-disciplined soldiers onboard these ships are ready to draw the sword at my nod, and though, asthe seraskier and sipehsalar of the armies of the sultan, I amresponsible for my actions to his majesty alone, yet it is not a smallthing, Demetrius, to march an invading force into the heart of Italy, and thereby risk a war with all Christendom. Therefore, let us pause toreflect upon every detail of all those incidents which occurred twomonths ago at Florence. "

"Good, my lord, " said Demetrius. "I will therefore begin with my arrivalin that fair city, to which I repaired with all possible dispatch, assoon as I had received the instructions of your highness. It wouldappear that the Lord Count of Riverola reached Florence the same day asmyself, he having been detained at the outset of his voyage home fromRhodes by contrary winds and a severe storm. It was somewhat late in theevening when I called at the cottage of the Signora Francatelli, yourhighness' worthy aunt; for I previously passed a few hours ininstituting by indirect means as many inquiries concerning hercircumstances and welfare as could be prudently made. To my grief, however, I could not ascertain any tidings concerning your highness'sister; and I therefore came to the mournful conclusion that herdisappearance still remained unaccounted for. Pondering upon the sadtidings which, in this respect, I should have to forward to yourhighness, and having already devised a fitting tale whereby to introducemyself to your lordship's aunt, I went to the cottage, which, as I heardin the course of a subsequent conversation, Don Francisco of Riverolahad just quitted. Your highness' aunt received me with as muchcordiality as she could well show toward a stranger. Then, in accordancewith my pre-arranged method of procedure, I stated I was sent by a sonof a debtor to the estate of the late Signor Francatelli, to repay toany of his surviving relations a large sum of money which had been solong--so very long owing, and the loss of which at the time had mainlycontributed to plunge Signor Francatelli into embarrassment. I addedthat the son of the debtor having grown rich, had deemed it an act ofduty and honor to liquidate this liability on the part of his deceasedfather. My tale was believed; the case of jewels, which I had previouslycaused to be estimated by a goldsmith in Florence, was received as themeans of settling the fictitious debt; and I was forthwith a welcomefriend at the worthy lady's table. "

"The stratagem was a good one, Demetrius, " observed the grand vizier. "But proceed, and fear not that thou wilt weary me with lengtheneddetails. "

"I stayed to partake of the evening repast, " continued the Greek; "andthe Signora Francatelli grew confiding and communicative, as was nothingmore than natural, inasmuch as I necessarily appeared in the light ofthe agent of a worthy and honorable man who had not forgotten theobligation to a family that had suffered by his father's conduct. Iassured the signora that the person by whom I was employed to liquidatethat debt, would be rejoiced to hear of the success of the Francatellis, and I ventured to make inquiries concerning the orphan children of thelate merchant. "

"Proceed, Demetrius, " said the grand vizier, "spare not a singledetail. "

"Your highness shall be obeyed, " returned the Greek, though now speakingwith considerable diffidence. "The worthy lady shook her headmournfully, observing that Alessandro, the son of the late merchant, wasin Turkey, she believed; and then she rose hastily, and opening a doorleading to a staircase, called her niece to descend, as 'there was onlya friend present. ' I was overjoyed to learn thus unexpectedly, that theSignora Flora had reappeared; and when she entered the room, couldscarcely conceal my delight beneath that aspect of mere cold courtesywhich it became a stranger to wear. The young lady appeared perfectlyhappy, and no wonder! For when she had retired, after staying a fewminutes in the room, her good aunt, in the fullness of her confidence inme, not only related all the particulars of the Signora Flora'simmurement in the Carmelite Convent, but also explained to me hermotives for so long concealing the young lady's return home, as I haveheretofore narrated to your highness. The worthy aunt then informed methat the Count of Riverola had only returned that day from thewars--that he had made honorable proposals to her on behalf of theSignora Flora--and that it was intended to sustain the mystery whichveiled the young lady's existence and safety in the cottage, until themarriage should have been privately effected, when it would be too latefor the count's friends to interfere or renew their persecutions againstyour lordship's sister. Your highness' aunt dropped hints intimating hersuspicion that the Lady Nisida was the principal, if not indeed the solemeans of those persecutions which had consigned the innocent youngmaiden to the Carmelite Convent. And the more I reflect on this point, in view of all I know of the affairs, and of Donna Nisida's strange andresolute character, the more I am convinced that she really perpetratedthat diabolical outrage. "

"Were it not for young Francisco's sake, and that I should bringdishonor into a family with which my sister will, I hope, be soonconnected with marriage ties, " exclaimed Ibrahim, "I would avenge myselfand my sister's wrongs by forcing the cruel Nisida to yield herself tomy arms. But no, it must not be. "

And Nisida, who overheard every syllable, curled her lips, while hereyes flashed fire at the dark menace which the renegade had dared toutter, qualified though it were by the avowal of the motive which wouldprevent him from putting it into execution. 

"No, it must not be, " repeated Ibrahim. "And yet, she is so wondrouslybeautiful that I would risk a great deal to win her love. But proceed, Demetrius--we now come to that portion of the narrative which so nearlyconcerns my present proceedings. "

"Yes, my lord, and God give your highness success!" exclaimed the youngGreek. "Having taken leave of your excellent aunt, who invited me tovisit her again, as I had casually observed that business would detainme in Florence for some time, and having promised the strictest secrecyrelative to all she had told me, I repaired to the inn at which I hadput up, intending to devote the next day to writing the details of allthose particulars which I have just related, and which I purposed tosend by some special messenger to your highness. But it then struck methat I should only attract undue attention to myself by conducting at apublic tavern a correspondence having so important an aspect, and Iaccordingly rose very early in the morning to sally forth to seek aftera secluded but respectable lodging, I eventually obtained suitableapartments in the house of a widow named Dame Margaretha, and there Iimmediately took up my abode. Having written my letters to yourhighness, I was anxious to get them expedited to Constantinople, for Iwas well aware that your highness would be rejoiced to hear that yourbeloved sister was indeed in the land of the living, that she was ingood health, and that a brilliant marriage was in store for her. Iaccordingly spoke to Dame Margaretha relative to the means of obtaininga trusty messenger who would undertake a journey to Constantinople. Theold woman assured me that her son Antonio, who was a valet in theservice of the Count of Arestino, would be able to procure me such amessenger as I desired, and in the course of the day that individual wasfetched by his mother to speak to me on the subject. Having repeated mywishes to him, he asked me several questions which seemed to indicate aprying disposition, and a curiosity as impertinent as it wasinconvenient. In fact, I did not like his manner at all; but conceivingthat his conduct might arise from sheer ignorance, and from no sinistermotive, I still felt inclined to avail myself of his assistance toprocure a messenger. Finding that he could not sift me, he at lengthsaid that he had no doubt a friend of his, whom he named Venturo, wouldundertake my commission, and he promised to return with that individualin the evening. He then left me, and true to his promise, he came backshortly after dusk, accompanied by this same Venturo. The bargain wassoon struck between us, and he promised to set off that very night forRimini, whence vessels were constantly sailing for Constantinople. Igave him a handsome sum in advance, and also a sealed packet, addressedto your highness' private secretary, but containing an inclosure, alsowell sealed, directed to your highness, for I did not choose to excitethe curiosity of these Italians by allowing them to discover that I wascorresponding with the grand vizier of the Ottoman Empire, Venturoaccordingly left me, promising to acquit himself faithfully of hismission. "

"Your plans were all wisely taken, " said the grand vizier, "and no humanforesight could have anticipated other than successful results. Proceed, for although you have hastily sketched all these particulars to mebefore, yet I am anxious to consider them in more attentive detail. "

"Having thus disposed of that important business, " resumed the youngGreek, "I went out to saunter through the streets of Florence, and whileaway an hour or two in viewing the splendid appearance of that charmingcity, when lighted up with the innumerable lamps of its palaces andcasinos. At length I entered a dark and obscure street, which I knewmust lead toward the river. I had not proceeded far down the street whenI heard the sound of many steps rapidly approaching, as if of a patrol. I stepped aside under a deep archway, but as chance would have it, theystopped short within a few paces of the spot where I was shrouded in theutter obscurity of the arch. I should have immediately passed on my way, but was induced to stop by hearing a voice which I recognized to be thatof Venturo, whom I believed to be already some miles away from Florence. I was perfectly astounded at this discovery, and if I had entertainedany doubts as to the identity of that voice, they were speedily clearedup by the conversation between the men. 'We had better separate here, 'said Venturo, 'and break into at least two parties, as at the bottom ofthis street we shall come within the blaze of the lights of the casinoson the Arno's bank. ' 'Well spoken, ' returned a voice which, to myincreasing wonder, I recognized to be that of Antonio, my landlady'sson; 'you and I, Venturo, will keep together, and our friends can go onfirst. We will follow them in a few minutes, and then unite again at theangle of the grove nearest to Dame Francatelli's cottage. What say you, Lomellino?' 'Just as you think fit, Antonio, ' returned a third person, whom I naturally concluded to be the individual addressed as Lomellino. 'You, or rather your master, the Count of Arestino, pays for thisbusiness, and so I am bound to obey you. ' 'Listen, then, ' resumedAntonio, 'the young Count of Riverola, whom I have traced to the cottagethis evening, will no doubt be coming away about the time we shall allmeet down there; and therefore we shall have nothing to do but to carryhim off to the cave. ' 'Why is the Count of Arestino so hostile to youngRiverola?' demanded the man who had answered to the name of Lomellino. 'He cares nothing about young Riverola, either one way or the other, 'replied Antonio, 'but I have persuaded his lordship that if Francisco beleft at large, he will only use his influence to mitigate the vengeanceof the law against the Countess Giulia, who is the friend of FloraFrancatelli: and so the Count of Arestino has consented to follow myadvice and have Francisco locked up until the inquisition has dealt withthe countess, her lover, the Marquis of Orsini, and the Francatellis, aunt and niece. ' 'Then you have a spite against this man, ' saidLomellino. 'Truly have I, ' responded Antonio. 'You remember that nightwhen you, with Stephano Verrina and Piero, got into the Riverola Palacesome months ago? Well, I don't know who discovered the plot, but I waslocked in my room, and next morning young Francisco dismissed me in away that made me his mortal enemy: and I must have vengeance. For thispurpose I have urged on the count to cause Flora Francatelli, whomFrancisco loves and wishes to marry, to be included in the proceedingstaken by the inquisition at his lordship's instigation against theCountess Giulia and the Marquis d'Orsini; and the old aunt mustnecessarily be thrown in, into the bargain, for harboring sacrilegiouspersons. ' 'And so young Francisco is to lose his mistress, Flora, and bekept a prisoner in the cavern till he has been condemned along with theothers?' said Lomellino. 'Neither more nor less than what you imagine, and I only wish I had the Lady Nisida also in my power, for I have nodoubt she instigated her brother to turn me off suddenly like a commonthief, because from all you have since told me, Lomellino, I dare swearit was she who got an inkling of our intentions to plunder the RiverolaPalace; though how she could have done so, being deaf and dumb, passesmy understanding. ' 'Well, well, ' growled Lomellino, 'it is no use towaste time talking of the past: let us only think of the present. Come, my men, we will go on first, as already agreed. ' Three or four armedruffians then put themselves in motion, passing close by the place whereI was concealed, but fortunately without discovering my presence. "

"Oh! those miscreants would have assuredly murdered you, my faithfulDemetrius, " said the grand vizier. 

"Of that, my lord, there is little doubt, " returned the young Greek;"and I must confess that I shuddered more than once while listening tothe discourse of the cold-blooded monsters. But Venturo and Antoniostill remained behind for a few minutes, and the discourse which tookplace between them, gave me a still further insight into the charactersof the gang. 'Well, Venturo, ' said Antonio, after a short pause, 'haveyou examined the packet which was intrusted to you?' 'I have, and thecontents are written in Greek or Arabic, or some such outlandish tongue, for I could not read a word of them, ' answered Venturo; 'and so Ithought the best plan was to destroy them. ' 'You acted wisely, ' observedAntonio; 'by the saints! it was a good thought of mine to introduce youto my mother's lodger as a trustworthy messenger! If he only knew thatwe had shared his gold, and were laughing at him for his credulity, hewould not be over well pleased. His purse appears to be pretty welllined, and when we have got all our present business off our hands wewill devote our attention to the lodger. The Arno is deep and aforeigner the less in the city will not be noticed. ' 'Not at all, 'answered Venturo; 'but let us now hasten to join our companions. At whattime are the officers of the inquisition to visit the cottage?' 'Theyare no doubt already in the neighborhood, ' replied Antonio, 'and willpounce upon their victims as soon as young Francisco leaves the place. Another set of officers are after the Marquis of Orsini. ' The twomiscreants then departed, continuing their conversation in a low tone asthey went along the street, but I overheard no more. "

"The wretches!" exclaimed the grand vizier, in an excited voice. "Butvengeance will light upon them yet!"

"Heaven grant that they may not go unpunished!" said Demetrius. "Yourhighness may imagine the consternation with which I had listened to thedevelopment of the damnable plots then in progress; but I neverthelessexperienced a material solace in the fact that accident had thusrevealed to me the whole extent of the danger which menaced those whomyour highness held dear. Without pausing to deliberate, I resolved, atall risks, to proceed at once to the cottage, and, if not too late, warnyour aunt and lovely sister of the terrible danger which menaced them. Nay, more--I determined to remove them immediately from Florence--thatvery night--without an unnecessary moment's delay. Darting along thestreets, as if my speed involved matters of life and death, I succeededin passing the two villains, Venturo and Antonio, before they hadentered the sphere of the brilliant illuminations of the casinos in thevale of Arno; and I beard one say to the other, 'There's some cowardlyknave who has just done a deed of which he is no doubt afraid. 'Convinced by this remark that they suspected not who the person thatpassed them so rapidly was, I hurried on with increasing speed, andlikewise with augmented hope to be enabled to save not only yourlordship's aunt and sister from the officers of the inquisition, butalso the young Count of Riverola from the power of his miscreantenemies. Alas! my anticipations were not to be fulfilled! I lost my wayamongst a maze of gardens connected with the villas bordering on theArno; and much valuable time at such a crisis was wasted in the circuitswhich I had to make to extricate myself from the labyrinth and reach thebank of the river. At length I drew within sight of the cottage; but myheart beat with terrible alarms as I beheld lights moving rapidly aboutthe house. 'It is too late, ' I thought: and yet I rushed on toward theplace. But suddenly the door opened, and by a glare of light within, Isaw three females closely muffled in veils, led forth by several armedmen. It instantly struck me that the third must be the Countess Giuliaof Arestino to whom I heard the miscreants allude. I stopped short--forI knew that any violent demonstration or interference on my part wouldbe useless, and that measures of another kind must be adopted on behalfof the victims. As the procession now advanced from a cottage, Iconcealed myself in the adjacent grove, wondering whether CountFrancisco had been already arrested or whether he had managed to eludehis enemies. The procession, consisting of the officers of theinquisition with their three female prisoners, who were dragged ratherthan led along, passed by the spot where I lay concealed; and the deepsobs which came from the unfortunate ladies, gagged though theyevidently were, filled my heart with horror and anguish. As soon as theyhad disappeared I struck further into the grove, knowing by itssituation that the outlet on the other side would conduct me to thenearest road to that quarter of the city in which I lodged. But scarcelyhad I reached the outskirts of the little wood in the direction which Ihave named, when I saw a party of men moving on in front of me, throughthe obscurity of the night. It struck me that this party might consistof Antonio, Venturo, and other worthies, and I determined to ascertainwhether Count Francisco had fallen into their hands. I accordinglyfollowed them as cautiously as possible, taking care to skirt the grovein such a manner that I was concealed by its deep shade, whereas thosewhom I was watching proceeded further away from the trees. Thus theparty in advance and myself continued our respective paths for nearly aquarter of an hour, during which I ascertained beyond all doubt that themen whom I was following were really the villains of the Antonio gang, and that they had a prisoner with them who could be no other than theCount of Riverola. 

"At length the grove terminated, and I was about to abandon furtherpursuit as dangerous, when it struck me that I should be acting in acowardly and unworthy manner not to endeavor to ascertain the localityof the cave of which I had heard the miscreants speak, and to which theywere most probably conveying him who was so dear to the beautifulSignora Flora. Accordingly I managed to track the party across severalfields to a grove of evergreens. But as they advanced without caring howthey broke through the crackling thickets, the noise of their movementsabsorbed the far fainter sounds which accompanied my progress. Sosuccessful was my undertaking that I was soon within twenty paces ofthem. But it was profoundly dark, and I was unable to observe theirmovements. I computed the distance they were from me, and calculated soas to form an idea of the exact spot where they were standing; for, byan observation which one of the villains let drop, I learnt that theyhad reached the entrance of their cavern. It also struck me that I hearda bell ring as if in the depths of the earth, and I concluded that thiswas a signal to obtain admittance. While I was weighing these matters inmy mind, Lomellino suddenly exclaimed, 'Let the prisoner be taken downfirst; and have a care, Venturo, that the bandage is well fastened. ''All right, captain, ' was the reply; and thus I ascertained thatLomellino was the chief of some band most probably, I thought, ofrobbers; for I remembered the allusions which had been made that eveningby Antonio to a certain predatory visit some months previously to theRiverola mansion. 'God help Francisco, ' I said within myself, as Ireflected upon the desperate character of the men who had him in theirpower; and then I was consoled by the remembrance that he was merely tobe detained as a prisoner for a period, and not harmed. "

"Unfortunately such demons as those Florentine banditti are capable ofevery atrocity, " observed the grand vizier. 

"True, my lord, " observed Demetrius; "but let us hope that all those inwhom your highness is interested, will yet be saved. I shall, however, continue my narrative. Three or four minutes had elapsed since therobbers had come to a full stop, when I knew by the observations madeamongst them, that they were descending into some subterranean place. Iaccordingly waited with the utmost anxiety until I was convinced thatthey had all disappeared with their prisoner; and then I creptcautiously along to the place at which I had already reckoned them tohave paused. I stooped down, and carefully felt upon the ground, until Iwas enabled to ascertain the precise point at which the marks of theirfootsteps had ceased. At this moment the moon shone forth with suchextreme brilliancy, that its beams penetrated the thick foliage; and Inow observed with horror that I had advanced to the very verge of asteep precipice, on the brink of which the grove suddenly ceased. Hadnot the moon thus providentially appeared at that instant, I should havecontinued to grope about in the utter darkness, and have assuredlyfallen into the abyss. I breathed a fervent prayer for this signaldeliverance. But not a trace of any secret entrance to a cavern could Ifind--no steps, no trap-door! Well aware that it would be dangerous forme to be caught in that spot, should any of the banditti emerge suddenlyfrom their cave, I was reluctantly compelled to depart. But before Iquitted the place, I studied it so well that I should have no difficultyin recognizing it again. In fact, just at the precise spot where thefootsteps of the banditti ceased, an enormous chestnut tree, which formore than a century must have continued to draw from the earth itsnourishment, slopes completely over the precipice, while on the right ofthis tree, as you face the abyss, is a knot of olives, and on the leftan umbrageous lime. These features of the spot I committed to memory, with the idea that such a clew to the robbers' retreat might noteventually prove useless. 

"I will extirpate that nest of vipers--that horde of remorselessbanditti!" exclaimed Ibrahim Pasha, in a tone indicative of strongexcitement. 

"Your highness has the power, " responded Demetrius; "but the Florentineauthorities must be completely impotent in respect to such a formidablehorde of lawless men. The remainder of my narrative is soon told, mylord, " returned the young Greek. "I returned to my lodgings in safety, but determined not to remain there a single hour longer than necessary. For apart from the resolve which I had formed already, in consequence ofthe various and unforeseen incidents which had occurred, to return toConstantinople, the murderous designs of Antonio and Venturo in respectto myself, would have hastened my removal at all events to anotherlodging. That night sleep never visited my eyes--so amazed and grievedwas I at the calamities which had befallen those who were so dear toyour highness. Very early in the morning I arose from a feverish bed andsallied forth to learn tidings of the Marquis of Orsini. 'For, ' thoughtI, 'if this nobleman has escaped arrest by the officers of theinquisition, he might be enabled to effect somewhat in aiding the femalevictims. ' But I heard at his dwelling that he had been arrested theprevious evening on a charge of sacrilege, perpetrated with others, inrespect to the Carmelite Convent. Frustrated in this quarter, I repairedto the principal clerk of the criminal tribunal, and inquired the nameand address of a lawyer of eminence and repute. The clerk complied withmy demand, and recommended me to Angelo Duras, the brother of acelebrated Florentine physician. "

"Both of whom are known to me by name, " observed the grand vizier; "andAngelo Duras is a man of unblemished integrity. It delights me much toknow you employed him. "

"I found him, too, " continued Demetrius, "a kind-hearted and benevolentman. He received me with affability; and I narrated to him as much asnecessary of the particulars which I have detailed to your highness. Without stating by whom I was employed, I merely represented to him thatI was deeply interested in the Francatelli family, and that it was ofthe utmost importance to obtain a delay for two or three months in thecriminal proceedings instituted against those innocent females, as, inthe meantime, I should undertake a journey to a place at someconsiderable distance, but the result of which would prove materiallybeneficial to the cause of the accused. He observed that the interest ofthe Count of Arestino, who would doubtless endeavor to hasten theproceedings in order to wreak speedy vengeance upon his wife and theMarquis of Orsini, was very powerful to contend against; but that goldcould accomplish much. I assured him that there would be no lack offunds to sustain even the most expensive process; and I threw down aheavy purse as an earnest of my ability to bear the cost of the suit. Hecommitted to paper all the particulars that I had thought it prudent toreveal to him, and after some consideration, said, 'I now see my wayclearly. I will undertake that the final hearing of this case, at leastso far as it regards the Francatellis, shall be postponed for threemonths. You may rely upon the fulfillment of this promise, let the Countof Arestino do his worst. ' Thus assured, I quitted the worthy pleader, and proceeded to visit Father Marco, who, as I had happened to learnwhen in conversation with your highness' aunt, was the family confessor. I found that excellent man overwhelmed with grief at the calamitieswhich had occurred; and to him I confided, under a solemn promise ofinviolable secrecy, who the present grand vizier of the Ottoman Empirereally was, and how I had been employed by you to visit Florence for thepurpose of watching over the safety of your relatives. I howeverexplained to Father Marco that his vow of secrecy was to cease to bebinding at any moment when the lives of the Francatellis should bemenaced by circumstances that might possibly arise in spite of all theprecautions that I had adopted to postpone the final hearing of theircase; and that should imminent peril menace those lives, he wasimmediately to reveal to the Duke of Florence the fact of therelationship of the Francatellis with one who has power to punish anyinjury that might be done to them. Though well knowing, my lord, theobstinancy of the Christian states in venturing to beard Ottoman might, I considered this precaution to be at all events a prudent one; andFather Marco promised to obey my injunctions in all respects. "

"I was not mistaken in thee, Demetrius, " said the grand vizier, "when Ichose thee for that mission on account of thy discreetness andforesight. "

"Your highness' praises are my best reward, " answered the Greek. "I havenow done all that I could possibly effect or devise under thecircumstances which prompted me to think or act; and it grieved me thatI was unable to afford the slightest assistance to the young Count ofRiverola. But I dare not wait longer in Italy; and I was convinced thatthe authorities in Florence were too inefficient to root out the hordeof banditti, even had I explained to them the clew which I myselfobtained to the stronghold of those miscreants. I accordingly quittedFlorence in the afternoon of the day following the numerous arrestswhich I have mentioned; and had I not been detained so long at Rimini, by adverse winds, your highness would not have been kept for so manyweeks without the mournful tidings which it was at length my painfulduty to communicate in person to your lordship. "

"That delay, my faithful Demetrius, " said the grand vizier, "was nofault of thine. Fortunately the squadron was already equipped for sea;and, instead of repairing to the African frontier to chastise the daringpirates, it is on its way to the Tuscan coast, where, if need be, itwill land twenty thousand soldiers to liberate my relations and theyoung Count of Riverola. A pretext for making war upon the Italianstates has been afforded by their recent conduct in sending auxiliariesto the succor of Rhodes; and of that excuse I shall not hesitate toavail myself to commence hostilities against the proud Florentinesshould a secret and peaceful negotiation fail. But now that thou hastrecapitulated to me all those particulars which thou didst merely sketchforth at first, it seems to me fitting that I anchor the fleet at themouth of the Arno, and that I send thee, Demetrius, as an envoy in apublic capacity, but in reality to stipulate privately for the releaseof those in whom I am interested. "

Thus terminated the conference between Ibrahim Pasha and his Greekdependent--a conference which had revealed manifold and astoundingoccurrences to the ears of the Lady Nisida of Riverola. Astoundingindeed! Francisco in the hands of the formidable banditti--Flora in theprison of the inquisition--and the Ottoman grand vizier bent uponeffecting the marriage which Nisida abhorred--these tidings weresufficient to arouse all the wondrous energies of that mind which was soprompt in combining intrigues and plots, so resolute in carrying themout, and so indomitable when it had formed a will of its own. 

Ominous were the fires which flashed in her large dark eyes, andpowerful were the workings of those emotions which caused her heavingbosom to swell as if about to burst the bodice which confined it, when, retreating from the partition floor between the two saloons, andresuming her seat at the cabin-windows to permit the evening breeze tofan her fevered cheek, Nisida thought within herself, "It was indeedtime that I should quit that accursed island, and return to Italy!"

CHAPTER LVIII. 

The roseate streaks which the departing glories of a Mediterraneansunset left lingering for a few minutes in the western horizon, wereyielding to the deeper gloom of evening, a few days after the scenerelated in the preceding chapter, as Nisida rose from her seat at theopen windows of her splendid saloon on board the Ottoman Admiral's ship, and began to lay aside her apparel, preparatory to retiring to rest. Shewas already wearied of the monotonous life of ship-board; and thestrange revelations which the discourse between Ibrahim Pasha andDemetrius had developed to her ears, rendered her doubly anxious to setfoot upon her native soil. 

The grand vizier had paid his respects to her every day since she firstembarked on board the Turkish ship; and they exchanged a fewobservations, rather of courtesy than in any deeper interest, by meansof the tablets. Ibrahim's manner toward her was respectful; but when heimagined himself to be unperceived by her, his eyes were suddenlylighted up with the fires of ardent passion; and he devoured her withhis burning glances. She failed not to notice the effect which herglorious beauty produced upon him, and she studiously avoided theimprudence of giving him the least encouragement; not from any innatefeeling of virtue, but because she detested him as a man who was bent onaccomplishing a marriage between her brother and Flora Francatelli. Thishatred she concealed, and even the eagle-sighted Ibrahim perceived notthat he was in any way displeasing to the lovely Nisida. With theexception of the grand vizier, and the slaves who waited upon her, thelady saw no one on board the ship; for she never quitted the saloonallotted to her, but passed her time chiefly in surveying the broad seaand the other vessels of the fleet from the windows, or in meditatingupon the course which she should pursue on her arrival in Florence. 

But let us return to the thread of our narrative. The last tints of thesunset were, we said, fading away, when the Lady Nisida commenced herpreparations for retiring to rest. She closed the casements, satisfiedherself that the partition door between the two saloons was wellsecured, and then threw herself upon the voluptuous couch spread in oneof the smaller cabins opening from her own magnificent apartment. Shethought of Fernand, her handsome Fernand, whom she had abandoned on theIsle of Snakes, and profound sighs escaped her. Then she thought ofFrancisco; and the idea of serving that much-beloved brother's interestsafforded her a consolation for having thus quitted the clime where shehad passed so many happy days with Wagner. 

At length sleep fell upon her, and closed over the large, dark, brilliant eyes the white lids, beneath the transparent skin of which theblue veins were so delicately traced; and the long, jetty lashes reposedon the cheeks which the heat of the atmosphere tinged with a richcarnation glow. And when the moon arose that night, its silver raysstreamed through the window set in the porthole of that small cabin, upon the beauteous face of the sleeper. 

But hark! there is the light sound of a footfall in the saloon fromwhich that cabin opens. 

The treacherous Ibrahim possesses a key to the partition door; andhaving successfully wrestled with his raging desires until this moment, he is at length no longer able to resist the temptation of invading thesanctity of Nisida's sleeping-place. Already has he set his foot uponthe very threshold of the little side-cabin, having traversed thespacious saloon, when a hand is laid upon his shoulder, and a voicebehind him says in a low tone, "Your highness has forgotten the fate ofthe murdered Calanthe. "

Ibrahim started, shook the hand from off him, and exclaimed, "Dog of anegro! what and who has made thee a spy upon my actions?"

At the same instant that Ibrahim felt the hand on his shoulder, andheard the well-known voice uttering the dreadful warning in his ears, Nisida awoke. Her first impulse was to start up; but, checking herselfwith wondrous presence of mind, as the part of the deaf and dumb personwhich she had imposed upon herself to play flashed with lightningvelocity across her brain--comprehending, too, in an instant, that thegrand vizier had violated her privacy, but that some unknown succor wasat hand, she remained perfectly motionless, as if still wrapped up in anundisturbed slumber. The grand vizier, and the individual whom he had inhis rage addressed as a "dog of a negro, " retreated into the saloon, Nisida holding her very breath so as not to lose a word that might passbetween them should their dialogue be resumed. 

"Your highness asks me what and who has made me a spy upon youractions, " said the negro in a low, monotonous voice, and speaking withmingled firmness and respect. "Those questions are easily answered. Thesame authority which ordered me to wrest from thine arms some monthspast the lady who might be unfortunate enough to please your highness'fancy, exercises an unceasing supervision over you, even on this ship, and in the middle of the mighty sea. To that authority all your deedsand acts are matters of indifference save those which would render yourhighness faithless to an adoring wife. Remember, my lord, the fate ofCalanthe, the sister of your dependent Demetrius, she who was torn fromyour arms, and whose beauteous form became food for the fishes of theBosporus. "

"How knew you who she was?" demanded the grand vizier, in a low, hoarsevoice, the power of his utterance having been temporarily suspended bythe rage that filled his soul at finding his iniquitous design inrespect to Nisida thus suddenly baffled by the chief of the three blackslaves, whose attendance in this expedition had been forced upon him bythe Sultana Valida; "how knew you who she was?" he again asked. 

"Rather demand, my lord, what can escape the prying eyes of those bywhom your highness has been surrounded ever since the seals of officewere in your grasp, " returned the slave. 

"But you would not betray that secret to Demetrius, who is now devotedto me, who is necessary to me, and who would loathe me were he to learnthe dreadful fate of his sister!" said the grand vizier, with rapid andexcited utterance. 

"I have no eyes and no ears, great pasha, " said the negro, "save inrespect to those matters which would render you faithless to the sisterof the sultan. "

"Would to Heaven that you had neither eyes nor ears at all--that you didnot exist, indeed!" exclaimed Ibrahim, unable to repress his wrath;then, in a different and milder tone, he immediately added, "Slave, Ican make thee free--I can give thee wealth--and thou mayest dwell inhappy Italy, whither we are going, for the remainder of thy days. Reflect, consider! I love that deaf and dumb Christian woman whosleepeth there--I already love her to distraction! Thwart me not, goodslave, and thou mayest command my eternal gratitude. "

"My lord, two other slaves overhear every word that now passes betweenus, " responded the Ethiopian, his voice remaining calm and monotonous;"and even were we alone in all respects, I would not betray the trustreposed in me. But not on your highness would the effects of yourinfidelity to the Princess Aischa fall. No, my lord--I have no authorityto harm you. Had your highness succeeded in your purpose ere now, thebow-string would have forever stifled the breath in the body of thatdeaf and dumb Christian lady; and her corpse would have been thrownforth from these windows into the sea. Such are my instructions, mylord; and thus every object of your sated passion must become yourvictim also. "

"Better--better were it, " exclaimed Ibrahim, in a tone denoting theprofoundest mental anguish, "to be the veriest mendicant who imploresalms at the gate of the mosque of St. Sophia, than the grand vizier ofthe Ottoman Empire. "

With these words he rushed into the adjoining saloon, the negrofollowing and fastening the door behind him. Nisida now began to breathefreely once more. From what perils had she escaped! The violation of hercouch by the unprincipled Ibrahim would have been followed by herimmediate assassination at the hands of the Ethiopian whom thesultana-mother had placed as a spy on the actions of her son-in-law. Onthe other hand, she felt rejoiced that the incident of this night hadoccurred; for it had been the means of revealing to her a secret ofimmense importance in connection with the grand vizier. She rememberedthe terms of grief and affection in which Demetrius had spoken of thedisappearance of Calanthe; and she had heard enough on that occasion toconvince her that the Greek would become the implacable enemy of any manwho had wronged that much-loved sister. How bitter, then, would be thehatred of Demetrius--how dreadful would be the vengeance which he mustcrave against him whose lustful passion had led to the murder ofCalanthe. Yes, Ibrahim, thy secret is now in possession of Nisida ofRiverola; in the possession of that woman of iron mind and potentenergy, and whom thou fondly believest to be deaf and dumb!

Nisida slept no more that night, the occurrences of which furnished herwith so much food for profound meditation: and with the earliest gleamof dawn that tinged the eastern heaven, she rose from her couch. Entering the saloon, she opened the windows to admit the gentle breezeof morning; and ere she commenced her toilet, she lingered to gaze uponthe stately ships that were plowing the blue sea in the wake of theadmiral's vessel wherein she was. Suddenly her eyes fell upon whatappeared to be a small speck at a little distance; but as this objectwas moving rapidly along on the surface of the Mediterranean, it soonapproached sufficiently near to enable her to discern that it was a boatimpelled by a single sail. Urged by an undefinable and yet a strongsentiment of curiosity, Nisida remained at the saloon window, watchingthe progress of the little bark, which bounded over the waves withextraordinary speed, bending gracefully to the breeze that thus waftedit onward. Nearer and nearer toward the vessel it came, though notpursuing the same direction; and in five minutes it passed within a fewyards of the stern of the kapitan-pasha's ship. 

But, oh! wondrous and unaccountable fact. There, stretched upon his backin that bounding boat, and evidently buried in deep slumber, with therays of the rising sun gleaming upon his fine and now slightly flushedcountenance, lay he whose image was so indelibly impressed upon theheart of Nisida--her handsome and strangely-fated Fernand Wagner! Themoment the conviction that the sleeper was indeed he struck to the mindof Nisida, she would have called him by name--she would have endeavoredto awake him, if only to exchange a single word of fondness, for herassumed dumbness was for the moment forgotten; but she was renderedmotionless and remained speechless--stupefied, paralyzed, as it were, with mingled wonder and joy; wonder that he should have found the meansof escape from the island, and joy that she was thus permitted to beholdhim at least once again. But the pleasure which this incident excited inher mind was transitory indeed; for the boat swept by, as if urged on bya stronger impulse than that of the gentle breeze of morning--and inanother minute Nisida beheld it no more. 

The sun was setting behind the western hills of Sicily as Fernand Wagnerentered the squalid suburb which at that period stretched from the townof Syracuse to the sea. His step was elastic, and he held his headhigh--for his heart was full of joyous and burning hope. Hitherto thepromises of the angel who had last appeared to him were completelyfulfilled. The boat was wafted by a favorable breeze direct from theIsland of Snakes to the shores of Sicily; and he had landed in theimmediate vicinity of Syracuse--the town in which a further revelationwas to be made in respect to the breaking of the spell which had fixedupon him the frightful doom of the Wehr-Wolf! But little suspectedFernand Wagner that one morning, while he slept, his boat had borne himthrough the proud fleet of the Ottomans--little wist he that his belovedNisida had caught sight of him as he was wafted rapidly past the sternof the kapitan-pasha's ship! For on that occasion he had slept duringhours; and when he had awakened, not a bark nor sail save his own wasvisible on the mighty expanse of water. 

And now it was with elastic step and joyous heart that the hero of ourtale entered the town of Syracuse. But suddenly he remembered thesingular nature of the inquiry that he was there to make--an inquiryconcerning a man whose years had numbered one hundred and sixty-two!

"Nevertheless, " thought Wagner, "that good angel who gave me a signwhereby I should become convinced of the reality of her appearance, andwhose promises have all been fulfilled up to this point, could notpossibly mislead me. No; I will obey the command which I received, eventhough I should visit every human dwelling in the town of Syracuse! ForHeaven works out its wise purposes in wondrous manners; and it is notfor me to shrink from yielding obedience to its orders, nor to pause toquestion their propriety. And oh! if I can but shake off that demoninfluence which weighs upon my soul--if I can but escape from theshackles which still enchain me to a horrible doom, how sincere will bemy thanks to Heaven, how unbounded my rejoicings!"

As Wagner had reached this point in his meditations, he stopped at thedoor of a barber shop of mean appearance--the pole, with the basinhanging to it, denoting that the occupant of the place combined, as wasusual in those times, the functions of shaver and blood-letter orsurgeon. Hastily surveying the exterior of the shop, and fancying thatit was precisely the one at which his inquiries should commence--barbersin that age being as famous for their gossiping propensities as inthis--Fernand entered, and was immediately accosted by a short, sharp-visaged, dark-complexioned old man, who pointed to a seat, sayingin a courteous, or rather obsequious tone, "What is your will, signor?"

Fernand desired the barber-surgeon to shave his superfluous beard andtrim his hair; and while that individual was preparing his lather andsharpening his razor in the most approved style of the craft, Wagnerasked in a seemingly careless tone, "What news have you, good master, inSyracuse?"

"Naught of importance, signor, " was the reply; "mere everyday matters. Syracuse is indeed wretchedly dull. There were only two murders andthree attempts at assassination reported to the lieutenant of policethis morning, and that is nothing for a town usually so active andbustling as ours. For my part, I don't know what has come over thepeople? I stepped as far as the dead-house just now to view the body ofa young lady, unclaimed as yet, who had her head nearly severed from hertrunk last night; and then I proceeded to the great square to seewhether any executions are to take place to-morrow; but really there isnothing of any consequence to induce one to stir abroad in Syracuse justat this moment. "

"Murders and attempts at assassination are matters of very commonoccurrence amongst you, then?" said Wagner, inquiringly. 

"We get a perfect surfeit of them, signor, " returned the barber, nowapplying the soap to his customer's face. "They fail to create anysensation now, I can assure you. Beside, one gets tired of executions. "

"Naturally enough, " said Fernand. "But I have heard that there are somevery extraordinary personages in Syracuse; indeed, there is one who haslived to a remarkable age----"

"The oldest person I know of, is the Abbot of St. Mary's, " interruptedthe barber, "and he----"

"And he----" repeated Wagner, with feverish impatience. 

"Is ninety-seven and three months, signor; a great age, truly, "responded the barber-surgeon. 

Fernand's hopes were immediately cooled down; but thinking that he oughtto put his inquiry in a direct manner, he said: "Then it is not truethat you have in Syracuse an individual who has reached the wondrous ageof a century three-score and two?"

"Holy Virgin have mercy upon you, signor!" ejaculated the barber, "ifyou really put faith in the absurd stories that people tell about theRosicrucians!"

"Ah! then the people of Syracuse do talk on such matters?" said Wagner, conceiving that he had obtained a clew to the aim and object of hisinquiry. 

"Have you never heard, signor, of the Order of the Rosy Cross?" demandedthe barber, who was naturally of a garrulous disposition, and who nowappeared to have entered on a favorite subject. 

"I have heard, in my travels, vague mention made of such an order, "answered Fernand; "but I never experienced any curiosity to seek tolearn more--and, indeed, I may say, that I know nothing of theRosicrucians save their mere name. "

"Well, signor, " continued the barber, "for common pass-talk, it is asgood a subject as any other; but no one shall ever persuade me eitherthat there is really such an order as the Brothers of the Rosy Cross, orthat it is possible for human beings to attain the powers attributed tothat fraternity. "

"You interest me much by your remarks, good leech, " exclaimed Fernand;"I pray you to give me further explanation. "

"With infinite pleasure, signor, since you appear to desire it, "returned the barber, still pursuing his tonsorial duties. "You must knowthat there are many wild legends and stories abroad concerning theseinvisible beings denominated Rosicrucians. But the one which gains mostgeneral credence is that the brotherhood was founded by a certainChristianus Rosencrux, a German philosopher, who fancied that the artsand sciences might be developed in such a manner as to confer thegreatest possible blessings on the human race. "

"Then the aims of Rosencrux are entirely good and philanthropic?" saidWagner, interrogatively. 

"As a matter of course, signor, " said the barber; "and therefore, ifsuch a man ever did live, he must have been an insane visionary--for whowould believe that knowledge could possibly make us richer, happier, orbetter? All the philosophy in the universe could never convert this shopinto a palace. "

"But you are wandering from your subject, my good friend, " gentlyremonstrated Fernand. 

"I crave your pardon, signor. Let me see. Oh, I recollect; we weretalking of Christianus Rosencrux. Well, signor, the fabled philosopherwas a monk, and a very wise as well as a very good man. I am onlytelling you the most generally received legend, mind, and would not haveyou think that I believe it myself. So this Rosencrux, finding that hiscloistral existence was inconvenient for the prosecution of his studies, traveled into the East, and spent many years in acquiring the knowledgehanded down to the wise men of those climes by the ancient Magi andChaldeans. He visited Egypt, and learnt many wonderful secrets bystudying the hieroglyphics on the Egyptian pyramids. I forget how longhe remained in the East; but it is said that he visited every place ofinterest in the Holy Land, and received heavenly inspirations on thespot where our Saviour was crucified. On his return to Europe, he sawfull well that if he revealed all his knowledge at once, he would be putto death by the inquisition as a wizard, and the world would lose thebenefit of all the learning he had acquired. So says the legend; and itgoes on to recite that Christianus Rosencrux then founded the order ofthe Rosy Cross, which was nothing more or less than a brotherhood ofwise men whom he initiated in all his secrets, with the intention thatthey should reveal from time to time small portions thereof, and thusgive to the world by very slow degrees that immense amount of knowledgewhich he supposed would have stupefied and astounded everybody if madepublic all at once. "

"Strange--most strange, " thought Wagner within himself, "that I shouldnever have gleaned all these details before, eager as my inquiries andresearches in the pursuit of knowledge have been. But Heaven has willedeverything for the best; and it is doubtless intended that my salvationshall proceed from the very quarter which was least known to me, andconcerning which I have manifested the most contemptuous indifference, in the sphere of knowledge!"

"You appear to be much interested, signor, " said the barber, "in thissame tale of Christianus Rosencrux. But there is too much intelligencedepicted on your countenance to allow me to suppose that you will placeany reliance on the absurd story. How is it possible, signor, that anorder could have existed for so many years without any one member everhaving betrayed the secrets which bind them all together? Moreover, their place of abode and study is totally unknown to the world; and ifthey inhabited the deepest caverns under the earth accident must, sooneror later, have led to its discovery. Believe me, signor, 'tis naughtsave a ridiculous legend; though a poor, ignorant man myself, I hope Ihave too much good sense and too much respect for my father-confessor, to suppose for a minute that there is on earth any set of men morelearned than the holy ministers of the church. "

"How long ago is Christianus Rosencrux reported to have lived?" demandedWagner, suddenly interrupting the garrulous and narrow-minded Sicilian. 

"There we are again!" he ejaculated. "The credulous declare thatRosencrux discovered in the East the means of prolonging existence, andthough he was born as far back as the year 1359, he is still alive. "

Had not the barber turned aside at that precise instant to fill an ewerand place a towel for his customer's use, he would have been surprisedby the sudden start and the expression of ineffable joy which denotedFernand's emotions, as by a rapid calculation mentally made, our heroperceived that if Rosencrux were born in 1359, and alive at thatmoment--namely, in 1521--his age would be exactly one hundred andsixty-two!

"It is Christianus Rosencrux, then, " he said to himself, "whom I haveinquired for--whom I am to see--and who will dissolve the spell that hasbeen placed upon me. But where shall I seek him? whither shall I go tofind his secret abode?"

The duties of the barber were completed; and Wagner threw down a pieceof gold, saying, "Keep that coin, friend, for your discourse has greatlyinterested me, and has indeed well deserved it. "

The poor old man had never possessed in all his life so much money atone time; and so vast was his joy that he could only mutter a few brokensentences to express his gratitude. 

"I require not thanks, my good friend, " said Wagner. "But one word ere Idepart. Knowest thou the spot which rumor indicates as the abode of thatsect of whom we have been speaking?"

"Nay, excellent signor, " replied the barber; "there your questionmasters me; for in this case rumor goes not to such a length as toafford hints for an investigation which would prove its utter fallacy. All that I have heard, signor, concerning the Rosicrucians, you havelearnt from my lips; and I know no more. "

Wagner, finding that further inquiry in that quarter was useless, tookleave of the old man, and traversing the suburb, entered the town ofSyracuse. 

CHAPTER LIX. 

Fernand was now at a loss how to act. He felt convinced that it wasuseless to institute any further inquiries relative to the whereaboutsof the secret Order of the Rosy Cross; because, had popular rumor everhinted at any clew in that respect, the garrulous and inquisitive barberwould have been sure to hear of it. He was not, however, disheartened. No--very far from that; for he was confident that the same supernalpower that had hitherto directed him, and which was rapidly clearingaway all obstacles in his path toward perfect emancipation from theinfluence of the evil one, would carry him to a successful andtriumphant issue. Throwing himself, therefore, entirely on the wisdomand mercy of Heaven, he roamed about the town of Syracuse, without anysettled object in view, until he was much wearied and it was very late. He then entered a miserable hostel, or inn--the best, however, that hecould discover; and there, having partaken of some refreshment, heretired to the chamber allotted to him. Sleep soon visited his eyes; buthe had not long enjoyed the sweets of slumber, when that balmy reposewas interrupted either by a touch or sound, he knew not which. Startingup in his couch, he perceived a tall figure, muffled in a huge darkmantle, and wearing a slouched broad-brimmed hat, standing by the sideof the bed. 

"Rise, Fernand Wagner, " said a mild but masculine voice, "and follow me. He whom thou seekest has sent me to lead thee to him. "

Wagner did not hesitate to obey this mandate, which he felt certain wasconnected with the important business that had borne him to Syracuse. His apparel was speedily assumed; and he said, "I am ready to followthee, stranger, whoever thou art, and whithersoever thou mayst lead; formy faith is in Heaven. "

"Those who have faith shall prosper, " observed the stranger, in a solemntone. 

He then led the way noiselessly down the steep staircase of the inn, andissued forth by the front gate, closely followed by Wagner. In deepsilence did they proceed through the dark, narrow, and tortuous streets, leaving at length the town behind them, and then entering upon a barrenand uneven waste. By degrees an object, at first dimly seen in thedistance, and by the uncertain moonlight, which was constantlystruggling with the dark clouds of a somewhat tempestuous night, assumeda more defined appearance, until a mass of gigantic ruins at lengthstood out from the somber obscurity. In a few moments the moon shoneforth purely and brightly; and its beams, falling on decayed buttresses, broken Gothic arches, deep entrance-ways, remnants of pinnacles andspires, massive walls of ruined towers, gave a wildly romantic and yetnot unpicturesque aspect to the remains of what was evidently once avast monastic institution. The muffled stranger led the way amongst theruins, and at last stopped at a gate opening into a small squareinclosure formed by strong iron railings, seven feet high and shaped atthe points like javelins. Passing through the gateway, the guideconducted Wagner into a cemetery, which was filled with the marble tombsof the mitered abbots who had once held sway over the monastery and thebroad lands attached to it. 

"You behold around you, " said the muffled stranger, waving his armtoward the ruins, "all that remains of a sanctuary once the mostcelebrated in Sicily for the piety and wisdom of its inmates. But ahorrible crime, a murder perpetrated under circumstances unusuallydiabolical, the criminal being no less a person than the last lord abbothimself, and the victim a beauteous girl whom he had seduced, renderedthis institution accursed in the eyes of God and man. The monksabandoned it: and the waste over which you have passed is now theunclaimed but once fertile estate belonging to the abbey. Thesuperstition of the Sicilians has not failed to invent terrific tales inconnection with these ruins: and the belief that each night at twelveo'clock the soul of the guilty abbot is driven by the scourge of thedemon through the scene alike of his episcopal power and his blackturpitude, effectually prevents impertinent or inconvenient intrusion. "

The observation with which the muffled stranger concluded his briefnarrative, convinced Wagner that it was amongst those ruins the brethrenof the Rosy Cross had fixed their secret abode. But he had no time forreflection, inasmuch as his guide hurried him on amidst the tombs, onwhich the light of the silver moon now streamed with a power and aneffect that no dark cloud for the time impaired. Stopping at the base ofone of the most splendid monuments in the cemetery, the muffled strangertouched some secret spring, and a large marble block immediately openedlike a door, the aperture revealing a narrow flight of stone steps. Wagner was directed to descend first, a command which he obeyed withouthesitation, his guide closing the marble entrance ere he followed. Forseveral minutes the two descended in total darkness. At length, a faint, glimmering light met Wagner's view; and as he proceeded it grew strongerand stronger, until it became of such dazzling brilliancy that his eyesached with the supernatural splendor. That glorious luster was diffusedfrom a silver lamp, hanging to the arched roof of a long passage, orcorridor of masonry, to which the stone steps led. 

"Fernand Wagner, " said the guide, in his mild and somewhat monotonousvoice, "thou now beholdest the eternal lamp of the Rosicrucians. For ahundred and twenty years has that lamp burnt with as powerful a lusteras that which it now sheds forth; and never once--no, not once duringthat period, has it been replenished. No human hand has touched it sincethe day when it was first suspended there by the great founder of oursect. "

All doubt was now dispelled from the mind of Wagner--if a doubt he hadeven for a moment entertained since the muffled stranger had summonedhim from the inn:--he was indeed in the secret abode of the holy sect ofthe Rosy Cross! His guide, too, was a member of that brotherhood--andthere, almost too dazzling to gaze upon, burnt the eternal lamp whichwas the symbol of the knowledge cherished by the order! Wagner turned togaze in wonder and admiration upon his guide: and beneath the broad brimof the slouched hat, he beheld a countenance venerable with years, imposing with intelligence, and benevolent with every human charity. "Wise and philanthropic Rosicrucian!" exclaimed Wagner, "I offer thee mydeepest gratitude for having permitted me to enter this sanctuary. Buthow camest thou to learn that I sought admittance hither? and unveil tome the great mysteries of this place. "

"We are the servants of holy angels, who reveal to us in visions thewill of the Most High, " answered the Rosicrucian; "and they whocommanded me to bring thee hither, will induce thine heart to retain oursecret inviolable. "

"Not for worlds, " cried Wagner, with an enthusiasm which denotedsincerity, "would I betray ye!"

"'Tis well, " said the Rosicrucian, with philosophic calmness--as if heput more faith in the protecting influence of Heaven than in thepromises of man. "I shall not accompany thee further. Follow thatpassage: at the extremity there are two corridors branching off indifferent directions; but thou wilt pursue the one leading to the right. Proceed fearlessly, and stop not till thou shalt stand in the presenceof the founder of the sect. "

Fernand hastened to obey these directions, and having threaded the twopassages, he entered a large and rudely-hollowed cavern, where thefeelings of mingled awe and suspense with which he had approached itwere immediately changed into deep veneration and wonder as he foundhimself in the presence of one who, by his appearance, he knew could henone other than Christianus Rosencrux! Never had Fernand beheld a beingof such venerable aspect; and, though old--evidently very old, as indeedWagner knew him to be--yet the founder of the celebrated Rosicruciansmanifested every appearance of possessing a vigorous constitution, as hewas assuredly endowed with a magnificent intellect. His beard was longand white as snow; a century and three score years had not dimmed theluster of his eyes; and his form, though somewhat bent, was masculineand well-knit. He was seated at a table covered with an infinite varietyof scientific apparatus; and articles of the same nature were strewedupon the ground. To the roof hung an iron lamp, which indeed burntfaintly after the brilliant luster of the eternal flame that Wagner hadseen in the passage; but its flickering gleam shone lurid and ominous ona blood-red cross suspended to the wall. Fernand drew near the table, and bowed reverentially to the Rosicrucian chief, who acknowledged hissalutation with a benignant smile. 

"Wagner, " he said, in a firm but mild tone, "I have been forewarned ofthy coming, and am prepared to receive thee. Thy constant and unvaryingfaith in Heaven has opened to thee the gates of salvation; and it ismine to direct thee how to act, that the dreadful doom which thou hastdrawn upon thyself may be annihilated soon and forever. "

The venerable man paused, and Fernand again bowed lowly and withprofound respect. 

"So soon as the morning's sun shall have revisited this hemisphere, "continued Rosencrux, "thou must depart for Italy. Start not, Fernand--but prepare to obey that power which will sustain thee. Onarriving in Italy, proceed direct to Florence; and fear not to enterthat city even in the broad daylight. Thou wilt not be harmed! Thereawait the current of those circumstances that must lead to the grandevent which is ordained to break the spell that has cast upon thee thedoom of a Wehr-Wolf. For as thou didst voluntarily unite thyself in theface of heaven with Donna Nisida of Riverola, so it is decreed, for thewisest purposes, that a circumstance intimately connected with herdestiny must become a charm and a talisman to change thine own. On thinearrival in Florence, therefore, seek not to avoid Lady Nisida; butrather hasten at once to her presence--and again I say, a supernal powerwill protect thee from any baneful influence which she might stillexercise over thee. For, the spell that the evil one hath cast uponthee, Fernand Wagner, shall be broken only on that day and in that hourwhen thine eyes shall behold the skeletons of two innocent victimssuspended to the same beam!"

Having uttered these words in a louder and hurried, but not the lessimpressive tone, than he had at first used, Christianus Rosencruxmotioned impatiently for Wagner to depart. And Fernand, amazed andhorrified at the dreadful words which had met his ears, retreated fromthe cavern and sped rapidly back to the spot where he had quitted hisguide, whom he found waiting his return beneath the undying lamp. TheRosicrucian conducted Wagner in silence from that deep and subterraneanabode beneath the tomb; thence through the cemetery amidst the ruins ofthe monastery--and across the wild waste, back to Syracuse; nor did themuffled brother of the Rosy Cross take leave of Fernand until they hadreached the door of the hostel. There they parted, the Rosicrucianinvoking a blessing upon the head of Wagner, who regained his chamberwithout disturbing the other inmates of the house: but with theconflicting emotions of ardent hopes and appalling fears, and holyaspirations, filling his breast. By degrees, however, as he was enabledto reason to himself with increasing calmness, the fears and the doubtsbecame fainter and fainter, while the hopes and the aspirations grewstronger and stronger: and at length, throwing himself upon his knees, he exclaimed fervently, "O Lord, deal with me as thou wilt--thy will bedone!"

It was late in the afternoon of a sultry day, toward the close ofSeptember, or, to be more particular, on the 25th of that month, that anumerous and brilliant cavalcade, on emerging from a grove which boundedone of the sinuosities of the Arno, came within sight of the towers andpinnacles of Florence. 

On the white felt turbans of a hundred and fifty Ottoman soldiersglistened the crescent, the symbol of Islamism; and their steel-sheathedscimiters and the trappings of their horses sent forth a martial din asthey were agitated by the rapidity of the march. 

Forty-eight slaves, also mounted on steeds procured at Leghorn, followedthe soldiers with a short interval between the two corps, and in thespace thus left, rode the Greek Demetrius and Lady Nisida of Riverola. The latter wore the garb of her sex, and sat upon her horse with thegrace of an amazonian queen. 

The moment the cavalcade came in sight of the fair City of Flowers, aflush of joy and triumph suddenly diffused itself over Nisida'scountenance; and her lips were simultaneously compressed to prevent theutterance of that exclamation of gladness which her heart sent up to hertongue. 

Demetrius now commanded a temporary halt; addressing himself to aTurkish youth, who had been attached to his person in the capacity ofsecretary, he said, "Yakoub, hie thou in advance, with an escort of twosoldiers and two slaves, and push on to Florence. There seek animmediate interview with the president of the council of state, andacquaint that high functionary with the tidings of my approach. Thouwilt inform him that I am about to enter Florence in the peacefulcapacity of envoy from the puissant and most glorious Ibrahim Pasha, thevizier of the sultan, to treat on divers matters interesting to thehonor of the Ottoman Porte and the welfare of all Italy. In themeantime, I shall so check our speed that we may not reach the cityuntil after sunset, which arrangement will afford you two full hours toaccomplish the mission which I now trust to thee. "

Yakoub bowed, and hastened to obey the commands which he hadreceived--speeding toward Florence, attended by two soldiers and twoslaves. Demetrius then ordered his party to dismount and rest for ashort space upon the banks of the Arno. Some of his slaves immediatelypitched a tent, into which he conducted Nisida; and refreshments wereserved to them. 

When the repast was concluded, and they were left alone together for afew minutes, Nisida's manner suddenly changed from calm patricianreserve to a strange agitation--her lips quivered, her eyes flashedfire;--and then, as if desperately resolved to put into execution theidea which she had formed, she seized Demetrius by the hand, bent herhead toward him, and murmured in the faintest whisper possible, "Startnot to hear the sound of my voice! I am neither deaf nor dumb. But thisis not the place for explanations. I have much to tell, you much tohear--for I can speak to thee of Calanthe, and prove that he whom thouservest so zealously is a wretch meriting only thy vengeance. "

"My God! my God!--what marvels are now taking place!" murmured theGreek, surveying Nisida in profound astonishment not unmingled withalarm. 

"Silence--silence, I implore you!" continued she, in the rapid, low, andyet distinctly audible whisper, "for _your_ sake--for _mine_, betray menot! Deaf and dumb must I appear--deaf and dumb must I yet be deemed fora short space. But to-night, at twelve o'clock, you will meet me, Demetrius, in the garden of the Riverola mansion;--and then I willconduct you to an apartment where we may confer without fear of beingoverheard--without danger of interruption. "

"I will not fail thee, lady, " said the Greek, scarcely able to recoverfrom the amazement into which Nisida's sudden revelation of her power ofspeech and hearing had thrown him: then, as an oppressive feeling seizedupon his soul, he demanded, "But Calanthe, lady, in the name of heaven!one word more and let that word give me hope that I may see my sisteragain!"

"Demetrius, " answered Nisida, her countenance becoming ominous andsomber, "you will never behold her more. The lust of Ibrahim Pasha--nay, start not so violently--brought destruction and death upon Calanthe!"

The features of the young Greek were at first distorted with anguish, and tears started from his eyes: but in the next moment their expressionchanged to one denoting the fiercest rage. 

Nisida understood all that was passing in his soul; and she bent uponhim a significant glance, which said more eloquently than language couldhave done--"Yes, vengeance thou shalt have!"

She then rose from the velvet cushions which had been spread upon theground within the tent, and waving her hand in token of temporaryfarewell to Demetrius, hastened forth, mounted her horse, and departed, alone and unattended, toward Florence. 

Great was the surprise that evening of the numerous servants anddependents at the Riverola mansion, when Donna Nisida suddenlyreappeared after an absence of very nearly seven months--and thatabsence so unaccountable to them! Although her haughty and imperiousmanner had never been particularly calculated to render her beloved bythe menials of the household, yet her supposed affliction of deafnessand dumbness had naturally made her an object of interest; and, moreover, as close upon three months had elapsed since Count Franciscohimself had disappeared in a strange and alarming way two days onlyafter his return from the wars, the domestics were pleased to behold atleast one member of the lost family come back amongst them. Thus it waswith sincere demonstrations of delight that the dependents and menialswelcomed Donna Nisida at Riverola; and she was not ungracious enough toreceive their civilities with coldness. But she speedily escaped fromthe ceremonies of this reception: and, intimating by signs to the femaleminions who were about to escort her to her apartments that she wasanxious to be alone, she hurried thither, her heart leaping with joy atthe thought of being once more beneath the roof of the palace of herforefathers. And, Fernand--wast thou forgotten? Oh! no--no; in spite ofall her revived schemings and new plots, Nisida, thy well-belovedNisida, had room in her heart for thine image! On reaching her own suitof apartments, the key of which had been handed to her by one of thefemale dependents, Nisida found everything in the same state as when shelast was there; and it appeared to her a dream, yes, a very wondrousdream, that she had been absent for nearly seven months, and during thatperiod had seen and experienced such strange vicissitudes. The readerneed scarcely be informed that Nisida's first impulse, on entering herown suit of apartments in the Riverola mansion, was to hasten and gazeonce more upon the portrait of her mother, and intent, earnest, enthusiastic was the upraised look now fixed upon that portrait, even aswhen we first saw Nisida contemplating the sweet and benignantcountenance in the second chapter of our narrative. Yes:--and again washer gaze indicative of a devotion, an adoration, a worship. 

"Oh! my sainted mother, " thought Nisida within her breast, "I have notproved ultimately faithless to the solemn vows I pledged to thee uponthy death-bed! No; if for a time I yielded to the voluptuous idleness oflove and passion in that now far off Mediterranean isle, yet, at lastdid I arouse myself to energy for young Francisco's sake, and I cameback as soon as Heaven sent me the means of return to the place where mypresence may best serve _his_ interests, and carry out _thy_ wishes!For, oh! when thou wast alive, my worshiped, my adored mother, how good, how kind, how affectionate wast thou toward me. And that tenderness of amother for her offspring, ah! how well can I comprehend it now; for Ialso shall soon become a mother. Yes, Fernand! within the last week Ihave received the conviction that a being bearing thine image will seethe light in due time; and the honor of the proud name of Riverolarequires that our child must not be born of an unwedded mother! But wiltthou seek me out, Fernand? Oh! where art thou now? whither was the bark, in which I beheld thee last, wafting thee away?"

And, all the while that these thoughts were agitating within her mind, Donna Nisida kept her eyes intently fixed on the portrait; but onreflecting a second time that should she fail to meet with Wagner soonagain, or should he prove faithless to her, or if, indeed, he shouldnurse resentment and loathing for her on account of her unworthy conducttoward him on the island, and that her child should be born of anunwedded mother, --when, we say, she thought of this dread probability asecond time, she burst into tears, and turned away from thecontemplation of her mother's countenance. And Nisida so seldom wept, that when tears did escape the usually sealed up springs of heremotions, they came in torrents, and were most bitter and painful toshed. But she at length triumphed over her feelings, or rather, theiroutpourings relieved her; and now the remembrance of another duty whichshe had resolved upon performing the moment she should reach home againwas uppermost in her mind. She contemplated a visit to the mysteriouscloset--the dark cabinet of horrible secrets, in order to ascertainwhether curiosity had triumphed over Francisco's prudence, or if any oneindeed had violated the loneliness of that chamber in which the lateCount of Riverola, had breathed his last. She accordingly took a lamp inher hand, for it was now far advanced in the evening, and proceeded tothe apartment where a father's dying injunctions had been given to herbrother, and which that father and that brother had so little suspectedto have been heard and greedily drunk in by her ears. The door of theroom was locked; Nisida accordingly proceeded forthwith to her brother'schamber; and there, in a secret place where she knew he had beenaccustomed to keep papers or valuables, she found the key of the chambercontaining the mysterious closet, but not the key of the closet itself. Of this latter circumstance she was glad; inasmuch as she conceived thathe had adopted her counsel to carry it invariably secured about hisperson, so that no prying domestics might use it in his absence. Returning, therefore, with the one key which she had found, she enteredthe apartment where her father had breathed his last. 

Unchanged was its appearance, in mournfulness and gloom unchanged, inarrangements and features precisely the same as when she last was there, on the night when she intercepted the banditti in their predatory visit. She drew aside the hangings of the bed, a cloud of dust flew out--andfor a few moments she stood gazing on the couch where the dark spirit ofher sire had fled from its mortal tenement! And as she still lingerednear the bed, the remembrance of the death-scene came so vividly back toher mind, that for an instant she fancied she beheld the cold, stern, relentless countenance of the late Count of Riverola upon the pillow;and she turned away more in loathing and abhorrence than alarm, forthrough her brain flashed in dread association with his memory, theawful words--"And as the merciless scalpel hacked and hewed away at thestill almost palpitating flesh of the murdered man, in whose breast thedagger remained deeply buried--a ferocious joy--a savage, hyena-liketriumph filled my soul; and I experienced no remorse for the deed I haddone!"

Yes, she turned aside, and was advancing rapidly toward the mysteriouscloset, when--holy God!--was it reality or imagination? Was it a humanbeing or a specter from another world? For a tall, dark form, muffledapparently in a long cowl--or it might be a cloak, but Nisida was toobewildered to discriminate aright--glided from the middle of the roomwhere her eyes first beheld it, and was lost to view almost as soon asseen. Strong minded as Nisida was, indomitable as was her courage, andfar away as she was from being superstitious, yet now she staggered, reeled, and would have fallen had she not come in contact with themysterious closet, against which she leaned for support. She gasped forbreath, and her eyes were fixed wildly upon the door by which thefigures had disappeared. Nevertheless, she had so far retained herpresence of mind as to grasp the lamp firmly in her hand, for at thatmoment, after such a fright, in the room where her father had died, andin the close vicinity of the fearful cabinet, even Nisida would havefainted with terror to be left in darkness. 

"'Twas imagination--naught save imagination, " she thought withinherself, as she exerted all her power to surmount the alarms that hadseized upon her. "But no! I remember to have closed the door carefullybehind me, and now it is open!"

As that reminiscence and conviction flashed to her mind, she nervedherself to advance into the passage; but all was silent, and not a soulwas there save herself. Scarcely knowing what to think, yet ashamed togive way to superstitious fears, Nisida retraced her steps, andproceeded to examine the door of the closet. She was satisfied that ithad never been opened since the night of her father's death; for theseals which she had induced Francisco to place upon the lock next daywere still there. But all the while she was thus scrutinizing the door, the lock, and the seals, she could not help occasionally casting afurtive glance around, to convince herself that the tall, dark, muffledform was not standing behind her: and, as she retraced her way to herown apartments, she stopped now and then through dread that _other_footsteps beside her own echoed in the long and lonely corridors of theold mansion. She, however, regained her chamber in safety, and fell intoa deep reverie respecting the tall figure she had seen. Were it not forthe fact, of which she was confident, of her having closed the door onentering the room where her father had died, she would have concludedthat her imagination had deluded her; but she now feared lest she mightbe watched by spies for some unknown and hostile purpose. It wasperplexing, to say the least of it; and Nisida determined to adopt allpossible precautions against her secret enemies, whoever they might be. 

She accordingly arose from her seat--put off her upper garment--donnedher thin but strong corselet--and then assumed the black velvet robewhich reached up to her throat, concealing the armor beneath. Herflexible dagger--that fatal weapon which had dealt death to theunfortunate Agnes--was next thrust into the sheath formed by the wideborder of her stomacher; and Nisida smiled with haughty triumph as if indefiance to her foes. She then repaired to one of the splendid saloonsof the mansion; and ere she sat down to the repast that was served up, she dispatched a note acquainting Dr. Duras with her return, andrequesting his immediate presence. In about half an hour the physicianarrived, and his joy at beholding Nisida again was only equaled by hisimpatience to learn the cause of her long absence and all that hadbefallen her during the interval. 

She made a sign for the old man to follow her to the retirement of herown apartments; and then, having closed the door, she said to him in alow tone, "Doctor, we will converse by means of signs no more; for, though still forced to simulate the deaf and dumb in the presence of theworld, yet now--with you, who have all along known my terriblesecret--our discourse must be too important to be carried on by meresigns. "

"Nisida, " returned Duras, also in a low and cautious tone, "thou knowestthat I love thee as if thou wast my own daughter; and thy voice soundslike music upon my ears. But when will the dreadful necessity whichrenders thee dumb before the world--when will it cease, Nisida?"

"Soon--soon, doctor--if thou wilt aid me, " answered the lady. 

A long and earnest conversation then ensued; but it is not necessary togive the details to the reader, inasmuch as their nature will soontranspire. Suffice it to say that Nisida urged a particular request, which she backed by such explanation and we must also saymisrepresentations as she thought suitable to her purpose; and that Dr. Duras eventually, though not without compunction and hesitation, atlength acceded to her prayer. She then gave him a brief account of herabduction from Florence by the villain Stephano--her long residence onthe island of snakes--and her deliverance from thence by the Ottomanfleet, which was now off the port of Leghorn. But she said nothing ofFernand Wagner: nor did she inform the physician that she was acquaintedwith the cause of Francisco's disappearance and the place where he wasdetained. At length Dr. Duras took his leave; but ere he left the roomNisida caught him by the hand, saying, in a low, yet impressivetone--"Remember your solemn promise, my dear friend, and induce yourbrother to leave Flora Francatelli to her fate. "

"I will--I will, " answered the physician. "And after all you have toldme, and if she be really the bad, profligate, and evil-disposed girl yourepresent her, it will be well that the inquisition should hold hertight in its grasp. "

With these words Dr. Duras departed, leaving Nisida to gloat over thesuccess which her plans had thus far experienced. 

CHAPTER LX. 

It was verging toward midnight, and the moon was concealed behind darkclouds, when a tall figure, muffled in a cloak, climbed over the railingwhich inclosed one portion of the spacious garden attached to theRiverola Palace. That person was Fernand Wagner. He had arrived inFlorence two days before that on which Nisida returned to the ancestraldwelling:--he had entered the city boldly and openly in the joyoussun-light--and yet no one molested him. He even encountered some of thevery sbirri who had arrested him in the preceding month of February;they saluted him respectfully--thus showed that they recognized him--butoffered not to harm him. His trial, his condemnation, and his escapeappeared all to have been forgotten. He repaired to his mansion; hisservants, who had remained in possession of the dwelling, received himwith demonstrations of joy and welcome as if he had just returned underordinary circumstances from a long journey. Truly, then, he was blessedby the protection of Heaven. And--more wondrous still--on entering hisfavorite room he beheld all his pictures in their proper places, as ifnone of them had ever been removed--as if the confiscation of several bythe criminal tribunal had never taken place. Over the one which hadproclaimed the secret of his doom to the judges and the audience on theoccasion of his trial, still hung the black cloth; and an undefinablecuriosity--no, not a sentiment of curiosity, but one of hope--impelledhim to remove the covering. And how exquisite was his joy, how great hisamazement, how sincere his thanksgivings, when he beheld but a blankpiece of canvas. The horrible picture of the Wehr-Wolf, a picture whichhe had painted when in a strangely morbid state of mind--haddisappeared. Here was another sign of Heaven's goodness--a further proofof celestial mercy. 

On instituting inquiries, Fernand had learnt that Donna Nisida had notyet come back to Florence: but he employed trusty persons to watch andgive him notice of her arrival the instant it should occur. Thus Nisidahad not been half an hour at the Riverola mansion when Fernand was madeacquainted with her return. From the conversation which had taken placebetween them at various times on the island, and as the reader is wellaware, Wagner felt convinced that Nisida would again simulate deafnessand dumbness; and he was therefore desirous to avoid giving her anysurprise by appearing abruptly before her--a proceeding which mightevoke a sudden ejaculation, and thus betray her secret. Moreover, heknew not whether circumstances would render his visits, made in a publicmanner, agreeable to her: and, perhaps--pardon him, gentlereader--perhaps he was also curious to learn whether she still thoughtof him, or whether the excitement of her return had absorbed all tenderfeelings of that nature. 

Influenced by these various motives, Wagner muffled himself in a longTuscan cloak and repaired to the vicinity of the Riverola mansion. Hepassed through the gardens without encountering any one, and, perceivinga side door open, he entered the building. Ascending the stairs, hethought that he should be acting in accordance with the advice given himby Rosencrux, and also consistent with prudence, were he at once to seekan interview with Nisida privately. He therefore repaired in thedirection of the principal saloons of the palace; but losing his wayamidst the maze of corridors, he was about to retire, when he beheld theobject of his search, the beautiful Nisida, enter a room with a lamp inhand. He now felt convinced that he should meet her alone, and hehurried after her. In pursuance of his cautious plan, he opened the doorgently, and was already in the middle of the apartment, when heperceived Nisida standing by the side of a bed, and with her head fixedin that immovable manner which indicates intent gazing upon some object. Instantly supposing that some invalid reposed in that couch, and nowseized with a dreadful alarm lest Nisida, on beholding him, should uttera sudden ejaculation which would betray the secret of her feigneddumbness, Fernand considerately retreated with all possible speed: norwas he aware that Nisida had observed him, much less that his appearancethere had excited such fears in her breast, those fears being greatlyenhanced by his negligence in leaving the door open behind him. 

Oh! had Nisida known it was thou, Fernand Wagner, how joyous, how happyshe would have been; for the conviction that she bore the pledge of yourmutual passion had made her heart yearn that eve to meet with theeagain. And was it a like attraction on thy part, or the mysteriousinfluence that now guided all thy movements, which induced thee atmidnight to enter the Riverola gardens again, that thou mightest be, asit were, upon the same spot where she dwelt, and scent the fragrance ofthe same flowers that perfumed the atmosphere which she breathed? Oh!doubtless it was that mysterious influence; for thou hast now that powerwithin thee which made thee strong to resist all the blandishments ofthe siren, and to prefer the welfare of thine own soul to aught in thisworld beside!

We said, then, at the commencement of this chapter that Fernand enteredthe Riverola gardens shortly after midnight. But scarcely had he crossedthe iron railings, turned into the nearest path formed by shrubs andevergreens, when he was startled by hearing another person enter thegrounds in the same unceremonious manner. Fernand accordingly stood asidein the deep shade of the trees; and in a few moments a figure, muffledlike himself in a cloak, passed him rapidly by. Wagner was debating inhimself what course he should pursue--for he feared that some treacherywas intended toward Nisida--when to his boundless surprise, he heard themysterious visitant say in a low tone. "Is it you, lady?"--to whichquestion the unmistakable and never-to-be-forgotten voice of his Nisidaanswered, "'Tis I, Demetrius. Follow me noiselessly, and breathe notanother word for the present!"

Fernand was shocked and grieved at what he had just heard, and whichsavored so strongly of an intrigue. Had not his ears deceived him? wasthis the Nisida from whom he had parted but little more than three weeksback, and who had left him that tender note which he had found in thehut on the island? But he had no time for reflection; the pair weremoving rapidly toward the mansion--and Wagner unhesitatingly followed, his footsteps being soundless on the damp soil of the borders offlowers, and his form being concealed by the shade of the tallevergreens which he skirted. 

He watched Nisida and her companion until they disappeared by a smallprivate door at the back of the mansion; and this door was by themincautiously left unlocked, though shut close. It opened rapidly toWagner's hand, and he found himself at the foot of a dark staircase, thesound of ascending steps on which met his ears. Up that narrow flight hesped, noiselessly but hastily; and in a few moments he was stopped byanother door which had just closed behind those whom he was following. Here he was compelled to pause, in the hope that the partition might notbe so thick as completely to intercept the sounds of the voices in thechamber; but after listening with breathless attention for a fewminutes, he could not catch even the murmuring of a whisper. It nowstruck him that Nisida and her companion might have passed on into aroom more remote than the one to which that door had admitted them; andhe resolved to follow on. Accordingly, he opened the door with suchsuccessful precaution that not a sound--not even the creaking of thehinge was the result; and he immediately perceived that there was athick curtain within; for it will be recollected that this door wasbehind the drapery of Nisida's bed. At the same time, a light, somewhatsubdued by the thick curtain, appeared; and the sound of voices metFernand's ears. 

"Signor, " said the melodious voice of Nisida, in its sweetest, softesttones, "it is due to myself to tender fitting excuse for introducing youthus into my private chamber; but the necessity of discoursing togetherwithout fear of interruption, and in some place that is secure from theimpertinence of eavesdroppers, must serve as an apology. "

"Lady, " replied Demetrius, "it needed no explanation of your motive inbringing me hither to command on my part that respect which is due toyou. "

A weight was removed from Wagner's mind: it was assuredly no tendersentiment that had brought Nisida and the Greek together this night; andthe curiosity of Fernand was therefore excited all the more strongly. 

"We will not waste time in unnecessary parlance, " resumed Nisida, aftera short pause; "nor must you seek to learn the causes--the powerfulcauses, which have urged me to impose upon myself the awful sacrificeinvolved in the simulation of loss of speech and hearing. Suffice it foryou to know that, when on board the kapitan-pasha's ship, I overheardevery syllable of the conversation which one day took place between theapostate Ibrahim and yourself, --a conversation wherein you gave adetailed account of all your proceedings at Florence, and in the courseof which you spoke feelingly of your sister Calanthe. "

"Alas! poor Calanthe!" exclaimed Demetrius, in a mournful tone; "and isshe really no more?"

"Listen to me while I relate the manner in which I became aware of herfate, " said Nisida. 

She then explained the treacherous visit of the grand vizier to thecabin wherein she had slept on board the Ottoman admiral's ship--the wayin which the Ethiopian slave had interfered to save her--and theconversation that had taken place between Ibrahim and the negro, revealing the dread fate of Calanthe. 

"Is it possible that I have served so faithfully a man possessed of sucha demon-heart?" cried Demetrius. "But I will have vengeance, lady; yes, the murdered Calanthe shall be avenged!"

"And I too must have vengeance upon the proud and insolent vizier whosought to violate all the laws of hospitality in respect to me, "observed Nisida, "and who seeks to marry his sister, the low-born Flora, the sister of the base renegade, to the illustrious scion of the noblehouse of Riverola! Vengeance, too, must I have upon the wretch Antonio, the panderer to my father's illicit and degrading _amours_--themiscreant who sought to plunder this mansion, and who even dared toutter threats against me in that conversation with his accompliceVenturo, which you, signor, overheard in the streets of Florence. Thisgame wretch it is, too, who consigned my brother to the custody ofbanditti; and though, for certain reasons, I deplore not that captivitywhich Francisco has endured, inasmuch as it has effectually preventedhim from interesting himself on behalf of Flora Francatelli, yet asAntonio was animated by vengeance only in so using my brother, he shallpay the penalty due on account of all his crimes!"

"And in the task of punishing Antonio, lady, " said Demetrius, "shall Ibe right glad to aid--for did not the villain deceive me infamously inrespect to the dispatches which I sought to forward to Constantinoplewhen last I was at Florence? and, not contented with that viletreachery, even plotted with his accomplice Venturo against my life. "

"Vengeance, then, upon our enemies, Demetrius!" exclaimed Nisida. "Andthis is how our aims shall be accomplished, " she continued, in a lowerand less excited tone: "The ambitious views of Ibrahim Pasha mustexperience a signal defeat; and as he is too powerful to be personallyinjured by us, we must torture his soul by crushing his relations--wemust punish him through the medium of his sister and his aunt. Thisevening I had a long discourse with Dr. Duras, who is devoted to myinterests, and over whom I wield a wondrous power of persuasion. He hasundertaken to induce his brother, Angelo Duras, to abandon the cause ofthe Francatellis; and the inquisition will, therefore, deal with them asit lists. Father Marco I can also manage as I will; he understands thelanguage in which the deaf and dumb converse, for he has so long beenconfessor to our family. To-morrow I will undertake to send him to Romeon some charitable mission connected with the church. Thus the onlypersons whom you secured when last you were in Florence, in theinterests of the Francatellis, will cease to watch over them; and, asthey are accused of being accomplices in the sacrilege perpetrated inthe Carmelite Convent, naught will save them from the flames of the_auto-da-fe_. "

"Oh! spirit of the murdered Calanthe, " exclaimed Demetrius, with savagejoy, "thou wilt be avenged yet! And thou, false vizier, shalt writhe inthe flames at the stake!"

"Now, as for Antonio, and the rest of the banditti who stormed theconvent and gave freedom to the hated Flora--who have likewise capturedmy brother--and who have so long been a terror to Florence, " continuedNisida; "we must annihilate them all at one blow; not a soul of the gangmust be spared!"

Nisida knew full well that at least some of the banditti were acquaintedwith the fact that she was the murderess of Agnes, and that they couldalso tell an awkward tale of how she sought to bribe them to rescueFernand Wagner in case of an adverse judgment on the part of thecriminal tribunal. The total annihilation of the horde was consequentlythe large aim at which she aspired, and her energetic mind shrunk notfrom any difficulties that might appear in the way toward the executionof that object. 

"The design is grand, but not without its obstacles, " observedDemetrius. "Your ladyship will moreover adopt measures to rescue theLord Count of Riverola first. "

"By means of gold everything can be accomplished amongst villains, "returned Nisida, "and the necessary preliminaries to the carrying out ofour object rest with you, signor. To-morrow morning must you seekAntonio. He knows not that you suspect his villainy and, as you will saynothing relative to the failure in the arrival of your dispatches atConstantinople, he will rest secure in the belief that you have not yetdiscovered that deed of treachery. You must represent yourself as themortal enemy of the Count of Riverola, and so speak as to lead Antonioto confess to you where he is and offer to become the instrument of yourvengeance. Then bribe Antonio heavily to deliver up Francisco into yourpower to-morrow night at a particular hour, and at a place not far fromthe spot where you know the secret entrance of the banditti's strongholdto be. "

"All this, lady, " said Demetrius, "can be easily arranged. Antonio wouldbarter his soul for gold; much more readily, then, will he sell theCount of Riverola to one who bids high for the possession of the nobleprisoner. "

"But this is not all, " resumed Nisida, "'tis merely the preface to myplan. So soon as the shades of to-morrow's evening shall have involvedthe earth in obscurity, a strong party of your soldiers, properlydisguised, but well armed, must repair in small sections, or evensingly, to that grove where you have already obtained a clew to theentrance of the robbers' stronghold. Let them conceal themselves amongstthe trees in the immediate vicinity of the enormous chestnut thatoverhangs the precipice. When the robbers emerge from theirlurking-place with Francisco, your soldiers will immediately seize uponthem. Should you then discover the secret of the entrance to thestronghold, the object will be gained, --your men will penetrate into thesubterranean den, --and the massacre of the horde will prove an easymatter. But should it occur that those banditti who may be employed inleading forth my brother, do shut up the entrance of their den sospeedily that your dependents discover not its secrets, then must wetrust to bribery or threats to wrest that secret from the miscreants. Atall events Antonio will be present to accompany Francisco to the placewhich you will appoint to meet them; and as the villain will fall intoyour power, it will perhaps prove less difficult to induce him to betrayhis comrades, than it might be to persuade any of the bandittithemselves. "

"Lady, your plan has every element of success, " observed Demetrius; "andall shall be done as you suggest. Indeed, I will myself conduct theexpedition. But should you thus at once effect the release of DonFrancisco, will he not oppose your designs relative to the condemnationof Flora Francatelli by the inquisition?"

"Dr. Duras is well acquainted with the precise process, " answeredNisida; "and from him I learnt that the third examination of theprisoners will take place to-morrow, when judgment will be pronouncedshould no advocate appear to urge a feasible cause of delay. "

"The arrests took place on the 3d of July, " said Demetrius; "and AngeloDuras undertook to obtain a postponement for three months. To-morrow, lady, is but the 26th of September. "

"True, " responded Nisida; "but were a delay granted, it would be foreight days--and thus you perceive how nicely Angelo Duras had weighedall the intricacies of the case, and how accurately he had calculatedthe length of the term to be gained by the exercise of the subtleties ofthe inquisitorial law. Therefore, as no advocate will appear to demanddelay, Flora is certain to be condemned to-morrow night, and the releaseof Francisco may take place simultaneously--for when once the grandinquisitor shall have pronounced the extreme sentence, no human powercan reverse it. And now, " added Nisida, "but one word more. The grandvizier commanded you to dispatch a courier daily to Leghorn with fullparticulars of all your proceedings; see that those accounts be of anature to lull the treacherous Ibrahim into security--for, were he tolearn that his aunt and sister are in dread peril, he would be capableof marching at the head of all his troops to sack the city of Florence. "

"Fear not on that subject, lady, " answered Demetrius. "I will so amusethe demon-hearted grand vizier by my dispatches, that he shall becomeexcited with joyous hopes--so that the blow--the dread blow which we arepreparing for him--may be the more terribly severe. "

The Greek then rose to take his leave of Donna Nisida; and Wagner, having closed the secret door as noiselessly as he had opened it, hurried away from the Riverola mansion bewildered and grieved at all hehad heard--for he could no longer conceal from himself that a very fiendwas incarnate in the shape of her whom he had loved so madly. 

Having tossed on a feverish couch for upward of an hour, --unable tobanish from his mind the cold blooded plot which Nisida and Demetriushad resolved upon in order to consign Flora Francatelli and her equallyinnocent aunt to the stake, --Wagner at last slept through sheerexhaustion. Then Christianus Rosencrux appeared to him in a dream andsaid:--"Heaven hath chosen thee as the instrument to defeat theiniquitous purposes of Riverola in respect of two guiltless anddeserving women. Angelo Duras is an upright man; but he is deluded andmisled by the representations made to him by Nisida, through hisbrother, the physician, relative to the true character of Flora. In theevening at nine o'clock, hie to Angelo Duras--command him in the name ofjustice and humanity, to do his duty toward his clients--and he willobey thee. Then, having performed this much, speed thou without delay toLeghorn, and seek the grand vizier, Ibrahim Pasha. To him shalt thoumerely state that Demetrius is a traitor, and that tremendous perilshang over the heads of the vizier's much-loved relatives. Manifest nohatred to the vizier on account of his late treacherous intention withregard to the honor of Nisida: for vengeance belongeth not to mortals. And in these measures only, of all the deeply ramified plots and designswhich thou didst hear discussed between Nisida and Demetrius, shall thouinterfere. Leave the rest to Heaven. "

The founder of the Rosicrucians disappeared: and when Fernand awoke latein the day--for his slumber had been long and deep--he remembered thevision which he had seen, and resolved to obey the order he hadreceived. 

Beneath the massive and heavy tower of the Palazzo del Podesta, or DucalPalace of Florence, was the tribunal of the holy inquisition. Small, low, and terribly somber in appearance was this court--with walls of themost solid masonry, an arched roof, and a pavement formed of vast blocksof dark-veined marble. Thither the light of heaven never penetrated; forit was situate far below the level of the earth, and at the veryfoundation of that tower which rose, frowning and sullen, high above. Iron lamps diffused a lurid luster around, rendering ghastly thecountenance alike of the oppressors and the oppressed; and when it wasdeemed necessary to invest the proceedings with a more awe-inspiringsolemnity than usual, torches, borne by the familiars or officers of theinquisition, were substituted for these iron lamps. Over thejudgment-seat was suspended a large crucifix. On one side of the courtwere three doors, --one communicating with the corridor and flight ofstone steps leading to and from the tribunal; the second affordingadmission into the torture-chamber and the third opening to the prisonsof the inquisition. 

It was about seven o'clock in the evening, on the 26th of September, that Flora Francatelli and her aunt were placed before the grandinquisitor, to be examined for the second time. When the familiars, habited in their long, black, ecclesiastical dresses with the strangecowls or hoods shading their stern and remorseless countenances, led inthe two females from the separate cells in which they had been confined, the first and natural impulse of the unhappy creatures was to rush intoeach other's arms;--but they were immediately torn rudely asunder, andso stationed in the presence of the grand inquisitor as to have aconsiderable interval between them. 

But the glances which the aunt and niece exchanged, gave encouragementand hope to each other, and the sentiments which prompted those glanceswere really cherished by the persecuted females; inasmuch as FatherMarco, who had been permitted to visit them occasionally, dropped sundryhints of coming aid, and powerful, though invisible, protection--therebycheering their hearts to some little extent, and mitigating theintensity of their apprehensions. Flora was very pale--but never, perhaps, had she appeared more beautiful--for her large blue eyesexpressed the most melting softness, and her dark brown hair hungdisheveled over her shoulders, while her bosom heaved with the agitationof suspense. 

"Woman, " said the grand inquisitor, glancing first to the aunt and thento the niece, his eyes, however, lingering upon the latter, "know ye ofwhat ye are accused? Let the younger speak first. "

"My lord, " answered Flora, in a firmer tone than might have beenexpected from the feelings indicated by her outward appearance, "when ona former occasion I stood in the presence of your eminence, I expressedmy belief that secret enemies were conspiring, for their own badpurposes, to ruin my beloved relative and myself; and yet I call Heavento witness my solemn declaration that knowingly and willfully we havewronged no one by word or deed. "

"Young woman, " exclaimed the grand inquisitor, "thou hast answered myquestions evasively. Wast thou not an inmate of that most holysanctuary, the convent of Carmelite nuns? wast thou not there thecompanion of Giulia of Arestino? did not a sacrilegious horde ofmiscreants break into the convent, headed or at least accompanied by acertain Manuel d'Orsini who was the lover of the countess? was not thisinvasion of the sacred place undertaken to rescue that guilty woman? anddid she not find an asylum at the abode of your aunt, doubtless withyour connivance, until the day of her arrest?"

"None of those circumstances, my lord, " replied Flora, "do I attempt todeny: but it is so easy to give them a variety of colorings, some ofwhich, alas! may seem most unfavorable to my venerable relative and tomyself. Oh, my lord, do with me what thou wilt, " exclaimed Flora, clasping her hands together in a single paroxysm of anguish; "butrelease that aged woman, suffer not my beloved aunt--my more than motherto be thus persecuted! have mercy, my lord, upon _her_--oh! have mercy, great judge, upon her. "

"Flora--dearest Flora, " cried Dame Francatelli, the tears trickling fastdown her countenance, "I do not wish to leave you--I do not seek to beset free--I will stay in this dreadful place so long as you remain aprisoner also; for though we are separated----"

"Woman, " exclaimed the grand inquisitor, not altogether unmoved by thistouching scene, "the tribunal cannot take heed of supplications andprayers of an impassioned nature. It has to do with facts, notfeelings. "

At this moment there was a slight sensation amongst the familiarsstationed near the door of the judgment-hall; and an individual who hadjust entered the court, and who wore the black robe and the cap or toqueof a counselor, advanced toward the grand inquisitor. 

"My lord, " said the advocate, with a reverential bow, "the day after thearrest of these females, I submitted to the council of state a memorial, setting forth certain facts which induced the president of the councilto issue his warrant to order the postponement of the second examinationof the two prisoners now before your eminence, until this day. "

"And the case has been postponed accordingly, " answered the grandinquisitor. "It will now proceed, unless reasonable cause be shown forfurther delay. The prisoners are obstinate. Instead of confessing theirheinous crimes, and throwing themselves on the mercy of Heaven--for pastthe hope of human mercy they are--they assuredly break forth intoimpassioned language, savoring of complaint. Indeed, the youngerattributes to the machinations of unknown enemies the position in whichshe is placed. Yet have we positive proof that she was leagued withthose who perpetrated the sacrilege which ended in the destruction ofthe Carmelite Convent; and the elder prisoner gave refuge not only tothe young girl, her niece, but also to a woman more guilty still--thusrendering herself infamous as one who encouraged and concealed theenemies of the church, instead of giving them up to the most holyinquisition. Wherefore, " continued the grand inquisitor, "it remainethonly for me to order the prisoners to be put to the torture, that theymay confess their crimes and receive the condemnation which they merit. "

At the terrible word "_torture_, " Dame Francatelli uttered a cry ofagony--but it was even more on account of her beloved niece thanherself; while Flora, endowed with greater firmness than her aunt, wouldhave flown to console and embrace her, had not the familiars cruellycompelled the young maiden to retain her place. 

"My lord, " said Angelo Duras--for he was the advocate who appeared onbehalf of the prisoners--"I formally and earnestly demand a delay ofeight days ere this final examination be proceeded with. "

"It is impossible, " returned the grand inquisitor, while his words wentlike ice-shafts to the hearts of the unhappy women. "In addition to thecharges against them which I have already glanced at, it appeareth thatone Alessandro Francatelli, who is nearly related to them both, hathabjured the Christian faith and become a Mussulman. This fact wasreported many months ago to the council of state: and in the cottagelately habited by the prisoners was found a costly set of jewels, ornamented with sundry Moslem devices and symbols, all of which arehateful to the true Catholic. It is therefore natural to suppose thatthey themselves have secretly abjured their country's religion, and havealready received the reward of their apostasy. "

"No--never, never!" exclaimed the aunt, clasping her hands together, andshowing more anguish by this cruel suspicion than by any other portionof the treatment which she had received at the hands of the inquisition. 

On her side, Flora appeared to be astounded at the accusation madeagainst her aunt and herself by the grand inquisitor. 

"My lord, " said Angelo Duras, "the very statement which has just beenput forth by your eminence furnishes a new ground whereon I base myrequisition for a delay of eight days, in order to prepare a fittingdefense on behalf of the prisoners. The council of state is now sittingin deliberation on certain demands made by the newly arrived Ottomanenvoy, and should your eminence refuse my requisition for a delay, itwill be my duty forthwith to apply to that august body. "

The grand inquisitor endeavored to reason with the advocate on theinconvenience of obstructing the business of the tribunal--but AngeloDuras, knowing that he had the law on his side, was firm; and the judgewas finally compelled to accord the delay. Flora and her aunt wereaccordingly conveyed back each to her separate cell; while Angelo Durasretired, murmuring to himself, "I shall doubtless offend my brother bymy conduct in this respect, after my solemn promise to him to abandonthe cause of the Francatellis; but I prefer having obeyed that young manof godlike aspect and persuasive manner who visited me ere now to abjureme not to neglect my duty. "

The next case that occupied the attention of the grand inquisitor on thepresent occasion was that of the Jew Isaachar ben Solomon. The old manwas indeed a miserable spectacle. His garments hung loosely about hiswasted and attenuated form--his countenance was wan and ghastly--but thefire of his eyes was not altogether quenched. He was heavilychained--and, as he walked between the two familiars who led him intothe tribunal, he could scarcely drag himself along. For the persecutedold man had been confined for nearly seven months in the prison of theinquisition; and during that period he had suffered acutely with thedamps of his dungeon--the wretched food doled out to him--and theanguish occasioned by conscious innocence unjustly accused of a dreadfulcrime. 

"Jew, " said the grand inquisitor, "when last thou wast examined by me, thou didst obstinately refuse to confess thy grievous sins. This is theday for the final investigation of thy case: and thou may'st producewitnesses in thy favor, if thou canst. "

"My lord, " replied Isaachar ben Solomon, in a weak and tremulous voice, "unless Heaven should work a miracle in my favor, I have no hope in thislife. I do not fear death, my lord; for, persecuted, reviled, despised, accused as I am, I can yet lay my hand on my heart and say I have neverinjured a fellow-creature. But, my lord, " he continued, his voicegrowing stronger with excitement, "it is sufficient that I am a Jew toinsure my condemnation; and yet strange indeed is that Christian faith, or rather should I say, most inconsistent is the conduct of those whoprofess it, in so far as this ruthless persecution of my race isconcerned. For where, my lord, is your charity, where is your tolerance, where is your mercy? If I be indeed involved in mental darkness, 'tisfor you to enlighten me with argument, not coerce me with chains. Neverhave I insulted a Christian on account of his creed: wherefore should Ibe insulted in mine? Granting that the Jew is in error, he surelydeserves pity, not persecution. For how came I by the creed which Iprofess? Even as your lordship obtained yours, which is that ofChristian. Our parents reared us each in the belief which theyrespectively professed; and there is no more merit due to your eminencefor being a Christian, than there is blame to be attached to me forbeing a Jew. Had all the religions of the earth been submitted to ourconsideration when we were children, and had it been said to each of us, 'Select a faith for yourself, ' then there might be some merit inchoosing the one most popular and the most assuredly conducive topersonal safety. But such was not the case, my lord; and I am a Jew forthe same reason that you are a Christian--and I cling to the creed of myforefathers even as you adhere tenaciously to that faith which yourancestors have handed down to you. Reproach me not, then, because I am aJew. And now I will pass to another subject, my lord, " continuedIsaachar, becoming more and more animated as he proceeded. 

"I am accused of a fearful crime, of murder. The evidence rests upon thefact that stains of blood were observed upon the floor of a room in myhouse. The answer is simple. Two men--one of noble birth, the other arobber, fought in the room; and the blood of one of them flowed from aslight wound. This is the truth--and yet I know that I am not believed. Merciful heavens! of what would you accuse me? Of murder!--and it washinted, when last I stood before your eminence, that the Jews have beenknown to slay Christian children as an offering to Heaven. My lord, theJews worship the same God as the Christians--for the Christians adoptthat book in which the Jews put faith. Then I appeal to your eminencewhether the God whom the Christians worship would delight in suchsacrifices?--and as you must answer 'Nay, ' the reply acquits the Jewsalso of the hideous calumny sought to be affixed upon us. The Jews, mylord, are a merciful and humane race. The records of your tribunals willprove that the Jews are not addicted to the shedding of blood. They aretoo patient--enduring--and resigned, to be given to vengeance. Beholdhow they cling to each other--how they assist each other indistress;--and charity is not narrowed to small circles, my lord, it isa sentiment which must become expansive, because it nourisheth itselfand is cherished by those good feelings which are its only reward. Thinkyou, my lord, that if I saw a fellow-creature starving in the street, Ishould wait to ask him whether he were a Christian, a Jew, or aMussulman? Oh! no--no; the world's bread was given for men of allnations and all creeds!"

Isaachar would have continued his address to the grand inquisitor; butsheer exhaustion compelled him to desist--and he would have sunk uponthe cold marble, had not the familiars supported him. 

"By his own words is he convicted of disbelief in the most holy Catholicfaith, " said the grand inquisitor. "But I find, by a memorial which wasaddressed to me many mouths ago--indeed, very shortly after the arrestof this miserable unbeliever--and signed by Manuel Marquis of Orsini, that the said marquis hath important evidence to give on behalf of theJew. Now, though Manuel d'Orsini be himself a prisoner of the holyoffice, yet as he hath not yet been judged, he is a competent witness. "

Orders were then given to introduce the marquis; and Isaachar benSolomon murmured to himself, "Is it possible that the young man can havefelt sympathy for me? Ah, then I was not mistaken in him; in spite ofhis dissipation and his wildness he possesses a generous heart. "

In a few minutes the Marquis of Orsini was led into the judgment-hall. He was chained;--but he carried his head erect--and, though hiscountenance was pale and careworn, his spirit was not crushed. He bowedrespectfully, but not cringingly, to the grand inquisitor, and bestoweda friendly nod of recognition upon the Jew. 

"This memorial, dated in the month of March last, was signed by you?"said the grand inquisitor interrogatively, as he displayed a paper tothe marquis. 

"That memorial was signed by me, " answered Orsini, in a firm tone, "andI rejoice that your eminence has at length granted me an opportunity ofexplaining the matter hinted at therein. Your eminence sits there, it ispresumed, to administer justice; then let justice be done toward thisinnocent man--albeit that he is a Jew--for solemnly do I declare thatthe blood which stained the floor in Isaachar's house flowed from myright arm. And it may not be amiss to observe, " continued the marquis, "that the worthy Jew there did not only bind the wound for me with asmuch care as if I myself had been an Israelite, or he a Christian--buthe moreover offered me the aid of his purse; and therefore am I underobligations to him which I can never wholly discharge. In good sooth, mylord, " added Manuel, in whom neither a lengthened imprisonment nor theawful solemnity of the present scene could entirely subdue the flippancywhich was habitual to his speech, --"in good sooth, my lord, he is asplendid specimen of a Jew--and I pray your eminence to discharge himforthwith. "

"This levity ill becometh you, Manuel d'Orsini, " said the grandinquisitor; "for you yourself are in terrible danger. "

Then, upon a signal given, the familiars conveyed the marquis back tohis dungeon: but ere he left the judgment-hall, he had the satisfactionof beholding the Jew's eyes fixed upon him with an expression ofboundless gratitude and deep sympathy. Tears, too, were trickling downthe cheeks of the Israelite: for the old man thought within himself, "What matters it if the rack dislocate my limbs? But it is shocking--oh!it is shocking to reflect that thy fellow-creatures, noble youth, shalldare to deface and injure that godlike form of thine!"

"Jew, " suddenly exclaimed the grand inquisitor, "I put no faith in thetestimony of the witness who has just appeared in thy favor. Confess thysins--avow openly that thou hast murdered Christian children to obtaintheir blood for use in thy sacrifices--and seek forgiveness from Heavenby embracing the faith of Jesus!"

The unhappy Israelite was so appalled by the open, positive, andundisguised manner in which an atrocious charge was revived against him, that he lost all power of utterance, and stood stupefied and aghast. 

"Away with him to the torture-chamber!" cried the grand inquisitor, in astern and remorseless tone. 

"Monster!" exclaimed the Jew, suddenly recovering his speech, as thatdreadful mandate warned him that he would now require all hisenergy--all his presence of mind:--"monster!" he repeated, in a voiceindicative of loathing and contempt;--"and thou art a Christian!"

The familiars hurried Isaachar away to the torture-chamber, which, as webefore stated, opened upon the tribunal. And terrible, indeed, was theappearance of that earthly hell--that terrestrial hades, invented byfiends in human shape--that den of horrors constituting, indeed, afitting foretaste of trans-stygian torment! The grand inquisitorfollowed the victim and the familiars into this awful place: and, on asignal being given by that high functionary, Isaachar was stripped ofall his upper clothing, and stretched on the accursed rack. Thencommenced the torture--the agonizing torture by means of that infernalinstrument, a torture which dislocated the limbs, appeared to tear themembers asunder, and produced sensations as if all the nerves of thebody were suddenly being drawn out through the brain. 

"Dost thou confess? and wilt thou embrace the Christian faith?" demandedthe grand inquisitor from time to time. 

"I have nothing to confess--I will not renounce the creed of myforefathers!" answered Isaachar in a tone of bitter agony, as he writhedupon the rack, while every fresh shock and jerk of the infernal engineseemed as if it would tear the very life out of him. But the old manremained firm in the declaration of his innocence of the dreadful crimeimputed to him: stanch also to his creed did he remain; and havingendured the full extent of that special mode of torture, he was borneback to his dungeon, cruelly injured, with dislocated limbs, bloodstreaming from his mouth and nostrils, and these terrible words of thegrand inquisitor ringing in his ears--"Obstinate and impenitent one, Satan claims thee as his own; therefore art thou condemned to death byfire at the approaching _auto de-fe_!"

Half an hour afterward another human being lay stretched upon thataccursed rack, and agonizing--oh! most agonizing were the female shrieksand rending screams which emanated from the lips of the tortured victim, but which reached not beyond the solid masonry of those walls and themassive iron-plated door. The white and polished arms were stretched outin a position fearfully painful beyond the victim's head, and the wristswere fastened to a steel bar by means of a thin cord, which cut throughflesh, muscle and nerve to the very bone! The ankles were attached in asimilar manner to a bar at the lower end of the rack, and thus from thefemale's hands and feet thick clots of gore fell on the stone pavement. But even the blood flowed not so fast from her lacerated limbs asstreamed the big drops of agony from her distorted countenance--thatcountenance erst so beautiful, and so well beloved by thee, Manueld'Orsini! For, oh! upon that rack lay stretched the fair and half-nakedform of Giulia of Arestino, its symmetry convulsing in matchlesstortures, the bosom palpitating awfully with the pangs of that earthlyhell, and the exquisitely-modeled limbs enduring all the hideous painsof dislocation, as if the fibers that held them in their sockets weredrawn out to a tension at which they must inevitably snap in halves!

But who gazes on that awful spectacle? whose ears drink in thoseagonizing screams, as if they made a delicious melody? With folded arms, compressed lips, and remorseless, though ashy pale countenance, the oldLord of Arestino stands near the rack; and if his eyes can for a momentquit that feast which they devour so greedily, it is but to glance withdemoniac triumph toward Manuel d'Orsini, whom an atrocious refinement ofcruelty, suggested by the vengeful count himself, has made a spectatorof that appalling scene! And terrible are the emotions which rend theheart of the young marquis! But he is powerless--he cannot stretch fortha hand to save his mistress from the hellish torments which she isenduring, nor can he even whisper a syllable to inspire her with courageto support them. For he is bound tightly--the familiars, too, have himin their iron grasp, and he is gagged! Nevertheless he can see, and hecan hear; he can behold the rending tortures of the rack--and he iscompelled to listen to the piercing screams which the victim sendsforth. If he close his eyes upon the horrible spectacle, imaginationinstantly makes it more horrible even still; and, moreover, in the truespirit of a chivalrous heart, he seeks by the tenderness of his glancesto impart at least a gleam of solace to the soul of her who hasundergone so much, and is suffering now so much more, through her fatallove of him! The grand inquisitor, who is an intimate friend of theCount of Arestino, ministers well and faithfully to the infernalvengeance of that old Italian noble: for the remorseless judge urges onthe torturers to apply the powers of the rack to the fullest extent; andwhile the creaking sound of wheels mingles with the cracking noise ofdislocating limbs, the Count of Arestino exclaims, "I was once humaneand benevolent, Giulia, but thy conduct has made me a fiend!"

"A fiend!" shrieked the tormented woman: "Oh! yes--yes--thou art afiend--a very fiend--I have wronged thee--but this vengeance ishorrible--mercy--mercy!--oh! for one drop of water--mercy--mercy!"

The rack gave the last shock of which its utmost power was capable--ascream more dreadful, more agonizing, more piercing than any of itspredecessors, rent this time the very walls of the torture-chamber: andwith this last outburst of mortal agony, the spirit of the guilty Giuliafled forever! Yet was not the vengeance of the Count of Arestinosatisfied; and the grand inquisitor was prepared to gratify the hellishsentiment to the fullest extent. The still warm and palpitating corpseof the countess was hastily removed from the rack: and the familiarsstripped--nay, tore off the clothing of Manuel d'Orsini. The countenanceof the young nobleman was now terribly somber, as if the darkestthoughts were occupying his inmost soul, and his eyes were bent fixedlyon the dreadful engine, to the tortures of which it appeared to be histurn to submit. 

The familiars, in order to divest him of his garments, and also tostretch him in such a way on the rack that his arms might be fastenedover his head to the upper end of that instrument, had removed thechains and cords which had hitherto bound him. And now the fatal momentseemed to be at hand, and the familiars already grasped him rudely tohurl him on the rack, when, as if suddenly inspired by a superhumanstrength, the young nobleman dashed the men from him; then, withlightning speed, he seized a massive iron bar that was used to move thewindlass of the rack, and in another instant, before a saving arm couldintervene, the deadly instrument struck down the Count of Arestino atthe feet of the grand inquisitor, who started back with a cry of horror!The next moment the marquis was again powerless and secure in the graspof the familiars--but he had accomplished his purpose, he had avengedhis mistress and himself--and the old Lord of Arestino lay, withshattered skull, a corpse upon the cold pavement of the torture-chamber!

"Back--back with the murderer to his dungeon!" exclaimed the grandinquisitor, in a tone of fearful excitement and rage. "We must notafford him a chance of dying upon that engine of torture. No--no: thelingering flames of the _auto-da-fe_ are reserved for the Marquisd'Orsini!"

And in pursuance of the sentence thus pronounced, Manuel was hurriedaway to his dark and solitary cell, there to remain a prey to all thedreadful thoughts which the occurrences of that fatal evening were sowell calculated to marshal in horrible array to his imagination. 

CHAPTER LXI. 

While those awful scenes were being enacted in the subterranes of theholy inquisition, Demetrius was actively engaged in directing thoseplans and effecting those arrangements which the scheming disposition ofNisida of Riverola had suggested. We should observe that in the morninghe had sought and found Antonio, with whom he had so expertly managedthat the villain had fallen completely into the snare spread to entraphim, and had not only confessed that he held at his disposal the libertyof the Count of Riverola, but had also agreed to deliver him up to theGreek. In a word, every thing in this respect took place precisely asNisida had foreseen. Accordingly, so soon as it was dark in the evening, sixty of the Ottoman soldiers quitted by two and threes the mansionwhich the Florentine Government had appropriated as a dwelling for theenvoy and his suit. The men whom Demetrius thus intrusted with theexecution of his scheme, and whose energy and fidelity he had previouslysecured by means of liberal reward and promise of more, were disguisedin different ways, but were all well armed. To be brief, so well werethe various dispositions taken, and so effectually were they executed, that those sixty soldiers had concealed themselves in the groveindicated by their master, without having excited in the minds of theFlorentine people the least suspicion that anything unusual was about totake place. It was close upon eleven o'clock at night, when Demetrius, after having obtained a hasty interview with Nisida, whom he acquaintedwith the progress of the plot, repaired to the grove wherein his menwere already distributed, and took his station in the midst of the knotof olives on the right of the huge chestnut tree which overhung thechasm. 

Nearly a quarter of an hour elapsed, and naught was heard save thewaving of the branches and the rustling of the foliage, as the breeze ofnight agitated the grove; but at the expiration of that brief period, the sound of voices was suddenly heard close by the chestnut tree--notpreceded by any footsteps nor other indication of the presence ofmen--and thus appearing as if they had all at once and in an instantemerged from the earth. 

Not a moment had elapsed--no, not a moment--ere those individuals whosevoices were thus abruptly heard, were captured and secured by a dozenOttoman soldiers, who sprung upon them from the dense thickets around ordropped amongst them from the branches overhead--and so admirably wasthe swoop made, that five persons were seized, bound and held powerlessand incapable of resistance ere the echo of the cry of alarm which theyraised had died away in the maze of the grove. And simultaneously withthe performance of this skillful maneuver, a shrill whistle was waftedfrom the lips of Demetrius through the wood, and as if by magic, a dozentorches were seen to light up and numbers of men, with naked scimitersgleaming in the rays of those firebrands, rushed toward the spot wherethe capture had been made. The effect of that sudden illumination--thoseflashing weapons--and that convergence of many warriors all toward thesame point, was striking in the extreme, and as the glare of the torchesshone on the countenances of the four men in the midst of whom wasFrancisco (the whole five, however, being held bound and powerless bythe Ottoman soldiers), it was evident that the entire proceeding hadinspired the guilty wretches with the most painful alarm. Demetriusinstantly knew that the handsome and noble-looking young man in themidst of the group of captives and captors, must be Don Francisco ofRiverola, and he also saw at a glance that one of the ruffians with himwas Antonio. But he merely had leisure at the moment to address a wordof reassurance and friendship to Nisida's brother--for, lo! the secretof the entrance to the robbers' stronghold was revealed--discovered!Yes--there, at the foot of the tree, and now rendered completely visibleby the glare of the torch-light, was a small square aperture, from whichthe trap door had been raised to afford egress to the captured party. 

"Secure that entrance!" cried Demetrius, hastily; "and hasten down thosesteps, some dozen of you, so as to guard it well!"--then, the instantthis command was obeyed he turned toward Francisco, saying, "Lord ofRiverola--am I right in thus addressing you?"

"Such is my name, " answered Francisco; "and if you, brave chief, willbut release me and lend me a sword, I will prove to thee that I have noparticular affection for these miscreants. "

Demetrius gave the necessary order--and in another moment the youngCount of Riverola was not only free, but with a weapon in his hand. TheGreek then made a rapid, but significant--fatally significant sign tohis men; and--quick as thought, --the three robbers and their confederateAntonio were strangled by the bowstrings which the Ottomans whippedaround their necks. A few stifled cries--and all was over! Thus perishedthe wretch Antonio--one of those treacherous, malignant, and avariciousItalians who bring dishonor on their noble nation, --a man who had soughtto turn the vindictive feelings of the Count of Arestino to his ownpurposes, alike to fill his purse and to wreak his hateful spite on theRiverola family! Scarcely was the tragedy enacted, when Demetriusordered the four bodies to be conveyed down the steps disclosed by thetrap-door; "for, " said he, "we will endeavor so to direct ourproceedings that not a trace of them shall be left upon ground; as theFlorentines would not be well-pleased if they learnt that foreignsoldiers have undertaken the duties which they themselves shouldperform. " Several of the Ottomans accordingly bore the dead bodies downthe steps; and Demetrius, accompanied by Francisco, followed at the headof the greater portion of the troops, a sufficient number, however, remaining behind to constitute a guard at the entrance of thestronghold. 

While they were yet descending the stone stairs, Demetrius seized theopportunity of that temporary lull in the excitement of the night'sadventures, to give Francisco hasty but welcome tidings of his sister;and the reader may suppose that the generous-hearted young count wasoverjoyed to learn that Nisida was not only alive, but also once more aninmate of the ancestral home. Demetrius said nothing relative to Flora;and Francisco, not dreaming for a moment that his deliverer even knewthere was such a being in existence, asked no questions on that subject. His anxiety was not, however, any less to fly to the cottage; for itmust be remembered that he was arrested first, on the 3d of July, andhad yet to learn all the afflictions which had fallen upon Flora and heraunt--afflictions of the existence whereof he had been kept in utterignorance by the banditti during his long captivity of nearly threemonths in their stronghold. But while we are thus somewhat digressing, the invaders are penetrating further into the stronghold. Headed byDemetrius and Francisco, and all carrying their drawn scimiters in theirhands, the corps proceeded along a vast vaulted subterrane, paved withflag-stones, until a huge iron door, studded with nails, barred the way. 

"Stay!" whispered Francisco, suddenly recollecting himself, "I think Ican devise a means to induce the rogues to open this portal, or I ammuch mistaken. "

He accordingly seized a torch and hurried back to the foot ofthe stone-steps; in the immediate vicinity of which he searched narrowlyfor some object. At last he discovered the object of hisinvestigation--namely a large bell hanging in a niche, and from which astrong wire ran up through the ground to the surface. This bellFrancisco set ringing, and then hurried back to rejoin his deliverers. Scarcely was he again by the side of Demetrius, when he saw that hisstratagem had fully succeeded; for the iron door swung heavily round onits hinges--and in another moment the cries of terror which the tworobber-sentinels raised on the inner side, were hushed forever by theTurkish scimiters. Down another flight of steps the invaders thenprecipitated themselves, another door, at the bottom, having been openedin compliance with the same signal which had led to the unfolding of thefirst--and now the alarm was given by the sentinels guarding the secondpost--those sentinels flying madly on, having beholden the immolation oftheir comrades. But Demetrius and Francisco speedily overtook them justas they emerged from another long vaulted and paved cavern-passage, andwere about to cross a plank which connected the two sides of a deepchasm in whose depths a rapid stream rushed gurgling on. 

Into the turbid waters the two fugitive sentinels were cast: over thebridge poured the invaders, and into another caverned corridor, hollowedout of the solid rock, did they enter, the torch-bearers followingimmediately behind the Greek and the young count. It was evident thatneither the cries of the surprised sentinels nor the tread of theinvaders had alarmed the main corps of the banditti; for, on reaching abarrier formed by massive folding doors, and knocking thereat, theportals instantly began to move on their hinges--and in rushed theOttoman soldiers, headed by their two gallant Christian leaders. Therobbers were in the midst of a deep carouse in their magnificentcavern-hall, when their festivity was thus rudely interrupted. 

"We are betrayed!" thundered Lomellino, the captain of the horde; "toarms! to arms!"

But the invaders allowed them no time to concentrate themselves in aserried phalanx, and tremendous carnage ensued. Surprised and takenunaware as they were, the banditti fought as if a spell were upon them, paralyzing their energies and warning them that their last hour wascome. The terrible scimiters of the Turks hewed them down in alldirections; some, who sought to fly, were literally cut to pieces. Lomellino fell beneath the sword of the gallant Count of Riverola; andwithin twenty minutes after the invaders first set foot in thebanqueting hall, not a soul of the formidable horde was left alive!

Demetrius abandoned the plunder of the den to his troops; and when theportable part of the rich booty had been divided amongst them, theyreturned to their own grove, into which the entrance of the strongholdopened. When the subterrane was thus cleared of the living, and the deadalone remained in that place which had so long been their home, and wasnow their tomb, Demetrius ordered his forces to disperse and return totheir quarters in Florence in the same prudent manner which hadcharacterized their egress thence a few hours before. Francisco andDemetrius, being left alone together in the grove, proceeded bytorchlight to close the trap-door, which they found to consist of athick plate of iron covered with earth, so prepared, by glutinoussubstances no doubt, that it was hard as rock; and thus, when the trapwas shut down, not even a close inspection would lead to a suspicion ofits existence, so admirably did it fit into its setting and correspondwith the soil all around. 

It required, moreover, but a slight exercise of their imaginative powersto enable Demetrius and Francisco to conjecture that every time any ofthe banditti had come forth from their stronghold they were accustomedto strew a little fresh earth over the entire spot, and thus afford anadditional precaution against the chance of detection on the part of anyone who might chance to stray in that direction. We may also add thatthe trap-door was provided with a massive bolt which fastened it insidewhen closed, and that the handle of the bell-wire, which gave the signalto open the trap, was concealed in a small hollow in the oldchestnut-tree. Having thus satisfied his curiosity by means of thesediscoveries, Demetrius accompanied Francisco to the city; and duringtheir walk thither, he informed the young count that he was an envoyfrom the Ottoman Grand Vizier to the Florentine Government--that he hadbecome acquainted with Nisida on board the ship which delivered her fromher lonely residence on an island in the Mediterranean--and that as shehad by some means or other learnt where Francisco was imprisoned, he hadundertaken to deliver him. The young count renewed his warmest thanks tothe chivalrous Greek for the kind interest he had manifested in hisbehalf; and they separated at the gate of the Riverola mansion, intowhich Francisco hurried to embrace his sister; while Demetrius repairedto his own abode. 

The meeting between Nisida and her brother Francisco was affecting inthe extreme; and for a brief space the softer feelings in the lady'snature triumphed over those strong, turbulent, and concentrated passionswhich usually held such indomitable sway over her. For her attachment tohim was profound and sincere; and the immense sacrifice she had made inwhat she conceived to be his welfare and interests had tended tostrengthen this almost boundless love. 

On his side, the young count was rejoiced to behold his sister, whosestrange disappearance and long absence had filled his mind with theworst apprehensions. Yes, he was rejoiced to see her once more beneaththe ancestral roof; and, with a fond brother's pride, he surveyed hersplendid countenance, which triumph and happiness now invested with ananimation that rendered her surpassingly beautiful!

A few brief and rapidly-given explanations were exchanged between them, by means of the language of the fingers, --Francisco satisfying Nisida'sanxiety in respect to the success of her project, by which the totalextermination of the banditti had been effected, --and she conveying tohim as much of the outline of her adventures during the last sevenmonths as she thought it prudent to impart. They then separated, itbeing now very late; and, moreover, Nisida had still some work in handfor that night. The moment Francisco was alone, he exclaimed aloud, "Oh!is it possible that this dear sister who loves me so much, is really thebitter enemy of Flora? But to-morrow--to-morrow I must have a longexplanation with Nisida; and Heaven grant that she may not stand in theway of my happiness! Oh, Flora--dearest Flora, if you knew how deeply Ihave suffered on your account during my captivity in that accursedcavern! And what must you have thought of my disappearance--my absence!Alas! did the same vengeance which pursued me wreak its spite also onthee, fair girl?--did the miscreant, Antonio, who boastingly proclaimedhimself to my face the author of my captivity, and who sullenly refusedto give me any tidings of those whom I cared for, and of what waspassing in the world without, --did he dare to molest thee? But suspenseis intolerable, I cannot endure it even for a few short hours! No--Iwill speed me at once to the dwelling of my Flora, and thus assuage hergrief and put an end to my own fears at the same time!"

Having thus resolved, Francisco repaired to his own apartment, envelopedhimself in a cloak, secured weapons of defense about his person, andthen quitted the mansion, unperceived by a living soul. Almost at thesame time, but by another mode of egress--namely, the private staircaseleading from her own apartments into the garden, and which has been sooften mentioned in the course of this narrative--Donna Nisida stolelikewise from the Riverola palace. She was habited in male attire; andbeneath her doublet she wore the light but strong cuirass which sheusually donned ere setting out on any nocturnal enterprise, and whichshe was now particularly cautious not to omit from the details of hertoilet, inasmuch as the mysterious appearance of the muffled figure, which had alarmed her on the previous evening, induced her to adoptevery precaution against secret and unknown enemies. Whither was theLady Nisida now hurrying, through the dark streets of Florence?--whatnew object had she in contemplation?

Her way was bent toward an obscure neighborhood in the immediatevicinity of the cathedral; and in a short time she reached the house inwhich Dame Margaretha, Antonio's mother, dwelt. She knocked gently atthe door, which was shortly opened by the old woman, who imagined it washer son that sought admittance; for, though in the service of the Countof Arestino, Antonio was often kept abroad late by the variousmachinations in which he had been engaged, and it was by no meansunusual for him to seek his mother's dwelling at all hours. 

Margaretha, who appeared in a loose wrapper hastily thrown on, held alamp in her hand; and when its rays streamed not on the countenance ofher son, but showed the form of a cavalier handsomely appareled, shestarted back in mingled astonishment and fear. A second glance, however, enabled her to recognize the Lady Nisida; and an exclamation of wonderescaped her lips. Nisida entered the house, closed the door behind her, and motioned Dame Margaretha to lead the way into the nearest apartment. The old woman obeyed tremblingly; for she feared that the lady's visitboded no good; and this apprehension on her part was not only enhancedby her own knowledge of all Antonio's treachery toward Count Francisco, but also by the imperious manner, determined looks, and strange disguiseof her visitress. But Margaretha's terror speedily gave way toindescribable astonishment when Nisida suddenly addressed her in alanguage which not for many, many years, had the old woman heard flowfrom that delicious mouth!

"Margaretha, " said Nisida, "you must prepare to accompany me forthwith!Be not surprised to hear me thus capable of rendering myselfintelligible by means of an organ on which a seal was so long placed. Amarvelous cure has been accomplished in respect to me, during my absencefrom Florence. But you must prepare to accompany me, I say; your sonAntonio----"

"My son!" ejaculated the woman, now again trembling from head to foot, and surveying Nisida's countenance in a manner denoting the acutestsuspense. 

"Your son is wounded--mortally wounded in a street skirmish----"

"Wounded!" shrieked Margaretha. "Oh, dear lady--tell me all--tell me theworst! What has happened to my unfortunate son? He is dead--he is dead!Your manner convinces me that hope is past!"

And she wrung her hands bitterly, while tears streamed down her wrinkledcheeks. 

"No, he is not dead, Margaretha!" exclaimed Nisida; "but he isdying--and he implored me, by everything I deemed sacred, to hastenthither and fetch you to him, that he may receive your blessing andclose his eyes in peace. "

"In peace!" repeated the old woman bitterly: then, to herself she said, "Donna Nisida suspects not his perfidy--knows not all his wickedness. "

"Delay not, " urged the lady, perceiving what was passing in her mind. "You are well aware that my brother, who, alas! has disappeared mostmysteriously, dismissed Antonio abruptly from his service many monthsago; but, whatever were the cause, it is forgotten, at least by me. Sotarry not, but prepare to accompany me. "

Margaretha hastened to her bedroom, and reappeared in a few minutes, completely dressed and ready to issue forth. 

"Keep close by me, " said Nisida, as she opened the house-door; "andbreathe not a word as we pass through the streets. I have reasons of myown for assuming a disguise, and I wish not to be recognized. "

Margaretha was too much absorbed in the contemplation of the afflictingintelligence which she had received, to observe anything at allsuspicious in these injunctions; and thus it was that the two femalesproceeded in silence through the streets leading toward the Riverolamansion. 

By means of a pass-key Nisida opened the wicket-gate of the spaciousgardens, and she traversed the grounds, Margaretha walking by her side. In a few minutes they reached a low door, affording admission into thebasement-story of the palace, and of which Nisida always possessed thekey. 

"Go first, " said the lady, in a scarcely audible whisper; "I must closethe door behind us. "

"But wherefore this way?" demanded Margaretha, a sudden apprehensionstarting up in her mind. "This door leads down to the cellars. "

"The officers of justice are in search of Antonio--and I am concealinghim for your sake, " was the whispered and rapid assurance given byNisida. "Would you have him die in peace in your arms, or perish on thescaffold?"

Margaretha shuddered convulsively, and hurried down the dark flight ofstone steps upon which the door opened. Terrible emotions raged in herbosom--indescribable alarms, grief, suspicion, and also a longingeagerness to put faith in the apparent friendship of Nisida. 

"Give me your hand, " said the lady; and the hand that was thrust intohers was cold and trembling. 

Then Nisida hurried Margaretha along a narrow subterranean passage, inwhich the blackest night reigned; and, though the old woman was a preyto apprehensions that increased each moment to a fearful degree, shedared not utter a word either to question--to implore--or toremonstrate. At length they stopped; and Nisida, dropping Margaretha'shand, drew back heavy bolts which raised ominous echoes in the vaultedpassage. In another moment a door began to move stubbornly on itshinges; and almost at the same time a faint light gleamedforth--increasing in power as the door opened wider, but still attainingno greater strength than that which a common iron lamp could afford. Margaretha's anxious glances were plunged into the cellar or vault towhich the door opened, and whence the light came: but she saw no onewithin. It, however, appeared as if some horrible reminiscence, connected with the place, came back to her startled mind; for, fallingon her knees, and clinging wildly to her companion, she cried in apiercing tone, "Oh! lady, wherefore have you brought me hither?--whereis my son?--what does all this horrible mystery mean? But, chiefly nowof all--why, why are we here--at this hour?"

"In a few moments you shall know more!" exclaimed Nisida; and as shespoke, with an almost superhuman strength she dragged, or rather, flungthe prostrate woman into the vault, rushing in herself immediatelyafterward, and closing the door behind her. 

"Holy God!" shrieked Margaretha, gazing wildly round the damp and nakedwalls of solid masonry, and then up at the lamp suspended to the archedceiling, "is this the place? But no! you are ignorant of all that; itwas not for that you brought me hither! Speak, lady, speak! Where isAntonio? What have I done to merit your displeasure? Oh, mercy! mercy!Bend not those terrible glances upon me! Your eyes flash fire! You arenot Nisida--you are an evil spirit! Oh, mercy! mercy!"

And thus did the miserable woman rave, as, kneeling on the cold, dampground she extended her tightly-clasped hands in an imploring mannertoward Nisida, who, drawn up to her full height, was contemplating thegroveling wretch with eyes that seemed to shoot forth shafts ofdevouring flame! Terrible, indeed, was the appearance of Nisida! Like toan avenging deity was she--no longer woman in the glory of her charmsand the elegance of her disguise, but a fury--a very fiend, animplacable demoness, armed with the blasting lightnings of infernalmalignity and hellish rancor!

"Holy Virgin, protect me!" shrieked Margaretha, every nerve thrillingwith the agony of ineffable alarm. 

"Yes, call upon Heaven to aid you, vile woman!" said Nisida, in a thick, hoarse, and strangely altered voice, "for you are beyond the reach ofhuman aid! Know ye whose remains--or rather the mangled portions ofwhose remains--lie in this unconsecrated ground? Ah! well may you startin horror and surprise, for I know all--all!"

A terrific scream burst from the lips of Margaretha; and she threw herwild looks around as if she were going mad. 

"Detestable woman!" exclaimed Nisida, fixing her burning eyes moreintently still on Margaretha's countenance: "you are now about to paythe penalty of your complicity in the most odious crimes that ever madenights terrible in Florence! The period of vengeance has at lengtharrived! But I must torture ere I slay ye! Yes, I must give thee aforetaste of that hell to which your soul is so soon to plunge down!Know, then, that Antonio--your son Antonio--is no more. Not three hourshave elapsed since he was slain--assassinated--murdered, if you will socall it--and by my commands. "

"Oh! lady, have pity upon me--pity upon me, a bereaved mother!" imploredthe old woman, in a voice of anguish so penetrating, that vile as shewas, it would have moved any human being save Nisida. "Do not killme--and I will end my miserable days in a convent! Give me time torepent of all my sins--for they are numerous and great! Oh! spare me, dear lady--have mercy upon me--have mercy upon me!"

"What mercy had you on them whose mangled remains are buried in theground beneath your feet?" demanded Nisida, in a voice almost suffocatedwith rage. "Prepare for death--your last moment is at hand!" and abright dagger flashed in the lamp-light. 

"Mercy--mercy!" exclaimed Margaretha, springing forward, and graspingNisida's knees. 

"I know not what mercy is!" cried the terrible Italian woman, raisingthe long, bright, glittering dagger over her head. 

"Holy God! protect me! Lady--dear lady, have pity upon me!" shrieked theagonized wretch, her countenance hideously distorted, and appallinglyghastly, as it was raised in such bitterly earnest appeal toward that ofthe avengeress. "Again I say mercy--mercy!"

"Die, fiend!" exclaimed Nisida; and the dagger, descending withlightning speed, sunk deep into the bosom of the prostrate victim. Adreadful cry burst from the lips of the wretched woman; and she fellback--a corpse!

"Oh! my dear--my well-beloved and never-to-be-forgotten mother!" saidNisida, falling upon her knees by the side of the body, and gazingintently upward--as if her eyes could pierce the entire buildingoverhead, and catch a glimpse of the spirit of the parent whom she thusapostrophized--"pardon me--pardon me for this deed! Thou didst enjoin meto abstain from vengeance--but when I thought of all thy wrongs, thecontemplation drove me mad--and an irresistible power--a force which Icould not resist--has hurried me on to achieve the punishment of thiswretch who was so malignant an enemy of thine; dearest mother, pardonme--look not down angrily on thy daughter!"

Then Nisida gave way to all the softer emotion which attended thereaction that her mind was now rapidly undergoing, after being so highlystrung, as for the last few hours it was--and her tears fell intorrents. For some minutes she remained in her kneeling position, andweeping, till she grew afraid--yes, afraid of being in that lonelyplace, with the corpse stretched on the ground--a place, too, which forother reasons awoke such terrible recollections in her mind. 

Starting to her feet--and neither waiting to extinguish the lamp, whichshe herself had lighted at an early period of the night, nor to withdrawher dagger from the bosom of the murdered Margaretha--Nisida fled fromthe vault, and regained her own apartment in safety, and unperceived. 

 * * * * *

When morning dawned, Nisida rose from a couch in which she had obtainedtwo hours of troubled slumber, and, having hastily dressed herself, proceeded to the chamber of her brother Francisco. 

But he was not there--nor had his bed been slept in during the pastnight. 

"He is searching after his Flora, " thought Nisida. "Alas, pooryouth--how it grieves me thus to be compelled to thwart thee in thylove! But my oath--and thine interests, Francisco, demand this conducton my part. And better--better it is that thou shouldst hear fromstrangers the terrible tidings that thy Flora is a prisoner in thedungeon of the inquisition, where she can issue forth only to proceed tothe stake! Yes--and better, too, is it that she should die, than thatthis marriage shall be accomplished!"

Nisida quitted the room, and repaired to the apartment where the morningrepast was served up. 

A note, addressed to herself, lay upon the table. She instantlyrecognized the handwriting of Dr. Duras, tore open the billet, and readthe contents as follows:

 "My brother Angelo came to me very late last night and informed me that a sense of imperious duty compelled him to change his mind relative to the two women Francatelli. He accordingly appeared on their behalf, and obtained a delay of eight days. But nothing can save them from condemnation at the end of this period, unless indeed immense interests be made on their account with the duke. My brother alone deserves your blame, dear friend; let not your anger fall on your affectionate and devoted servant. 

 "JERONYMO DURAS. "

Nisida bit her lips with vexation. She now regretted she had effectedthe liberation of Francisco before she was convinced that Flora was pastthe reach of human mercy;--but, in the next moment she resumed herhaughty composure, as she said within herself, "My brother may essay all_his_ influence: but mine shall prevail!"

Scarcely had she established this determination in her mind, when thedoor was burst open, and Francisco--pale, ghastly, and with eyeswandering wildly--staggered into the apartment. 

Nisida, who really felt deeply on his account, sprung forward--receivedhim in her arms--and supported him to a seat. 

"Oh! Nisida, Nisida!" he exclaimed aloud, in a tone expressive of deepanguish; "what will become of your unfortunate brother? But it is notyou who have done this! No--for you were not in Florence at the timewhich beheld the cruel separation of Flora and myself!"

And, throwing himself on his sister's neck, he burst into tears. He hadapostrophized her in the manner just related, not because he fanciedthat she could hear or understand him; but because he forgot, in themaddening paroxysms of his grief, that Nisida was (as he believed) deafand dumb! She wound her arms round him--she pressed him to herbosom--she covered his pale forehead with kisses; while her heart bledat the sight of his alarming sorrow. 

Suddenly he started up--flung his arms wildly about--and exclaimed, in afrantic voice, "Bring me my steel panoply! give me my burgonet--mycuirass--and my trusty sword;--and let me arouse all Florence to a senseof its infamy in permitting that terrible inquisition to exist! Bring memy armor, I say--the same sword I wielded on the walls of Rhodes--and Iwill soon gather a trusty band to aid me!"

But, overcome with excitement, he fell forward--dashing his headviolently upon the floor, before Nisida could save him. She pealed thesilver bell that was placed upon the breakfast-table, and assistancesoon came. Francisco was immediately conveyed to his chamber--Dr. Duraswas sent for--and on his arrival, he pronounced the young nobleman to belaboring under a violent fever. The proper medical precautions wereadopted; and the physician was in a few hours able to declare thatFrancisco was in no imminent danger, but that several days would elapseere he could possibly become convalescent. Nisida remained by hisbedside, and was most assiduous--most tender--most anxious in herattentions toward him; and when he raved, in his delirium, of Flora andthe inquisition, it went to her very heart to think that she wascompelled by a stern necessity to abstain from exerting her influence toprocure the release of one whose presence would prove of far greaterbenefit to the sufferer than all the anodynes and drugs which the skillof Dr. Duras might administer!

CHAPTER LXII. 

THE SICK-ROOM--FLORENCE IN DISMAY. 

It was about an hour past daybreak on the 1st of October, --five daysafter the incidents related in the three preceding chapters. Nisida, worn out with long watchings and vigils in her brother's chamber, hadretired to her own apartment; but not before she had seen Francisco fallinto a sleep which, under the influence of a narcotic ordered by thephysician, promised to be long and soothing. The lady had not quittedthe chamber of the invalid ten minutes, when the door was slightlyopened; and some one's looks were plunged rapidly and searchingly intothe room:--then the visitor, doubtless satisfied by the result of hissurvey, stole cautiously in. 

He advanced straight up to the table which stood near the bed, drew asmall vial from the bosom of his doublet--and poured its crystalcontents into the beverage prepared to quench the thirst of the invalid. Then, as he again secured the vial about his person, he murmured, "Themedicament of Christian Rosencrux will doubtless work greater wondersthan those of Dr. Duras, skilled though the latter be!"

Having thus mused to himself, the visitor shook Francisco gently; andthe young count awoke, exclaiming petulantly that he was athirst. Agoblet of the beverage containing the Rosicrucian fluid, was immediatelyconveyed to his lips, and he drank the refreshing draught witheagerness. 

The effect was marvelous, indeed;--a sudden tinge of healthy redappeared upon the cheeks a moment before so ashy pale--and fire oncemore animated the blue eyes--and Francisco recovered completeconsciousness and self-possession for the first time since the dreadmorning when he was attacked with a dangerous illness. 

He closed his eyes for a few minutes; and when he opened them again, hewas surprised to perceive by his bedside a young, well-attired, and veryhandsome man, whose countenance appeared to be familiar to him. 

"Count of Riverola, " said the visitor, bending over him, and speaking ina low but kind tone, "despair not! Succor is at hand--and ereforty-eight hours shall have passed away, your well-beloved Flora willbe free!"

Joy lighted up the countenance of the young nobleman, as thesedelightful words met his ears; and, seizing his consoler's hand, heexclaimed:

"A thousand thanks for this assurance! But, have we not met before?--orwas it in those wild dreams which have haunted my imagination that Ihave seen thee?"

"Yes--we have met before, count, " was the reply. "Dost thou not rememberFernand Wagner?"

Francisco passed his hand across his brow, as if to settle his scatteredthoughts: then, at the expiration of a few moments, he said: "Oh! yes--Irecollect you--I know that I had conceived a great friendship for you, when some strange incident--I cannot remember what, and it is of nomatter--parted us!"

"Do not excite yourself too much by racking your memory to decipher thedetails of the past, " returned Wagner. "I dare not stay another minutewith you now: therefore listen attentively to what more I have to say. Yield yourself not up to despondency--on the contrary, cherish everyhope that is dear to you. Within a few days Flora shall be yours!Yes--solemnly do I assure you that all shall take place as I affirm. ButYOUR agency is not needed to insure her liberation: Heaven will make useof OTHER means. Compose your mind, then, --and suffer not yourself to betortured by vain fears as to the future. Above all, keep my visit tothee a profound secret--intimate not to thy sister Nisida that thou hastseen me. Follow my counsel in all these respects--and happiness is instore for thee!"

Fernand pressed the young count's hand warmly as he terminated theserapidly delivered injunctions, and then retreated from the chamber erethe invalid had time to utter a syllable indicative of his gratitude. 

But how different was Francisco now--how different did Nisida find him, on her return to his room, from what he was when she had left him twohours before! Nor less was Dr. Duras astonished, at his next visit, toperceive that his patient had made in those two hours as rapid stridestoward convalescence as he could barely have hoped to see accomplishedin a week. 

In obedience to a hint rapidly conveyed by a signal from Nisida to thephysician, the latter touched gently upon the subject of FloraFrancatelli; but Francisco, resolute in his endeavors to follow theadvice of Fernand Wagner, and to avoid all topics calculated to excite, responded briefly, and immediately spoke on another matter. 

But he did not think the less deeply on that interesting subject. No; hecherished the image of his Flora, and the hope of being yet united toher, with an enthusiasm which a love so ardent as his passion alonecould feel. 

And Nisida congratulated herself on the conviction which she now verynaturally entertained, that he had resigned himself to the loss of theyoung maiden, and was exerting his utmost to banish her altogether fromhis memory!

Throughout the day Francisco continued to improve rapidly, and on thefollowing morning he was enabled to leave his couch. Indeed, hisrecovery was so marvelously quick that Dr. Duras considered it to be aperfect phenomenon in the history of medicine; and Nisida looked uponthe physician, whom she conceived to be the author of this remarkablechange, with unfeigned admiration. 

It was verging toward the hour of sunset, the 2d of October, when arumor of a most alarming nature circulated with the celerity ofwild-fire through the city of Florence. At first the report was receivedwith contemptuous incredulity; but by degrees--as circumstances tendedto confirm it--as affrighted peasants came flying into the town fromtheir country homes, bearing the dread tidings, the degenerate andvoluptuous Florentines gave way to all the terrors which, in such cases, were too well adapted to fill the hearts of an emasculated people withdismay. 

For, while the dwellers of the City of Flowers were thinking only of thegay festival which invariably commenced their winter season, while thenobles and wealthy burghers were whiling their time pleasantly in theregilding and decoration of their palaces or mansions, while the dukewas projecting splendid banquets, and the members of the council ofstate were dreaming of recreation and enjoyment, rather than of theduties of office, while, too, preparations were being made for theapproaching _auto-da-fe_--that terrible spectacle which the inquisitionannually offered to the morbid tastes of a priest-ridden people--while, in a word, Florence seemed wrapped up in security and peace--at such amoment the astounding intelligence arrived, that a mighty army waswithin a few hours' march of the sovereign city of Tuscany!

Yes; this was the news that suddenly spread confusion and dismaythroughout Florence, the news which told how the Ottoman fleet, for somedays past moored off the port of Leghorn, had vomited forth legions, andhow the formidable force was approaching at a rapid rate, under thecommand of the grand vizier in person, the seraskier and sipehsalar ofthe armies of the sultan!

The moment these things were bruited abroad in the city, Demetrius, theGreek, fled secretly; for he too well understood that his treacherousintentions had, in some unaccountable manner, transpired, and reachedthe ears of Ibrahim Pasha. Nisida was perfectly astounded; and, for thefirst time in her life, she felt her energies paralyzed--all her powersof combination suddenly laid prostrate. As for Francisco, he could nothelp thinking that the invasion of Italy by the Turks was connected withthe succor so mysteriously, but confidently promised by Wagner; althoughhe was not only ignorant of the relationship subsisting between thegrand vizier and his beloved Flora, but was even unaware of the factthat this high functionary was the same Ibrahim whose prisoner he hadbeen for a few hours on a former occasion in the Island of Rhodes. 

The council of state assembled to deliberate upon the proper coursewhich should be adopted at so critical a moment; but when the resourcesof Florence and the means of resisting the invaders were scrutinized, when it was discovered that there were not three thousand soldiers todefend the place, nor arms sufficient to equip more than fifteen hundredvolunteers in addition to the regular force, all idea of attempting tomake a stand against an army which was in reality twenty thousandstrong, but which the exaggerations of fear had trebled in amount, wasultimately abandoned. 

The sun went down, and was succeeded by no illuminations that night. Florence was in mourning. A spell had fallen upon the City of Flowers;her streets were deserted; and within the houses, those who possessedwealth were busily engaged in concealing their gold and jewels incellars, holes dug in the ground, or at the bottom of wells. The generalconsternation was terrific indeed; and the solemn stillness whichprevailed throughout the town so lately full of animation and happinesswas even more dreadful than that which had accompanied the plague twocenturies before. 

It was near midnight when messengers from the grand vizier, who was nowwithin three miles' march of the city, arrived at the western gate, anddemanded admission, that they might obtain an immediate audience of theduke. The request was directly complied with, and the envoys wereconducted to the palazzo, where the prince immediately assembled thecouncil of state to receive them, himself presiding. 

The audience was in other respects strictly private; but the nature ofthe interview was soon proved to have been most unexpectedly pacific;for two hours after the reception of the envoys, criers proceededthroughout the city, proclaiming the joyful news that the grand vizierhad of his own accord proposed such terms as the council of state hadnot hesitated to accept. 

Thus, at two o'clock in the morning, were the Florentines at firstalarmed by hearing the monotonous voices of the criers breaking upon thesolemn stillness; but their fear changed into gladness ineffable, erethose functionaries had uttered a dozen words of the proclamation whichthey were intrusted to make. 

What the terms were did not immediately transpire; but two circumstanceswhich occurred ere it was daybreak, and which, though conducted withconsiderable secrecy, nevertheless soon became generally known--thesecircumstances, we say, afforded ample scope for comment and gossip. 

The first was the occupation of the Riverola Palace by the Ottomansoldiers who had accompanied Demetrius as an escort, and whom he hadleft in Florence; and the second was the fact that two females, closelymuffled up, were removed from the prison of the inquisition, anddelivered over to the charge of the grand vizier's messengers, whoconveyed them out of the city. 

But the curiosity excited by these incidents was absorbed in the generalanxiety that was evinced by the Florentine people to feast their eyeswith the grand, interesting, and imposing spectacle which the dawn ofday revealed to their view. 

For, far as the eye could reach, on the western side of Florence, andcommencing at the distance of about a quarter of a mile from the city, amass of innumerable tents and pavilions showed where the Ottoman armywas encamped! Myriads of banners, of all colors, floated from the talljavelins to which they were affixed before the entrance of the chiefofficers' tents, and in front of the entire encampment waved, at thesummit of a spear planted in the ground, the three crescents, whichinvariably accompany the march of a Turkish army. The sunbeams glitteredon thousands of bright crescents; and the brazen pommels of the mountedsentinels' saddles shone like burnished gold. It was, indeed, a grandand imposing spectacle:--and the din of innumerable voices mingling withthe sounds of martial music, reached the ears of those Florentines who, more daring than the rest, advanced nearly up to the outposts of theencampment. 

But in the meantime, a scene of profound and touching interest had takenplace in the gorgeous pavilion of the grand vizier. 

While it was yet dark--and ere that martial panorama of tents andpavilions developed itself to the admiring and astonished eyes of theFlorentines--two females, closely muffled in handsome cashmere shawls, which had been presented to them for the purpose, were treading theOttoman encampment, under the guidance of the messengers to whom theyhad been consigned. 

It is hardly necessary to inform the reader that these females were theelder Signora Francatelli and her beautiful niece Flora. 

Their sudden and most unexpected deliverance from the terrible dungeonsof the inquisition, and the profound respect with which they weretreated by those into whose charge the familiars of the holy office hadsurrendered them, inspired them with the most lively joy; and theircongratulations were expressed by frequent pressures of each other'shands as they proceeded in company with their guides. But they knew notby whom, or how, nor wherefore they had been released--and yet a vaguesuspicion, founded solely on the fact that their conductors wore theOttoman garb, that Alessandro must be in some way connected with thematter, had entered their minds. It was, at all events, clear that noharm was intended them, for they were not treated as prisoners, and thusthey hastened on in confidence and hope. 

It was not until they had left the city some distance behind, that thebright moon showed them a confused mass of white objects in front; andthey were both marveling what the strange and unknown spectacle couldbe, when their party was suddenly challenged by the sentries of anoutpost. The leader of the little escort gave the watchword; and now, asthe two females drew nearer to the encampment, the mass of white objectsbecame more shapely, until, in a few minutes, the pointed tops of thetents and pavilions stood out in strong relief against the now purplesky. 

What could this unusual spectacle mean? They were still in the dungeonsof the inquisition when the alarm, caused by an approaching army, hadcirculated through Florence; and the rumor had not reached their ears. For the first time since the moment of their release they now hung back, and manifested signs of fear. 

"Be not terrified, ladies, " said the chief of the escort, speaking inexcellent Italian; "ye have no cause for apprehension! Before you spreadthe innumerable tents of the Ottoman army; and it is to the presence ofthis mighty host that ye are indebted for your freedom. "

"But whither are you taking us?" inquired Flora, scarcely reassured. 

"To the pavilion of his Highness, Ibrahim-Pasha, the grand vizier of theglorious Sultan Solyman, " answered the Turk; "and at the hands of thatpowerful minister ye will receive naught but honorable and kindtreatment. "

"Know you, signor, " inquired Flora, "if there be in the Ottoman camp ayoung man who, when a Christian, " she added, with a profound sigh, "borethe name of Alessandro Francatelli?"

"There is such a young man, " responded the Turkish messenger; "and youwill see him presently. "

"Oh! is it then to him that we owe our deliverance?" demanded thebeauteous maiden, her heart fluttering with varied emotions at the ideaof meeting her brother. "Is he attached to the person of that mighty manwhom you denominate the grand vizier? and shall we see him in thepavilion of his highness?"

"You will see him in the pavilion of his highness, " answered the Turk. 

"And the grand vizier himself--is he a good, kind man?" asked Flora. "Ismy brother--I mean Alessandro--a favorite with him?"

"I believe that the mighty Ibrahim loves no man more than AlessandroFrancatelli, lady, " said the Turk, highly amused by these questionswhich were put to him, although his manner was respectful and calm. 

"Then there is a chance that Alessandro will rise in the service of thesultan?" continued Flora, naturally anxious to glean all the informationshe could respecting her brother. 

"There is not a more enviable personage in the imperial service than hewhom you style Alessandro Francatelli. "

"Heaven be thanked that he is so prosperous, poor boy!" exclaimed theaunt, who had been an attentive listener to the preceding discourse. "But your grand vizier, signor, must be very powerful to have a greatarmy at his disposal. "

"The grand vizier, lady, " returned the Ottoman envoy, "is second only tothe sultan, and in him we see a reflection of the imperial majesty. At asign from the great and potent Ibrahim every scimiter throughout thishost of twenty thousand men would leap from its sheath in readiness tostrike where and at whom he might choose to order. Nay, more, lady--hehas the power to gather together mighty armies, so numerous that theywould inundate Christendom as with a desolating sea. Allah be thanked!there is no limit to the power of the mighty Ibrahim so long as heholdeth the seals of his great office. "

The two females made no further observation aloud; but they thoughtprofoundly on all that they had just heard. For in a short time theywere to stand in the presence of this puissant chief whom the Ottomansseemed to worship as a god, and who wielded a power which placed him ona level with the proudest potentates in the Christian world. 

In the meantime the little party had entered the precincts of theOttoman encampment, a complete city of tents and pavilions, ranged inthe most admirable order, and with all the regularity of streets. 

A solemn silence prevailed throughout the camp, interrupted only by themeasured pace and the occasional challenge of sentinels. 

At length Flora and her aunt perceived, in the clear moonlight, apavilion loftier, larger, and more magnificent than any they had yetseen. The pinnacle glittered as if it were tipped with a bright star;the roof was of dazzling whiteness; and the sides were of dark velvet, richly embroidered with gold. It stood in the midst of a wide space, thecircumjacent tents forming a complete circle about it. Within thisinclosure of tents the sentries were posted at very short intervals; andinstead of walking up and down, they stood motionless as statues, theirmighty scimiters gloaming in the moonlight. 

In profound silence did the little party proceed toward the entrance ofthe vast pavilion, which the females had no difficulty in discerning tobe the habitation of the potent and dreaded chief into whose presencethey were now repairing. 

In front of this splendid tent floated two large banners, each from thesummit of a tall javelin, the head of which was of burnished gold. Oneof these enormous flags was green; the other was blood-red. The firstwas the sacred standard of the Prophet Mohammed, and accompanied thegrand vizier in his capacity of representative and vice-regent of thesultan; and the latter was the banner which was always planted in frontof the pavilion inhabited by the seraskier, or commander-in-chief of theOttoman army. 

At the entrance of the vast tent stood four mounted sentinels, horsesand men alike so motionless that they seemed to be as many equestrianstatues. 

"In a few moments, " whispered the leader of the little escort to the twofemales, "you will be in the presence of the grand vizier, who willreceive you alone. "

"And Alessandro Francatelli?" inquired Flora, in a tone ofdisappointment, "will he not be there also?"

"Fear not, you shall behold him shortly, " answered the Turk; and passingbehind the mounted sentinels, he drew aside the velvet curtain, at thesame time bidding Flora and her aunt enter the pavilion. 

A blaze of light bursting forth from the interior of the magnificenttent dazzled and bewildered them, as the Ottoman gently gushed themonward--for they hung back in vague and groundless alarm. 

The curtain was instantly closed behind them; and they now foundthemselves inside the gorgeous abode of the grand vizier. The pavilionwas decorated in the most sumptuous manner. Crystal chandeliers weresuspended to the spars which supported the canvas ceiling; and thepillars which supported those spars were gilt and inlaid withmother-of-pearl. Rich sofas placed around the sides--vases, somecontaining flowers and others delicious perfumes--tables laden withrefreshments of the most exquisite kind, --in a word, all the evidencesof enormous wealth and all the accessories of luxurious splendor weredisplayed in this sumptuous abode. 

At the further end of the pavilion was seated an individual, whom, bythe intimation they had already received, and by the magnificence of hisattire, Flora and her aunt immediately knew to be the grand vizier. Hesoon granted them the opportunity they so anxiously awaited, and it wasnot a great while ere they found themselves completely reassured, andconversing with a freedom which they had hardly hoped would characterizetheir interview. 

But who can describe the wonder and amazement which overwhelmed Floraand her aunt, when, in the person of the grand vizier, was revealed tothem the long absent brother and nephew, Alessandro Francatelli!

It is needless to give in detail the events which were narrated in theirconversation. After a long and interesting recapitulation of thethrilling events which had attended them thus far, they turned to thatmore immediate matter which lay nearest their hearts. 

When the Count of Riverola at length joined the party, the youngnobleman, taking Flora's hand, exclaimed:

"I am anxious to secure this jewel as soon as possible. Our union may becelebrated privately and without useless pomp and ceremony; a few hourshence may see us allied to part no more. I have a friend inFlorence--Fernand Wagner----"

"And if he be your friend, count, you cannot possess one more likely tobe sincere!" exclaimed the vizier. 

"He has, indeed, proved a warm friend to me, " continued Francisco. "Twodays ago I was stretched upon a bed of sickness--delirious, my mindwandering, and my reason gone----"

"Merciful heavens!" cried Flora, shuddering from head to foot, andcontemplating her intended husband with the deepest solicitude. 

"Yes, I was in a desperate state, " said the count. "But Wagner came--hebreathed words of hope in my ears, and I recovered rapidly; so rapidlyand so completely that I feel not as if I had ever known indispositionsave by name. I was, however, about to observe that there is an oratoryin Signor Wagner's mansion; and there may the ceremony be performed. Fernand is, moreover, well acquainted with the language by which thedeaf and dumb communicate their ideas; and through friendship for me hewill break the tidings of my marriage to my sister. "

"Be it as you propose, " said the grand vizier; then, after a moment'spause, he added, speaking in a low and mysterious whisper: "and if youwill not shrink from the contact of the renegade at the altar of God--arenegade in name only, and not in heart--a renegade to suit his worldlypurposes, and not from conviction--then shall I be present at theceremony. Yes, " he continued, perceiving that his aunt, his sister, andthe young count surveyed him with mingled pleasure and amazement--"yes, in a deep disguise I will quit the encampment and enter Florence, for itwould grieve me deeply to be excluded from the solemn scene. "

"Dearest Alessandro--for thus you will permit me still to call you, "exclaimed his aunt, "your words have made my happiness complete. Oh! youare still a Christian in heart, thank God!"

"Not for worlds would I that you should be absent from the ceremonywhich makes your sister the Countess of Riverola!" exclaimed Francisco. 

The arrangements so happily come to and so amicably digested, were nowto be carried into effect. The expectant bridegroom accordingly took atemporary leave of the vizier, Flora and the aunt, and returned to thecity to seek his friend Fernand Wagner, it being understood that thosewhom he had just left should meet him at that signor's mansion bymid-day. 

The morning was now breaking: and every roof top in Florence was crowdedwith persons anxious to obtain a view of the encampment, as we havestated at the close of the preceding chapter. 

CHAPTER LXIII. 

THE MANUSCRIPT. 

In accordance with the plans detailed in the preceding chapter, Francisco and Flora, accompanied by the good dame Francatelli, andpreceded by a suitable guard, now departed from the gorgeous pavilion ofthe grand vizier, on their way to the mansion of Wagner. 

On arriving at the walls of the city, the Ottoman guard left them, andretraced their steps to the Turkish encampment, while our little partyproceeded on its way through the now crowded streets, and soon arrivedat the residence of Wagner. 

With many congratulations did Fernand receive them; and being informedof the purport of their visit, hastened to acquaint his chaplain of theduties that were required of him; and before the sun was an hour higherin the heavens, Francisco, Count of Riverola, and Flora Francatelli werejoined together in the indissoluble bonds of wedlock. 

It was now, for the first time since his recovery, that the recollectionof the solemn oath Francisco had made to his dying father came acrosshis mind--that on that day and that hour in which he was married, he andhis bride should visit the secret chamber: and he hurriedly told Wagnerthat it was of the utmost importance that he should be at the Riverolapalace within the hour; and at the same time he requested his kindfriend to accompany him. 

On arriving at the Riverola palace, the party were instantly admitted, notwithstanding that the Turkish soldiers placed there by the grandvizier still guarded the gates: and Francisco proceeded alone to hissister's apartment, where he found her sitting, busied in conjecturingthe cause of her recent detention--for Ibrahim, on the completion of themarriage ceremony, of which he had been an unseen observer, had givenorders to free her from all restraint on her person. 

On perceiving Francisco, Nisida tenderly embraced him; and by signs heinformed her that a person wished to be admitted to her presence. Havingsignified her acquiescence, Francisco retired, and in a few momentsreturned, leading by the hand his blushing bride, while Wagner followed, a few paces in the rear. 

No sooner had Nisida's eyes fallen on the form of Flora, than shestarted from her seat, her eyes flashing with concentrated hate, and herhaughty lip curled in withering contempt, for well she guessed thepurport of her visit: but the next moment her eyes fell on the advancingform of her adored Wagner--and those eyes, lit up as with the fires ofhell, lost their demoniac glare in the beams of love which gleamed intheir dark depths; and her lip of scorn was changed into an enchantingsmile of the sweetest welcome--a transition from hate to love, a changeof feelings as well as features of which woman, loving woman, alone iscapable--and the next moment, regardless of the presence of Franciscoand Flora, she rushed into the arms of her long-lost, her adored Wagner. 

 * * * * *

Nisida was now acquainted with the marriage of her brother, the secretchamber had been visited, the manuscript brought forth to be read; butone of the party that but a few moments before occupied that room was nomore--_Fernand Wagner was dead_! True to the letter were the words ofthe founder of the order of the Rosy Cross, that "the spell which theEvil One hath cast upon thee, Fernand Wagner, shall be broken only onthat day and that hour when thine eyes shall behold the bleachedskeletons of two innocent victims suspended to the same beam. "

Flora and Francisco had visited the secret chamber alone, but the screamof horror which came from the bride on seeing the spectacle which therepresented itself to her, brought Wagner and Nisida to their side. Instantly on seeing the skeletons, the prophecy of Rosencrux rushed onthe mind of Wagner; a complete revolution came over his whole frame, beautiful visions floated before his eyes, as of angels waiting toreceive him and herald him to eternal glory; then stretching forth hisarms, as if to embrace something immaterial, he fell heavily to theearth, and in a few moments he had breathed his last in the arms ofNisida. 

 * * * * *

We will now proceed to the reading of the manuscript, and pass over adetail of the indescribable agony that rent the heart of Nisida onseeing her beloved Wagner a corpse, and the revulsion of her feelings onbeholding the loathsome change that came over the face and form of theonce god-like Fernand, a repetition of which would grate too harshly onthe feelings of the reader. 

THE MANUSCRIPT. 

"In order that you, Francisco--and she who as your bride, shallaccompany you on your visit to the secret cabinet wherein you aredestined to find this manuscript--in order, I say, that you may bothfully comprehend the meaning of the strange and frightful spectaclethere prepared to meet your eyes, it is necessary that I should enterinto a full and perfect detail of certain circumstances, the study ofwhich will, I hope, prove beneficial to the lady whom you may honor withthe proud name of Riverola. 

"In the year 1494 I visited Naples on certain pecuniary business, anintimation of which I found amongst the private papers of my father, whohad died about ten months previously. I was then just one-and-twenty, and had not as yet experienced the influence of the tender passion. Ihad found the ladies of Florence so inveterately given to intrigue, andhad seen so many instances in which the best and most affectionate ofhusbands were grossly deceived by their wives, that I had not onlyconceived an abhorrence at the idea of linking my fortunes with one ofmy own countrywomen, but even made a solemn vow that if ever I married, my choice should not fall upon a Tuscan. It was with such impressions asthese that I quitted Florence on the business to which I have alluded:and I cared not if I never returned thither--so shallow, heartless, andsuperficial did its gay society appear to me. 

"On my arrival at Naples I assumed the name of Cornari, and, representing myself as a young man of humble birth and moderate fortune, mixed in the best society that would receive a stranger of such poorpretensions. I had already learned at Florence that the fair sex areinvariably dazzled by titles and riches; and I had a curiosity to trywhether I should be at all sought after when apparently unpossessed ofsuch qualifications. Not that I had any serious thoughts of matrimony;for I was far from being so romantic as to suppose that any beautifullady of high birth would fall in love with me so long as I passed forplain Signor Cornari. No; it was merely a whim of mine--would that I hadnever undertaken to gratify it. 

"I was altogether unattended by any retinue, having quitted Florencewith only a single valet, who died of sudden illness on the road. Thusdid I enter Naples alone, with my package of necessaries fastened to thesaddle of the steed that bore me. I put up at a small, but respectablehostel; and the first few days of my residence at the Neapolitan capitalwere passed in making inquiries concerning the individual whose largedebt to my deceased father had been the principal cause of my journeythither. 

"I found him, at length, but perceiving that he was totally unable toliquidate the claim upon him, I did not discover my real name, and tookmy leave, resolving to think no more of the matter. 

"Returning to the inn, I happened to pass through one of the mostsqualid and miserable parts of the city, when my attention was suddenlyfixed upon the most charming female figure I had ever seen in my life. The object of my interest was respectably but plainly clad; indeed, sheappeared to belong to the class of petty tradespeople. Her form was mostperfect in its symmetry; her gait was peculiarly graceful, and hermanners were evidently modest and reserved: for she looked neither tothe right nor to the left, but pursued her way with all theunobtrusiveness of strict propriety. I longed to behold her face; and, quickening my steps, presently passed her. I then had an opportunity ofbeholding the most beautiful countenance that ever adorned a woman. Heaven seemed to smile through the mirror of her mild black eyes; andthere was such an indescribable sweetness in the general expression ofher face, that it might have served a limner to copy for the countenanceof an angel! She saw that I gazed intently upon her, and instantlyturned aside into another street; for I should observe that females ofthe lower orders in Naples are not permitted to wear veils. 

"I stood looking after her until she was lost to my view; and then Iwent slowly back to the inn, my mind full of the image of the beautifulunknown. 

"Day after day did I rove through that same quarter of the city in thehope of meeting her again; and every evening did I return to my lonelychamber, chagrined and disappointed. My spirits sank, my appetite fled, and I grew restless and melancholy. At length I one morning beheld herin the flower-market, and I stood gazing on her with such enthusiastic, and yet such respectful admiration, that though she turned away, stillmethought it was not with a feeling of resentment. 

"I was transfixed to the spot for some minutes, and it was not until shehad disappeared amidst the crowd gathered in that quarter, that I couldso collect my scattered thoughts as to curse my folly for having omittedsuch an opportunity of accosting her. I however inquired of an old womanof whom she had purchased some flowers, who she was; but all theinformation I could glean was, that she had recently been in the habitof buying a few flowers every Wednesday of that same old woman. I wentaway more contented than I had felt for many days, because I now feltcertain that I knew where to meet the lovely creature again. Nevertheless, during the six succeeding days I rambled about the flowermarket and the squalid quarter of the city where I had first seen her, but my search was unsuccessful; and the greater the disappointment Iexperienced, the more powerful grew my love. Yes, it was indeed lovewhich I now felt, for the first time, and for a being to whom I hadnever spoken--whom I had only seen twice, and on these occasions onlyfor a few minutes, and whom I knew, by her garb, to belong to the poorerclass. But on the following Wednesday I saw her for the third time; andwhen she beheld me standing near the old woman's flower stall, sheappeared vexed and surprised, and was about to turn away. I howeverapproached her, besought her to accept of the choicest nosegay which Ihad been able to find, and continued to speak to her in so ardent, yetrespectful a manner, that she no longer viewed me with resentment, butwith something approaching to interest. And if I had been charmed by herbeauty when as yet I had seen her at a comparative distance, howenraptured was I now by a nearer contemplation of that heavenlycountenance. 

"I assured her that her image had never been absent from my heart sincefirst I saw her, that I should never know peace or happiness again untilshe would give me some hope, and that I would sooner die than have herconstrue my words into an insult. She was touched by the earnestness andevident sincerity of my manner; and, encouraged by her silence, Iproceeded hastily to inform her that my name was Cornari, that I was ayoung man of humble birth, but that I possessed a modest competency, andwas my own master. I then pressed her to accept my nosegay; but, suddenly bursting into tears, she exclaimed--

"'O, signor, you know not whom you have thus honored with your notice, 'and hurried away, leaving me absolutely stupefied with astonishment andgrief. It immediately struck me that she was a lost and degradedcreature, who dared not respond to a virtuous love. But a few moments'reflection told me that such innocence, such artlessness, such candornever could be assumed--never feigned; no, they were most natural! Andthis conviction, added to the intense curiosity which now inspired me tofathom the mystery of her singular remark, rendered me more anxious thanever to meet with her again. Several weeks passed without seeing thegratification of my wish; and I was becoming seriously ill withdisappointment and defeated hope, when accident led me to encounter heronce more. She would have avoided me, but I absolutely compelled her tostop. Seizing her hand, I said, --

"'Look at me--behold to what I am reduced--mark these pale and sunkencheeks, and have pity on me!'

"'And I, too, ' she murmured, 'have been very miserable since we lastmet. '

"'Then you have thought of me?' I exclaimed, retaining her hand still inmine, and reading love in the depths of her large dark eyes. 

"'I have, ' she answered bitterly, withdrawing her hand at the same time;then in a tone of deep anguish she added, 'I implore you to let meproceed on my way; and if you value your own happiness you will neverseek to see me more. '

"'But my happiness depends on seeing you often, ' I exclaimed; 'and ifthe offer of an honest heart be acceptable, I have that to give. '

"She shuddered dreadfully from head to foot. 

"'Surely you are not married already?' I said, rendered desperate by herstrange and incomprehensible manner. 

"'I married!' she absolutely shrieked forth. Then perceiving that I wasperfectly amazed and horrified by the wild vehemence of herejaculations, she said in a subdued, melancholy tone, 'I adjure you tothink of me no more. '

"'Listen, beauteous stranger, ' I exclaimed; 'I love and adore you. Myhappiness is at stake. Repeat that cruel adjuration, and you inflict adeath-blow. If I be loathsome to your sight, tell me so; but leave menot a prey to the most horrible suspense. If you have a father, I willaccompany you to him and make honorable proposals. '

"'My father!' she murmured, while her countenance was suddenly swept bya passing expression of anguish so intense that I began to tremble forher reason. 

"I implored her to speak candidly and openly, and not in brief sentencesof such ominous mystery. She scarcely appeared to listen to my words, but seemed totally absorbed in the mental contemplation of a deeplyseated woe. At length she suddenly turned her large dark eyes upon me, and said in a low, plaintive, profoundly touching tone:

"'Signor Cornari, again I adjure you to think of me no more. But for myown sake I would not have you believe that unmaidenly conduct on my partis the cause of the solemn prayer I thus make to you. No, no; I havenaught wherewith I can reproach myself; but there are reasons ofterrible import that compel me to address you in this manner. Nevertheless, ' she added, more slowly and hesitatingly, 'if you reallyshould continue to entertain so deep an interest in me as to render youdesirous to hear the last explanation from my lips, then may you relyupon meeting me on this spot, and at the same hour, fifteen days hence. '

"She then hurried away. How that fortnight passed I can scarcely tell. To me it appeared an age. I was deeply, madly enamored of that strange, beautiful, and apparently conscientious being; and the mystery whichinvolved her threw around her a halo of interest that fanned the flameof my passion. I was prepared to make any sacrifice rather than abandonall hope of calling her my own. The proud title of Riverola was asnothing in my estimation when weighed in the balance against hercharms--her bewitching manner--her soft, retiring modesty. I moreoverflattered myself that I was not indifferent to her; and I loved her allthe more sincerely because I reflected that if she gave her heart to me, it would be to the poor and humble Cornari, and not to the rich andmighty Lord of Riverola. 

"At length the day--the memorable day--came; and she failed not to keepher appointment. She was pale--very pale--but exquisitely beautiful; andshe smiled in spite of herself when she beheld me. She endeavored toconceal her emotions, but she could not altogether subdue the evidenceof that gratification which my presence caused her. 

"'You have disregarded my most earnest prayer, ' she said, in a low andagitated tone. 

"'My happiness depends upon you, ' I answered; 'in the name of Heavenkeep me not in suspense; but tell me, can you and will you be mine?'

"'I could be thine, but I dare not, ' she replied, in a voice scarcelyaudible. 

"'Reveal to me the meaning of this strange contradiction, I imploreyou!' said I, again a prey to the most torturing suspense. 'Do you loveanother?'

"'Did I love another, ' she exclaimed, withdrawing the hand which I hadtaken, 'I should not be here this day. '

"'Pardon me, ' I cried; 'I would not offend you for worlds! If you do notlove another, can you love me?'

"Again she allowed me to take her hand; and this concession, togetherwith the rapid but eloquent glance she threw upon me, was the answer tomy question. 

"'Then, if you can love me, ' I urged, 'why cannot you be mine?'

"'Because, ' she replied, in that tone of bitterness which did me harm tohear it, 'you are born of parents whose name and whose calling you daremention; whereas you would loathe me as much as you now declare that youlove me, were you to learn who my father is! For mother, alas! I havenone; she has been dead many years!' And tears streamed down her cheeks. I also wept, so deeply did I sympathize with her. 

"'Beloved girl, ' I exclaimed, 'you wrong me! What is it to me if yourfather be the veriest wretch, the greatest criminal that crawls upon theface of the earth, so long as you are pure and innocent?'"

"'No, no, ' she cried hastily, 'you misunderstand me. There breathes nota more upright man than my father. '

"'Then wherefore should I be ashamed to own my marriage with hisdaughter?' I asked in an impassioned manner. 

"'Because, ' she said, in a tone of such intense anguish that it rent myheart as she began to speak; 'because, ' she repeated slowly andemphatically, 'he is viewed with abhorrence by that world which is sounjust; for that which constitutes the stigma is hereditary office inhis family--an office that he dares not vacate under pain of death; andnow you can too well comprehend that my sire is the PUBLIC EXECUTIONEROF NAPLES!'

"This announcement came upon me like a thunderbolt. I turned sick atheart--my eyes grew dim--my brain whirled--I staggered and should havefallen had I not come in contact with a wall. It appeared to meafterward that sobs of ineffable agony fell upon my ears, while I wasyet in a state of semi-stupefaction--and methought likewise that adelicate, soft hand pressed mine convulsively for a moment. Certain itwas, that when I recovered my presence of mind, when I was enabled tocollect my scattered thoughts, the executioner's daughter was no longernear me. I was in despair at the revelation which had beenmade--overwhelmed with grief, too, at having suffered her thus todepart--for I feared that I should never see her more. Before me was myhopeless love, behind me, like an evil dream, was the astoundingannouncement which still rang in my ears, though breathed in such softand plaintive tones! Three or four minutes were wasted in the strugglesof conflicting thoughts, ere I was sufficiently master of myself toremember that I might still overtake the maiden who had fled from me. Itstruck me that her father's dwelling must be near the criminal prison;and this was in the squalid quarter of the town where I had firstencountered her. Thither I sped--into the dark streets, so perilousafter dusk, I plunged; and at length I overtook the object of myaffection, just as she was skirting the very wall of the prison. Iseized her by the hand and implored her to forgive me for the manner inwhich I had received the last explanation to which I had urged her. 

"'It was natural that you should shrink in loathing from the bare idea, 'she said, in a tone which rent my heart. 'And now leave me, signor; forfurther conversation between us is useless. '

"'No, ' I exclaimed; 'I will not leave you until I shall have exactedfrom you a promise that you will be mine, and only mine! For I could notlive without you; and most unjust should I be, most unworthy of the nameof a man, if I were to allow a contemptible prejudice to stand in theway of my happiness. '

"She returned no answer, but the rapidity of her breathing and the illsubdued sobs which interrupted her respiration at short intervals, convinced me that a fierce struggle was taking place within her bosom. For it was now quite dark and I could not see her face; the hand, however, which I held clasped in my own, trembled violently. 

"'Beautiful maiden, ' I said after a long pause, 'wherefore do you notreply to me? Were I the proudest peer in Christendom, I would sacrificeevery consideration of rank and family for your sake. What more can mansay? What more can he do?'

"'Signor Cornari, ' she answered at length, 'prudence tells me to flyfrom you; but my heart prompts me to remain. Alas! I feel that thelatter feeling is dominant within me!'

"'And you will be mine?' I demanded eagerly. 

"'Thine forever!' she murmured, her head sinking upon my breast. 

"But I shall not dwell unnecessarily on this portion of my narrative. Suffice it to say we parted, having arranged another meeting for thenext evening. It was on this occasion that I said to her:

"'Vitangela, I have thought profoundly on all that passed between usyesterday; and I am more than ever determined to make you my wife. Letus away to your father, and demand his consent to our union. '

"'Stay, ' she said, in an emphatic tone, 'and hear me patiently ere youeither renew the promise to wed me, or reiterate your desire to seek myfather. You must know, ' she continued, while I listened with painfulsuspense, 'that my father will not oppose a step in which his daughter'shappiness is involved. But the very moment that sees our hands joined, will behold the registry of the marriage in the book kept by thelieutenant of police; and thereby will be constituted a record of thename of one who, if need be, must assume the functions of that officewhich my sire now fills. '

"'What mean you, Vitangela?' I demanded, horrified by the dim yetominous significance of these horrible words. 

"'I mean, ' she continued, 'that the terrible post of public executionermust remain in our family while it exists; and those who form marriageswith us, are considered to enter into our family. When my father dies, my brother will succeed him, but should my brother die without leavingissue, or having a son to take his place, you, signor, if you become myhusband, will be forced to assume the terrible office. '

"'But I am not a Neapolitan, ' I exclaimed; 'and I should hope that whenwe are united, you will not insist upon dwelling in Naples. '

"'I would give worlds to leave this odious city, ' she said, emphatically. 

"'Nothing detains me here another day, nor another hour, ' I cried; 'letthe priest unite our hands, and we forthwith set off for Florence. Butwhy should not our marriage take place privately, unknown even to yourfather? and in that case no entry could be made in the books of thelieutenant of police. '

"'You have expressed that desire which I myself feared to utter, lestyou should think it unmaidenly, ' she murmured. 'For your sake I willquit home and kindred without further hesitation. '

"I was rejoiced at this proof of affection and confidence on her part;and it was arranged between us that we should be married on the ensuingevening, and in the most private way possible. 

"Before we parted, however, I drew from her a solemn pledge that, whenonce she had become my wife, she would never even allude to herfamily--that she would not communicate to them the name of her husbandnor the place of our abode, under any circumstance--in a word, that shewould consider her father and brother as dead to her, --and she to them. 

"With streaming eyes and sobbing heart she gave the sacred promise Irequired, ratifying it with an oath which I made her repeat to mydictation. 

"On the ensuing evening Vitangela met me according to appointment, andit was then I revealed to her my real name and rank. 

"'Dearest girl, ' I said, 'you gave me your heart, believing me to be apoor and humble individual; and you have consented to become my wife andabandon home and kindred for my sake. Profoundly then do I rejoice thatit is in my power to elevate you to a position of which your beauty, your amiability and your virtue render you so eminently worthy; and inmy own native Florence, no lady will be more courted, nor treated withgreater distinction than the Countess of Riverola. '

"She uttered an exclamation of sorrow and would have fallen to theground if I had not supported her. 

"'Oh!' she murmured, 'I would have been happier were you indeed thehumble Signor Cornari!'

"'No; think not thus, ' I urged, 'wealth and rank are two powerful aidsto happiness in this life. But at all events; my beloved Vitangela, younow recognize more than ever the paramount necessity which induces youto maintain inviolate your solemn vow of yesterday. '

"'I require no such inducement to compel me to keep that pledge, ' sheanswered. 'Think you that I would bring disgrace on the name, whetherhumble or lofty, with which you have proposed to honor me? Oh!no--never, never!"

"I embraced her fondly; and we proceeded to the dwelling of a priest, bywhom our hands were united in the oratory attached to his abode. Atdaybreak we quitted Naples, and in due time we reached Florence, wheremy bride was received with enthusiastic welcome by all the friends ofthe Riverola family. My happiness appeared to have been established on asolid foundation by this alliance; and the birth of Nisida in 1495--justone year after the marriage--was a bond which seemed to unite our heartsthe more closely if possible. Indeed, I can safely assert that not aharsh word ever passed between us, nor did aught occur to mar ourcomplete felicity for years after our union. In 1500, however, acircumstance took place which proved to be the first link in the chainof incidents destined to wield a dire influence over my happiness. Itwas in the month of April of that year--oh! how indelibly is thedetested date fixed on my memory--the Duke Piero de Medici gave a grandentertainment to all the aristocracy of Florence. The banquet was of themost excellent description; and the gardens of the palace werebrilliantly illuminated. The days of Lorenzo the Magnificent seemed tohave been revived for a short period by his degenerate descendant. Allthe beauty and rank of the republic were assembled at this festival; butno lady was more admired for the chaste elegance of her attire, themodest dignity of her deportment, and the loveliness of her person, thanVitangela, Countess of Riverola. After the banquet the company proceededto the gardens, where bands of music were stationed, and while someindulged in the exhilarating dance, others sauntered through thebrilliantly lighted avenues. I need not inform you that no husband, unless he were anxious to draw down upon himself the ridicule whichattaches itself to extreme uxoriousness, would remain linked to hiswife's side all the evening at such an entertainment as the one of whichI am speaking. I was therefore separated from the countess, whom I leftin an arbor with some other ladies, and I joined the group which hadassembled around the prince. I know not exactly how it was I happened toquit my companions, after a lively conversation which had probablylasted about an hour; certain, however, it is that before midnight I wasproceeding alone down a long avenue in which utter darkness reigned, butoutside of which the illuminations shone brilliantly. 

"Suddenly I heard voices near me; and one of them appeared to be that ofthe Countess of Riverola--but they were speaking in so subdued a tonethat I was by no means confident in my suspicion. The voices approached;and a sentiment of curiosity, unaccountable at the time, as I believedVitangela to be purity itself, impelled me to listen more attentively. To conceal myself was not necessary; I had to remain perfectly still formy presence to be unknown, utter darkness prevailing in the avenue. Thepersons who were conversing advanced. 

"'You know, ' said the soft and whispering voice which I believed to bethat of my wife, 'you know how sincerely, how tenderly I love you, andwhat a frightful risk I run in according you thus a few moments' privatediscourse!'

"The voice of a man made some reply, the words of which did not reach myears; then the pair stopped and I heard the billing sound of kisses. O! howmy blood boiled in my veins! I grasped the handle of my sword--but I wasnailed to the spot--my state of mind was such that though I longed--Ithirsted for vengeance--yet was I powerless--motionless--paralyzed. Tothe sound of kisses succeeded those of sobbing and of grief on the partof the lady whose voice had produced such a terrible effect upon me. 

"'Holy Virgin!' I thought, 'she deplores the fate that chains her to herhusband! she weeps because she has not courage to fly with her lover!'and now I experienced just the same sensations as those which stunnedand stupefied me on that evening at Naples when I first heard thatVitangela was the child of the public executioner. Several minutes musthave passed while I was in this condition of comparative insensibility;or rather while I was a prey to the stunning conviction that I wasdeceived by her whom I had loved so well and deemed so pure. When Iawoke from that dread stupor all was still in the dark avenue; not afootstep, not a whispering voice was heard. I hurried along amidst thetrees, my soul racked with the cruelest suspicions. And yet I was notconfident that it was positively my wife's voice that I had heard; andthe more I pondered on the circumstance, the more anxious was I toarrive at the conviction that I had indeed been deceived by some voiceclosely resembling hers. I accordingly hurried back to the arbor where Ihad last seen her in the company of several Florentine ladies. Joyanimated my soul when I beheld Vitangela seated in that arbor, and inthe very spot, too, where I had beheld her upward of an hour previously. But she was now alone. 

"'Where are your friends?' I asked, in a kind tone, as I approached andgently took her hand. 

"'Indeed I know not, ' she replied, casting a hurried glance around, andnow appearing surprised to find that there was not another lady nearher. She seemed confused; and I also observed that she had been weepingvery recently. The joy which had for a moment animated me, was nowsucceeded by a sudden chill that went to my heart death-like--icy. But, subduing my emotion, I said:

"'Your ladyship has not surely remained here ever since I last saw you, more than an hour ago?'

"'Yes, ' she responded, without daring to raise her eyes to meet mine. Iknew that she lied, most foully lied: her confusion, her whole mannerbetrayed her. But I exercised a powerful mastery over my mind; thesuspicion which I had all along entertained was strengthened greatly, but not altogether confirmed; and I resolved to wait for confirmationere I allowed my vengeance to burst forth. Moreover, it was necessary todiscover who the gallant might be--the favored one who had superseded mein the affections of Vitangela! I, however, promised myself that whenonce my information was complete, my revenge should be terrible; andthis resolution served as a solace for the moment, and as an inducementfor me to conceal alike the suspicions I had imbibed and the dreadfulpain they had caused me. 

"Presenting my hand, therefore, to Vitangela, I escorted her to thatpart of the ground where the company were now assembled, and where Ihoped that some accident might make known to me the person of thegallant with whom, as I supposed, she had walked in the avenue. Anxiously, but unsuspected, did I watch the manner of the countess everytime she returned the salutation of the various nobles and cavalierswhom we encountered in our walk; but not a blush, not a sign ofconfusion on her part, not one rapidly dealt, but significant glance, afforded me the clew I so ardently sought. And yet it struck me that sheoften cast furtive and uneasy, or rather searching looks hither andthither, as if to seek and single out some one individual in themultitudes moving about the illuminated gardens. She was certainlypre-occupied, and even mournful, but I affected not to observe that acloud hung over her spirits, and in order to throw her completely offher guard, I talked and laughed quite as gayly as was my wont. To bebrief, the festivities terminated a little before sunrise, and Iconducted the countess back to our mansion. From that night forth Imaintained the strictest watch upon her conduct and proceedings. Iappointed Margaretha, the mother of my page Antonio, to act the spy uponher; but weeks and months passed, and nothing occurred to confirm theterrible suspicion that haunted me night and day. I strove to banishthat suspicion from my mind--Heaven knows how hard I tried to crush it. But it was immortal--and it beset me as if it were the ghost of somevictim I had ruthlessly murdered. Vitangela saw that my manner hadsomewhat changed toward her, and she frequently questioned me on thesubject. I, however, gave her evasive answers, for I should have beenashamed to acknowledge my suspicion if it were false, and it was only bykeeping her off her guard I should receive confirmation if it were true. Thus nearly nine months passed away from the date of the ducal banquet, and then you, Francisco, were born. The presence of an heir to my nameand wealth was a subject of much congratulation on the part of myfriends; but to me it was a source of torturing doubts and rackingfears. You never bore the least--no, not the least resemblance, eitherphysical or mental, to me; whereas the very reverse was the case withNisida, even in her infancy. From the moment of your birth--from thefirst instant that I beheld you in the nurse's arms--the most agonizingfeelings took possession of my soul. Were you indeed my son?--or wereyou the pledge of adulterous love? Merciful heavens! in remembering allI suffered when the terrible thoughts oppressed me, I wonder that you, Francisco, should now be alive--that I did not strangle you as you layin your cradle. And, oh God! how dearly I could have loved you, Francisco, had I felt the same confidence in your paternity as in thatof your sister Nisida! But no--all was at least doubt and uncertainty inthat respect--and, as your cast of features and physical characteristicsdeveloped themselves, that hideous doubt and that racking uncertaintyincreased until there were times when I was nearly goaded to do somedesperate deed. Those mild blue eyes--that rich brown hair--thatfeminine softness of expression which marked your face belonged not tothe family of Riverola!

"Time wore on, and my unhappiness increased. I suspected my wife, yetdared not proclaim the suspicion. I sought to give her back my love, butwas utterly unable to subdue the dark thoughts and crush the maddeninguncertainties that agitated my soul. At last I was sinking into a stateof morbid melancholy, when an incident occurred which revived all theenergies of my mind. It was in 1505--Nisida being then ten years old, and you, Francisco, four--when Margaretha informed me one evening thatthe countess had received a letter which had thrown her into a state ofconsiderable agitation, and which she had immediately burned. Byquestioning the porter at the gate of the mansion, I learnt that theperson who delivered the letter was a tall, handsome man of aboutthirty-two, with brown hair, blue eyes, and a somewhat feminineexpression of countenance. Holy Virgin! this must be the gallant--theparamour of my wife--the father of the boy on whom the law compelled meto bestow my own name. Such were the ideas that immediately struck me;and I now prepared for vengeance. Margaretha watched my wife narrowly, and on the evening following the one on which the letter had beendelivered, Vitangela was seen to secure a heavy bag of gold about herperson, and quit the mansion by the secret staircase of herapartment--that apartment which is now the sleeping-place of your sisterNisida. 

"Margaretha followed the countess to an obscure street, at the corner ofwhich the guilty woman encountered a tall person, enveloped in a cloak, and who was evidently waiting for her. To him she gave the bag of gold, and they embraced each other tenderly. Then they separated--the countessreturning home, unconscious that a spy watched her movements. Margarethareported all that had occurred to me; and I bade her redouble herattention in watching her mistress. Now that the lover is once more inthis city, I thought, and well provided with my gold to pursue hisextravagance, there will soon be another meeting--and then for vengeancesuch as an Italian must have. But weeks and months again passed withoutaffording the opportunity which I craved; yet I knew that the day mustcome--and I could tutor myself to await its arrival, if not withpatience, at least with so much outward composure as to lull thecountess into belief of perfect security. 

"Yes, weeks and months passed away, ay, and years, too, and still Inursed my hopes and projects of vengeance, the craving for whichincreased with the lapse of time. 

"And now I come to the grand, the terrible, the main incident in thisnarrative. It was late one night, in the month of January, 1510, Nisidabeing then fifteen and thou, Francisco, nine, that Margaretha came to mein my own apartment and informed me that she had seen the tall gallanttraverse the garden hastily and obtain admission into the countess'chamber by means of the secret staircase. The hour for vengeance had atlength come. Margaretha was instantly dispatched to advise two bravoeswhose services I had long secured for the occasion, that the moment hadarrived when they were to do the work for which they had been so wellpaid in advance, and by the faithful performance of which they wouldstill further enrich themselves. Within half an hour all thearrangements were completed. Margaretha had retired to her own chamberand the bravoes were concealed with me in the garden. Nor had we long towait. The private door opened shortly, and two persons appeared on thethreshold. The night was clear and beautiful, and from my hiding-place Icould discern the fondness of the embrace that marked their parting. Andthey parted, too, never to meet again in this life!

"Vitangela closed the door--and her lover was passing rapidly alongamidst the trees in the garden, when a dagger suddenly drank his heart'sblood. That dagger was mine, and wielded by my hand! He fell without agroan--dead, stone-dead at my feet. Half of my vengeance was nowaccomplished; the other half was yet to be consummated. Without amoment's unnecessary delay the corpse was conveyed to a cellar beneaththe northern wing of the mansion: and the two bravoes then hastened, toVitangela's chamber, into which they obtained admission by forcing thedoor of the private staircase. In pursuance of the orders which they hadreceived from me, they bound and gagged her, and conveyed her throughthe garden to the very cellar where, by the light of a gloomy lamp, shebeheld her husband standing close by a corpse!

"'Bring her near!' I exclaimed, unmoved by the looks of indescribablehorror which she threw around. 

"When her eyes caught sight of the countenance of that lifeless being, they remained fixed with frenzied wildness in their sockets, and even ifthere had been no gag between her teeth, I do not believe that she couldhave uttered a syllable. And now commenced the second act in thisappalling tragedy! While one of the bravoes held the countess in hisiron grasp, in such a manner that she could not avert her head, theother, who had once been a surgeon, tore away the garments from thecorpse, and commenced the task which I had before assigned to him. Andas the merciless scalpel hacked and hewed away at the still almostpalpitating flesh of the murdered man, in whose breast the daggerremained deeply buried, --a ferocious joy--a savage, hyena-like triumphfilled my soul; and I experienced no remorse for the deed I had done!Far--very far from that--for as the work progressed, I exclaimed--

"'Behold, Vitangela, how the scalpel hews that form so loved by thee!Now hack away at the countenance--deface that beauty--pick out thosemild blue eyes!'--and I laughed madly!

"The countess fainted, and I ordered her to be carried back to herapartment, where Margaretha awaited her. Indeed I had naturally foreseenthat insensibility would result from the appalling spectacle which Icompelled my wife to witness: and Margaretha was prepared to breathedreadful menaces in her ears the moment she should recover--menaces ofdeath to herself and both her children if she should reveal, even to herfather confessor, one tittle of the scene which that night had beenenacted! The surgeon-bravo did his work bravely; and the man who haddishonored me was reduced to naught save a skeleton! The flesh and thegarments were buried deep in the cellar; the skeleton was conveyed to myown chamber, and suspended to a beam in the closet where you, Francisco, and your bride, are destined to behold it--ALONG WITH ANOTHER!

"My vengeance was thus far gratified--the bravos were dismissed, and Ilocked myself up in my chamber for several days, to brood upon all I haddone, and occasionally to feast my eyes with the grim remains of him whohad dared to love my wife. During those days of seclusion I would see noone save the servant who brought me my meals. From him I learnt that thecountess was dangerously ill--that she was indeed dying, and that shebesought me to visit her if only for a moment. But I refused--implacablyrefused. I was convinced that she craved my forgiveness; and that Icould not give. 

"Dr. Duras, who attended upon her, came to the door of my chamber andimplored me to grant him an interview:--then Nisida sought a similarboon; but I was deaf to each and all. 

"Yes--for there was still a being on whom I yet longed to wreak myvengeance;--and that being was yourself, Francisco? I looked upon you asthe living evidence of my dishonor--the memorial of your mother'sboundless guilt. But I recoiled in horror from the idea of staining myhands with the blood of a little child--yet I feared if I came nearyou--if I saw your clinging affectionately to Vitangela--if I heard youinnocently and unconsciously mock me by calling me 'father!'--I felt Ishould be unable to restrain the fury of my wrath!

"I know not how long I should have remained in the seclusion of my ownchamber--perhaps weeks and months, but one morning shortly afterdaybreak, I was informed by the only servant whom I would admit near me, that the countess had breathed her last during the night, and thatNisida was so deeply affected by her mother's death, that she, poorgirl, was dangerously ill. Then I became frantic on account of mydaughter; and I quitted my apartment, not only to see that proper aidwas administered to her, but to complete the scheme of vengeance which Ihad originally formed. Thus, in the first place, Dr. Duras was enjoinedto take up his abode altogether in the Riverola Palace, so long asNisida should require his services; and, on the other hand, a splendidfuneral was ordered for the Countess Riverola. But Vitangela's remainswent not in the velvet-covered coffin to the family vault;--no--herflesh was buried in the same soil where rotted the flesh of herparamour--and her skeleton was suspended from the same beam to which hisbones had been already hung. For I thought within myself: 'This is thefirst time that the wife of a Count of Riverola has ever broughtdishonor and disgrace upon her husband; and I will take care that itshall be the last. To Nisida will I leave all my estates--all my wealth, save a miserable pittance as an inheritance for the bastard Francisco. She shall inherit the title, and the man on whom she may confer her handshall be the next Count of Riverola. The wedding-day will be marked by arevelation of the mystery of this cabinet; and the awful spectacle willteach him, whoever he may be, to watch his wife narrowly--and will teach_her_ what it is to prove unfaithful to a fond husband! To both, thelesson will be as useful as the manner of conveying it will befrightful, and they will hand down the tradition to future scions of theRiverola family. Francisco, too, shall learn the secrets of the cabinet;he shall be taught why he is disinherited--why I have hated him: andthus even from the other world shall the spirits of the vile paramourand the adulterous wife behold the consequences of their crimeperpetuated in this. '

"Such were my thoughts--such were my intentions. But an appallingcalamity forced me to change my views. Nisida, after a long and painfulillness, became deaf and dumb; and Dr. Duras gave me no hope of therestoration of her lost faculties. 

"Terrible visitation! Then was it that I reasoned with myself--that Ideliberated long and earnestly upon the course which I should pursue. Itwas improbable that, afflicted as Nisida was, she would ever marry; andI felt grieved, deeply grieved, to think that you, Francisco, beingdisinherited, and Nisida remaining single, the proud title of Riverolawould become extinct; I therefore resolved on the less painfulalternative of disinheriting you altogether; and I accordingly made awill by which I left you the estates, with the contingent title Count ofRiverola, under certain conditions which might yet alienate bothproperty and rank from you, and endow therewith your sister Nisida. Forshould she recover the faculties of speech and hearing by the time sheshall have attained the age of thirty-six, she will yet be marriageableand may have issue; but should that era in her life pass, and she stillbe deaf and dumb, all hope of her recovery will be dead!

"Thus if she still be so deeply afflicted at that age, you, Francisco, will inherit the vast estates and the lordly title which, through thecircumstances of your birth, it grieves me to believe will ever devolveupon you. 

"Such were my motives for making that will which you are destined tohear read, doubtless before the time comes for you to peruse thismanuscript. And having made that will, and experiencing the sadcertainty that my unfortunate daughter will never become qualified toinherit my title and fortune, but that the name of Riverola must beperpetuated through your marriage, I have determined that to you and toyour bride alone shall the dread secrets of the cabinet be revealed. "

Thus terminated the manuscript. 

 * * * * *

Powerful in meaning and strong in expression as the English language maybe rendered by one who has the least experience in the propercombination of words, yet it becomes totally inadequate to the task ofconveying an idea of those feelings--those harrowing emotions--thosehorrifying sentiments, which were excited in the breasts of Francisco diRiverola and the beautiful Flora by the revolution of the manuscript. Atfirst the document begat a deep and mournful interest, as it related theinterviews of the late count with Vitangela in the streets of Naples;then amazement was engendered by the announcement of that lovely andunhappy being's ignominious parentage--but a calmness was diffusedthrough the minds of Flora and Francisco, as if they had found a restingplace amidst the exciting incidents of the narrative when they reachedthat part which mentioned the marriage. 

Their feelings were, however, destined to be speedily and most painfullywrung once more; and Francisco could scarcely restrain hisindignation--yes, his indignation even against the memory of hisdeceased father--when he perused those injurious suspicions which wererecorded in reference to the honor of his mother. Though unable toexplain the mystery in which all that part of the narrative wasinvolved, yet he felt firmly convinced that his mother was innocent; andhe frequently interrupted himself in the perusal of the manuscript togive utterance to passionate ejaculations expressive of that opinion. But it was when the hideous tragedy rapidly developed itself, and thehistory of the presence of two skeletons in the closet was detailed, itwas then that language became powerless to describe the mingled wrathand disgust which Francisco felt, or to delineate the emotions ofboundless horror and wild amazement that were excited in the bosom ofFlora. In spasmodic shuddering did the young countess cling to herhusband when she had learned how fearfully accurate was the manner inwhich the few lines of the manuscript which she had read many monthspreviously in Nisida's boudoir, fitted in the text, and how appallingwas the tale which the entire made. She was cruelly shocked, and herheart bled for that fine young man whom she was so proud to call herhusband, but whom his late father had loathed to recognize as a son. AndNisida--what were her feelings as she lay stretched upon a couch, listening to the contents of the manuscript which she had read before?At first one hope--one idea was dominant in her soul, the hope thatFlora would be crushed even to death by revelations which were indeedalmost sufficient to overwhelm a gentle disposition and freeze the vitalcurrent in the tender and compassionate heart. 

But as Francisco read on, and when he came to those passages whichdescribed the sufferings and the cruel fate of her mother, then Nisidabecame a prey to the most torturing feelings--dreadful emotions wereexpressed by her convulsed countenance and wildly-glaring eyes--and shemuttered deep and bitter anathemas against the memory of her own father. For well does the reader know that she had loved her mother todistraction; and thus the horrifying detail of the injuries heaped uponthe head and on the name of that revered parent aroused all her fiercestpassions of rage and hate as completely as if that history had been newto her, and as if she were now becoming acquainted with it for the firsttime. Indeed, so powerful, so terrible, was the effect produced by therevival of all those dread reminiscences and heart-rending emotions onthe part of Nisida that, forgetting her malignant spite and her infernalhope with regard to Flora, she threw her whole soul into the subject ofthe manuscript: and the torrent of feelings to which she thus gave waywas crushing and overwhelming to a woman of such fierce passions, andwho had received so awful a shock as that which had stretched her on thecouch where she now lay. For the fate of him whom she had loved withsuch ardor, and the revulsion that her affection experienced on accountof the ghastly spectacle which Wagner presented to her view in his dyingmoments--the disgust and loathing which had been inspired in her mind bythe thought that she had ever fondled that being in her arms andabsolutely doted on the superhuman beauty that had changed to suchrevolting ugliness, it was all this that had struck her down--paralyzedher--inflicted a mortal, though not an instantaneous blow upon thatwoman so lately full of energy, so strong in moral courage, and so fullof vigorous health. Thus impressed with the conviction that her end wasapproaching, the moment the perusal of the manuscript was concluded theLady Nisida said, in a faint and dying tone of voice:

"Francisco, draw near--as near as possible--and listen to what I havenow to communicate, for it is in my power to clear up all doubt, allmystery relative to the honor of our sainted mother, and convince theethat no stigma, no disgrace attaches itself to thy birth!"

"Alas! my beloved sister, " exclaimed the young count, "you speak in afaint voice, you are very ill! In the name of the Holy Virgin! I conjureyou to allow me to send for Dr. Duras!"

"No, Francisco, " said Nisida, her voice recovering somewhat of its poweras she continued to address him: "I implore you to let me have my ownway, to follow my own inclinations! Do not thwart me, Francisco; alreadyI feel as if molten lead were pouring through my brain, and a tremendousweight lies upon my heart! Forbear, then, from irritating me, mywell-beloved Francisco----"

"Oh! Nisida, " cried the young count, throwing his arms around hissister's neck and embracing her fondly; "if you love me now, if you everloved me, grant me one boon! By the memory of our sainted mother Iimplore you, by your affection for her I adjure you, Nisida----"

"Speak, speak, Francisco, " interrupted his sister, hastily: "I canalmost divine the nature of the boon you crave--and--my God!" she added, tears starting from her eyes, as a painful thought flashed across herbrain, --"perhaps I have been too harsh--too severe! At all events, it isnot now--on my death-bed--that I can nurse resentment----"

"Your death-bed!" echoed Francisco, in a tone or acute anguish, whilethe sobs which convulsed the bosom of the young countess were heardalike by him and his sister. 

"Yes, dearest brother, I am dying, " said Nisida, in a voice of profoundand mournful conviction; "and therefore let me not delay those dutiesand those explanations which can alone unburden my heart of the weightthat lies upon it! And first, Francisco, be thy boon granted--for I knowthat thou wouldst speak to me of her who is now thy bride. Come to myarms, then. Flora, embrace me as a sister, and forgive me if thou canst, for I have been a fierce and unrelenting enemy to thee!"

"Oh, let the past be forgotten, my friend, my sister!" exclaimed theweeping Flora, as she threw herself into Nisida's outstretched arms. 

And the young wife and the young woman embraced each other tenderly--fordeep regrets and pungent remorse at last attuned the mind of Nisida tosweet and holy sympathy. 

"And now, " said Nisida, "sit down by my side, and listen to theexplanations which I have promised. Give me your hand. Flora, dearFlora, let me retain it in mine; for at the last hour, and when I amabout to leave this fair and beauteous earth, I feel an ardent longingto love those who walk upon its face, and to be loved by them in return. But, alas, alas!" she added, somewhat bitterly, "reflections andyearnings of this nature come too late! O Flora! the picture of life isspread before you--while from me it is rapidly receding, and dissolvinginto the past. Like our own fair city of palaces and flowers, when seenfrom a distance beneath the glorious lights of the morning, may thatglorious picture continue to appear to thee; and may'st thou never drawnear enough to recognize the false splendors in which gorgeous hues maydeck the things of this world; may'st thou never be brought so close tothe sad realities of existence as to be forced to contemplate thebreaking hearts that dwell in palaces, or to view in disgust the slimeupon flowers. "

"Nisida, " said Francisco, bending over his sister, and speaking in avoice indicative of deep emotion, "the kind words you utter to mybeloved Flora shall ever--ever remain engraven upon my heart. "

"And on mine also, " murmured the young countess, pressing Nisida's handwith grateful ardor, while her eyes, radiant with very softness, threw aglance of passionate tenderness upon her generous-hearted and handsomehusband. 

"Listen to me, " resumed Nisida, after a short pause, during which shegave way to all the luxury of those sweet and holy reflections which thepresent scene engendered: and these were the happiest moments of thelady's stormy life. "Listen to me, " she repeated; "and let me enter uponand make an end of my explanations as speedily as possible. And first, Francisco, relative to our sainted--our innocent--our deeply-wronged andmuch-injured mother. You have already learned that she was the daughterof the public executioner of Naples; and you have heard that ere shebecame our father's wife she swore a solemn oath--she pledged herself inthe most solemn manner that she would never even allude to herfamily--that she would not communicate to them the name of her husbandnor the place of his abode, under any circumstances--in a word, that shewould consider her father and brother as dead to her! And yet she had atender heart; and after she became the Countess of Riverola she veryoften thought of the parent who had reared her tenderly and loved heraffectionately; she thought also of her brother Eugenio, who had everbeen so devoted to his sister. But she kept her promise faithfully forfive years; until that fatal day of April, 1500, which our father has soemphatically mentioned in his narrative. It was in the garden belongingto the ducal palace that she suddenly encountered her brotherEugenio----"

"Her brother!" ejaculated Francisco, joyfully. "Oh! I knew, I feltcertain that she was innocent. "

"Yes, she was indeed innocent, " repeated Nisida, "But let me pursue myexplanations as succinctly as possible. It appeared that the oldman--the executioner of Naples--was no more; and Eugenio, possessinghimself of the hoardings of his deceased father, had fled from hisnative city to avoid the dread necessity of assuming the abhorrentoffice. Accident led the young adventurer to Florence in search of amore agreeable employment as a means whereby to earn his livelihood, andhaving formed the acquaintance of one of the duke's valets, he obtainedadmittance to the gardens on that memorable evening when the grandentertainment was given. In spite of the strict injunctions he hadreceived not to approach the places occupied by the distinguishedguests, he drew near the arbor in which our mother had been conversingwith other ladies, but where she was at that moment alone. Therecognition was immediate, and they flew into each other's arms. Itwould have been useless, as well as unnatural, for our mother to haverefused to reveal her rank and name; her brilliant attire was sufficientto convince her brother that the former was high, and inquiry wouldspeedily have made him acquainted with the latter. She accordingly drewhim apart into a secluded walk and told him all; but she implored him toquit Florence without delay, and she gave him her purse and one of herrich bracelets, thereby placing ample resources at his disposal. Fiveyears passed away, and during that period she heard no more of herbrother Eugenio. But at the expiration of that interval she received anote stating that he was again in Florence--that necessity had alonebrought him hither, and that he would be at a particular place at acertain hour to meet either herself or some confidential person whom shemight instruct to see him. Our mother filled a bag with gold, and putinto it some of her choicest jewels, and thus provided, she repaired inperson to the place of appointment. It grieved her generous heart thusto be compelled to meet her brother secretly, as if he were a commonrobber or a midnight bravo; but for her husband's peace, and inobedience to the spirit of the oath which imperious circumstances hadalone led her in some degree to violate, she was forced to adopt thatsad and humiliating alternative. "

"Alas! poor mother!" sobbed Francisco, deeply affected by thisnarrative. 

"Again did five years elapse without bringing tidings to our mother ofEugenio, " continued Nisida, "and then he once more set foot in Florence. The world bad not used him well--Fortune had frowned upon him--and, though a young man of fine spirit and noble disposition, he failed inall his endeavors to carve out a successful career for himself. Ourmother determined to accord him an interview in her own apartment. Shelonged to converse with him at her ease--to hear his tale from his ownlips--to sympathize with and console him. Oh! who could blame her if inso doing she departed from the strict and literal meaning of that vowwhich had bound her to consider her relations as dead to her? But thefault--if fault it were--was so venial, that to justify it is to investit with an importance which it would not have possessed save for thefrightful results to which it led. You have already heard how foully hewas waylaid, how ruthlessly he was murdered! Holy Virgin! my brainwhirls when I reflect upon that hideous cruelty which made our motherthe spectator of his dissection; for, even had he been a lover--evenwere she guilty--even if the suspicions of our father had all beenwell-founded----"

"Dwell not upon this frightful topic, my beloved Nisida!" exclaimedFrancisco, perceiving that she was again becoming greatly excited, forher eyes dilated and glared wildly, her bosom heaved in awfulconvulsions, and she tossed her arms frantically about. 

"No, I will not--I dare not pause to ponder thereon, " she said, fallingback upon the pillow, and pressing her hands to that proud and haughtybrow behind which the active, racking brain appeared to be on fire. 

"Tranquilize yourself, dearest sister, " murmured Flora, bending over thecouch and pressing her lips on Nisida's burning cheek. 

"I will, I will, Flora, whom I now love as much as I once hated!"exclaimed the dying lady. "But let me make an end of my explanations. You already know that our dear mother was gagged when she was compelledto witness the horrible deeds enacted in the subterranean charnel-houseby the dim light of a sickly lamp; but even if she had not been, no wordwould have issued from her lips, as the manuscript justly observes. During her illness, however, she sought an interview with her husbandfor the purpose of proving to him her complete innocence, by revealingthe fact that his victim was her own brother! But he refused all theentreaties proffered with that object, and our unfortunate mother wasforced to contemplate the approach of death with the sad conviction thatshe should pass away without the satisfaction of establishing herguiltlessness in the eyes of our father. Then was it that she revealedeverything to me--to me alone--to me, a young girl of only fifteen whenthose astounding facts were breathed into my ears. I listened withhorror, and I began to hate my father, for I adored my mother. Sheimplored me not to give way to any intemperate language or burst ofpassion which might induce the inmates of the mansion to suspect that Iwas the depositary of some terrible secret. 

"'For, ' said our mother, when on her death-bed, 'if I have ventured toshock your young mind by so appalling a revelation, it is only that youmay understand wherefore I am about to bind you by a solemn vow to love, protect, and watch over Francisco, as if he were your own child, ratherthan your brother. His father, alas! hates him. This I have observedever since the birth of that dear boy, but it is only by means of thedread occurrence of the other night that I have been able to divine theorigin of that dislike and unnatural loathing. Your father, Nisida, 'continued my mother, 'believes that I have been unfaithful, and suspectsthat Francisco is the offspring of a guilty _amour_. With this terribleimpression upon his mind, he may persecute my poor boy; he maydisinherit him; he may even seek to rid him of life. Kneel, then, by mybedside, Nisida, and swear by all you deem sacred--by the love you bearfor me--and by your hopes of salvation, that you will watch unweariedlyand unceasingly over the welfare and the interests of Francisco--thatyou will make any sacrifice, incur any danger, or undergo any privation, to save him from the effects of his father's hate--that you will exertall possible means to cause the title and fortune of his father todescend to him, and that you will in no case consent to supplant him inthose respects--and lastly, that you will keep secret the dread historyof my brother's fate and your knowledge of your father's crime. ' To allthese conditions of the vow I solemnly and sacredly pledged myself, calling Heaven to witness the oath. But I said to our mother, 'My fatherwill not forever remain locked up in his own apartment; he will comeforth sooner or later, and I must have an opportunity of speaking tohim. May I not justify you, my dear mother, in his eyes? May I notassure him that Eugenio was your brother? He will then cease to hateFrancisco, and may even love him as he loves me; and you may then haveno fears on his account. "

"'Alas! the plan which you suggest may not be put into execution, 'replied our dying mother; 'for were your father to be aware that I hadrevealed the occurrences of that dread night to you, Nisida, he wouldfeel that he must be ever looked upon as a murderer by his own child!Moreover, such appears to be the sad and benighted state of his mind, that he might peradventure deem the tale relative to Eugenio a mereexcuse and vile subterfuge. No; I must perish disgraced in his eyes, unless he should accord ere I die, the interview which yourself and thegood Dr. Duras have so vainly implored him to grant me. '

"Our dear mother then proceeded to give me other instructions, Francisco, relative to yourself; but these, " added Nisida, glancingtoward Flora, "would _now_ be painful to unfold. And yet, " shecontinued, hastily, as a second thought struck her, "it is impossible, my sweet Flora, that you can be weak-minded--for you have this day seenand heard enough to test your mental powers to the extreme possibilityof their endurance. Moreover, I feel that my conduct toward you requiresa complete justification; and that justification will be found in thelast instructions which I received from the lips of my mother. "

"Dearest Nisida, " said the young countess, "no justification isneeded--no apology is required in reference to that subject; for yourkind words, your altered manner toward me now, your recognition of me asa sister, made so by union with your brother--oh! this would efface frommy mind wrongs ten thousand times more terrible than any injury which Ihave sustained at your hands. But, " continued Flora, in a slow andgentle tone, "if you wish to explain the nature of these instructionswhich you received from the lips of your dying parent, let not mypresence embarrass you. "

"Yes, I do wish to render my explanation as complete as possible, dearest Flora, " replied Nisida; "for if I have acted severely towardyou, it was not to gratify any natural love of cruelty, nor any meanjealousy or spite; on the contrary, the motives were engendered by thatimperious necessity which has swayed my conduct, modeled my disposition, and regulated my mind ever since that fatal day when I knelt beside mymother's death-bed, and swore to obey her last words. For thus did shespeak, Flora--'Nisida, there is one more subject relative to which Imust advise you, and in respect to which you must swear to obey me. Myown life furnished a sad and terrible lesson of the impropriety ofcontracting an unequal marriage. All my woes--all my sorrows--all thedreadful events which have occurred--may be traced to the one great factthat the Count of Riverola espoused a person of whose family he wasashamed. Nisida, ' she continued, her voice becoming fainter and fainter, 'watch you narrowly and closely over the welfare of Francisco in thisrespect. Let him not marry beneath him; let him not unite himself to onewhose family contains a single member deserving obloquy or reproach. Above all, see that he marries not till he shall have reached an agewhen he will be capable of examining his own heart through the medium ofexperience and matured judgment. If you see him form a boyish attachmentof which you have good and sufficient reason to disapprove, exertyourself to wean him from it: hesitate not to thwart him; be not movedby the sorrows he may manifest at the moment; you will be acting for hiswelfare; and the time will speedily come when he will rejoice that youhave rescued him from the danger of contracting a hasty, rash, andill-assorted marriage. ' These were the last instructions of our mother, Francisco; and I swore to obey them. Hence my sorrow, my fears, my angerwhen I became aware of the attachment subsisting between yourself, dearbrother, and you, my sweet Flora: and that sorrow was enhanced--thosefears were augmented--that danger was increased, Flora, when I learntthat your brother Alessandro had renounced the creed of the true God, and that your family thereby contained a member deserving of obloquy andreproach. But that sorrow, those fears, and that anger have now departedfrom my soul. I recognize the finger of Heaven--the will of the Almightyin the accomplishment of your union, despite of all my projects, all myintrigues to prevent it. I am satisfied, moreover, that there is in thisalliance a fitness and a propriety which will insure your happiness: andmay the spirit of my sainted mother look down from the empyrean palacewhere she dwells, and bless you both, even as I now implore the divinemercy to shed its beauties and diffuse its protecting influence aroundyou. "

Nisida had raised herself up to a sitting posture as she uttered thisinvocation so sublimely interesting and solemnly sincere; and theyouthful pair, simultaneously yielding to the same impulse, sank upontheir knees to receive the blessing of one who had never bestowed ablessing on mortal being until then! She extended her hands above thosetwo beautiful, bending heads: and her voice, as she adjured Heaven toprotect them, was plaintively earnest and tremulously clear, and itsmusical sound seemed to touch the finest chord of sympathy, devotion, and love that vibrated in the hearts of that youthful noble and hisvirgin bride. When this solemn ceremony was accomplished, an immenseweight appeared to have been removed from the soul of the Lady Nisida ofRiverola; and her countenance wore a calm and sweet expression, whichformed a happy contrast with the sovereign hauteur and grand contemptthat were wont to mark it. 

"I have now but little more to say in explanation of my past conduct, "she resumed, after a long pause. "You can readily divine wherefore Iaffected the loss of those most glorious faculties which God has givenme. I became enthusiastic in my resolves to carry out the injunctions ofmy dear and much-loved mother; and while I lay upon a bed of sickness--asevere illness produced by anguish and horror at all I had heard fromher lips, and by her death, so premature and sad--I pondered a thousandschemes, the object of which was to accomplish the great aims I had inview. I foresaw that I--a weak woman--then, indeed, a mere girl offifteen--should have to constitute myself the protectress of a brotherwho was hated by his own father; and I feared lest that hatred shoulddrive him to the adoption of some dreadful plot to rid himself of yourpresence, Francisco--perhaps even to deprive you of your life. I knewthat I must watch all his movements and listen to all his conversationswith those unprincipled wretches who are ever ready to do the bidding ofthe powerful and the wealthy. But how was all this to beaccomplished?--how was I to become a watcher and a listener--a spy everactive, and an eavesdropper ever awake--without exciting suspicionswhich would lead to the frustration of my designs, and perhaps involveboth myself and my brother in ruin? Then was it that an idea struck melike a flash of lightning; and like a flash of lightning was it terribleand appalling, when breaking on the dark chaos of my thoughts. At firstI shrank from it--recoiled from it in horror and dismay;--but the more Iconsidered it--the longer I looked that idea in the face--the more Icontemplated it, the less formidable did it seem. I have already saidthat I was enthusiastic and devoted in my resolves to carry out thedying injunctions of my mother:--and thus by degrees I learnt to reflectupon the awful sacrifice which had suggested itself to my imagination asa species of holy and necessary self-martyrdom. I foresaw that if Iaffected the loss of hearing and speech, I should obtain all theadvantages I sought and all the means I required to enable me to act asthe protectress of my brother against the hatred of my father. Ibelieved also that I should not only be considered as unfit to be madethe heiress of the title and fortune of the Riverola family, but thatour father, Francisco, would see the absolute necessity of treating youin all respects as his lawful and legitimate son, in spite of anysuspicions which he might entertain relative to your birth. There weremany other motives which influenced me, and which arose out of theinjunctions of our mother, --motives which you can well understand, andwhich I need not detail. Thus it was that, subduing the grief which theidea of making so tremendous a sacrifice excited, on the one hand--andarming myself with the exultation of a martyr, on the other, --thus itwas that I resolved to simulate the character of the deaf and dumb. Itwas, however, necessary to obtain the collusion of Dr. Duras; and thisaim I carried after many hours of argument and persuasion. He was thenignorant--and still is ignorant--of the real motives which had promptedme to this self-martyrdom;--but I led him to believe that the gravestand most important family interests required that moral immolation of myown happiness;--and I vowed that unless he would consent to aid me, itwas my firm resolve to shut myself up in a convent and take the veil. This threat, which I had not the least design of carrying into effect, induced him to yield a reluctant acquiescence with my project: for heloved me as if I had been his child. He was moreover consoled somewhatby the assurance which I gave him, and in which I myself felt implicitconfidence at the time, that the necessity for the simulation ofdeafness and dumbness on my part would cease the moment my father shouldbe no more. In a word, the kind Dr. Duras promised to act entirely inaccordance with my wishes; and I accordingly became Nisida the deaf anddumb!"

"Merciful heavens! that immeasurable sacrifice was made for me!" criedFrancisco, throwing himself into the arms of his sister and imprinting athousand kisses on her cheeks. 

"Yes--for your sake and in order to carry out the dying commands of ourmother, the sainted Vitangela?" responded Nisida. "I shall not weary youwith a description of the feelings and emotions with which I commencedthat long career of duplicity; by the very success that attended thepart which I had undertaken to perform you may estimate the magnitudeand the extent of the exertions which it cost me thus to maintain myselfa living--a constant--and yet undetected lie! Ten years passed away--tenyears, marked by many incidents which made me rejoice, for your sake, Francisco, that I had accepted the self-martyrdom which circumstanceshad suggested to me. At length our father lay upon his death bed: andthen--oh! then I rejoiced--yes, rejoiced, though he was dying; for Ithought that the end of my career of duplicity was at hand. Judge, then, of my astonishment--my grief--my despair, when I heard the lastinjunctions which our father addressed to you, Francisco, on that bed ofdeath. What could the mystery of the closet mean? Of that I _then_ knewnothing. Wherefore was I to remain in complete ignorance of theinstructions thus given to you? And what was signified by the wordsrelative to the disposal of our father's property? For you may rememberthat he spoke thus, addressing himself of course to you:--'You will findthat I have left the whole of my property to you. At the same time mywill specifies certain conditions relative to your sister Nisida, forwhom I have made due provision only in the case--which is, alas! almostin defiance of every hope!--of her recovery from that dreadfulaffliction which renders her so completely dependent upon yourkindness. ' These ominous and mysterious words seemed to proclaim defeatand overthrow to all the hopes that I had formed relative to thecertainty of your being left the sole and unconditional heir alike totitle and estate. I therefore resolved to maintain the character of thedeaf and dumb until I should have fathomed the secrets of the closet, and have become acquainted with the conditions of the will. Oh! well doI remember the glance which the generous-hearted Duras cast toward me, when, returning to the chamber, he inquired by means of that significantlook whether the last words of our dying father were prognostic of hopefor me--whether, indeed, the necessity of sustaining the dreadfulduplicity would cease when he should be no more. And I remember, also, that the look and the sign, by which I conveyed a negative answer wereexpressive of the deep melancholy that filled his soul. "

"Alas! my dear self-sacrificed sister, " murmured Francisco, tearstrickling down his cheeks. 

"Yes--my disappointment was cruel indeed, " continued Nisida. "But theexcitement of the scenes and incidents which followed rapidly the deathof our father, restored my mind to its wonted tone of fortitude, vigor, and proud determination. That very night, Francisco, I took the key ofthe cabinet from your garments, while you slept--I sped to the chamberof death--I visited the depository of horrible mysteries--and for thefirst time I became aware that two skeletons were contained in thatcloset! And whose fleshless relics those skeletons were, the dreadfulmanuscript speedily revealed to me. Then was it also for the first timethat I learnt how Margaretha was the detestable spy whose agency had ledto such a frightful catastrophe in respect to Eugenio and Vitangela;then I became aware that our mother's corpse slept not in the vault towhich a coffin had been consigned:--in a word, the full measure of oursire's atrocity--O God! that I should be compelled thus to speak--wasrevealed to me! But on Margaretha have I been avenged, " added Nisida, ina low tone, and with a convulsive shudder produced by the recollectionof that terrible night when she immolated the miserable woman above thegrave where lay a portion of the remains of her mother and of Eugenio. 

"You have been avenged on Margaretha, sister, " ejaculated Francisco, surveying Nisida with apprehension. 

"Yes, " she replied, her large black eyes flashing with a scintillationof the former fires: "that woman--I have slain her! But start not, Flora--look not reproachfully upon me, Francisco: 'twas a deed fullyjustified, a vengeance righteously exercised, a penalty well deserved!And now let me hasten to bring my long and tedious explanations to aconclusion--for they have occupied a longer space than I had at firstanticipated, and I am weak and faint. Little, however, remains to betold. The nature of our father's will compelled me to persist in myself-martyrdom: for I had sworn to my dying mother not to accept anyconditions or advantages which should have the effect of disinheritingyou, Francisco. "

"Oh! what a debt of gratitude do I owe thee, my beloved sister!"exclaimed the young count, deeply affected by the generous sacrificesmade by Nisida on his behalf. 

"And think you I have experienced no reward?" asked the lady in a sweettone, and with a placid smile: "do you imagine that the consciousness ofhaving devoted myself to the fulfillment of my adored mother's wisheshas been no recompense? Yes--I have had my consolations and my hours ofhappiness, as well as my sufferings and periods of profound affliction. But I feel a soft and heavenly repose stealing over me--'tis a sweetsleep, and yet it is not the slumber of death! No, no; 'tis a delicioustrance into which I am falling--'tis as if a celestial vision----"

She said no more. Her eyes closed, she fell back and slept soundly. 

"Merciful Heavens! my sister is no more!" exclaimed Francisco, in terrorand despair. 

"Fear not, my beloved husband, " said Flora; "Nisida sleeps, and 'tis ahealthy slumber. The pulsations of her heart are regular; her breathcomes freely. Joy, joy, Francisco, she will recover!"

"The Holy Virgin grant that your hope may be fulfilled!" returned theyoung count. "But let us not disturb her. We will sit down by thebedside, Flora, and watch till she shall awake. "

But scarcely had he uttered these words when the door of the chamberopened, and an old man of venerable appearance, and with a long beard aswhite as snow, advanced toward the newly married pair. 

Francisco and Flora beheld him with feelings of reverence and awe, forsomething appeared to tell them that he was a mortal of no common order. 

"My dear children, " he said, addressing them in a paternal manner, andhis voice firm, but mild, "ye need not watch here for the present. Retire, and seek not this chamber again until the morning of to-morrow. Fear nothing, excellent young man, for thou hast borne arms in the causeof the cross. Fear nothing, amiable young lady, for thou art attended byguardian angels. "

And as the venerable man thus addressed them severally, he extended hishands to bless them; and they received that blessing with holy meekness, and yet with a joyous feeling which appeared to be of glorious auguryfor their future happiness. Then, obedient to the command of thestranger, they slowly quitted the apartment--urged to yield to his willby a secret influence which they could not resist, but whichnevertheless animated them with a pious confidence in the integrity ofhis purpose. The door closed behind them, and Christian Rosencruxremained in the room with the dead Wagner and the dying Nisida. 

CHAPTER LXIV. 

While the incidents related in the last few chapters were taking placeat the Riverola Palace, the council of state had assembled to receivethe grand vizier, the mighty Ibrahim, who had signified his intention ofmeeting that august body at three o'clock in the afternoon. Accordingly, as soon as he had witnessed the marriage ceremony which united hissister to the Count of Riverola, he returned from Wagner's mansion tohis own pavilion in the midst of the Ottoman encampment. There hearrayed him in a manner becoming his exalted rank, and mounting hissplendid caparisoned steed, he repaired with a brilliant escort to theducal palace. The streets of the city of Florence were thronged withmultitudes eager to gain a sight of the representative of the sultan--aview of the man whose will and pleasure swayed the greatest empire inexistence at that period of the world's age!

And as Ibrahim passed through those avenues so well known tohim--threaded those thoroughfares, each feature of which was soindelibly impressed upon his memory--and beheld many, many familiarspots, all of which awakened in his mind reminiscences of a happychildhood, and of years gone by; when, too, he reflected that he hadquitted Florence poor, obscure, and unmarked amidst the millions of hisfellow-men; and that now, as he entered the beauteous city, multitudescame forth to gaze upon him, as on one invested with a high rank andenjoying a power mighty to do much; when he thought of all this, hisbosom swelled with mingled emotions of pride and tenderness, regret andjoy; and while tears trembled upon his long black lashes, a smile ofhaughty triumph played on his lips. On, on the procession goes, throughthe crowded streets and across the spacious squares, watched by the eyesof transcendent beauty and proud aristocracy from the balconies ofpalaces and the casements of lordly mansions; on, on, amidst a wonderingand admiring populace, and grateful, too, that so great a chief asIbrahim should have spared their city from sack and ruin. 

At length the grand vizier, attended by the great beglerbegs and pashasof his army, entered the square of the ducal palace; and as his prancingsteed bore him proudly beneath the massive arch, the roar of artilleryannounced to the City of Flowers that the Ottoman Minister was nowwithin the precincts of the dwelling of the Florentine sovereign. Theduke and the members of the council of state were all assembled in thecourt of the Palazzo to receive the illustrious visitor, who, havingdismounted from his horse, accompanied the prince and those highdignitaries to the council-chamber. When the personages thus assembledhad taken their seats around the spacious table, covered with a rich redvelvet cloth, the grand vizier proceeded to address the duke and thecouncilors. 

"High and mighty prince, and noble and puissant lords, " he said, in thetone of one conscious of his power, "I am well satisfied with the mannerin which my demands have been fulfilled up to this moment. Two ladies, in whom I feel a deep and sincere interest, and who were most unjustlyimprisoned to suit the vindictive purposes of the Count of Arestino, have been delivered up to me: and ye have likewise agreed to make fulland adequate atonement for the part which Florence enacted in the latecontest between the Christians and Mussulmans in the Island of Rhodes. Ihave therefore determined to reduce my demands upon the republic, forindemnity and compensation, to as low a figure as my own dignity and asense of that duty which I owe to my sovereign (whom God preserve manydays!) will permit. The sum that I now require from your treasury, mighty prince and puissant lords, is a hundred thousand pistoles; and inaddition thereto, I claim peculiar privileges for Ottoman vesselstrading to Leghorn, guaranty of peace on the part of the republic forthree years, and the release of such prisoners now in the dungeons ofthe inquisition, whom it may seem good to me thus to mark out asdeserving of your mercy. "

"A hundred thousand pistoles, my lord, would completely exhaust thetreasury of the republic, " said the duke, with dismay pictured upon hiscountenance. 

"Think you, " cried the grand vizier, angrily, "that I shall dare to facemy imperial master, on my return to Constantinople, unless I be able tolay at his feet a sum adequate to meet the expenses incurred by thisexpedition of a great fleet and a powerful army?"

"Your highness will at least accord us a few days wherein to obtain theamount required, " said the duke, "for it will be necessary to levy a taxupon the republic!"

"I grant you until sunset, my lord--until sunset this evening. " addedthe grand vizier, speaking with stern emphasis. "And if you will permitme to tender my advice, you will at once command the grand inquisitorand the Count of Arestino to furnish the sum required: for the former, Iam inclined to suspect, is a most unjust judge, and the latter, I amwell convinced, is a most cruel and revengeful noble. "

"The Count of Arestino is no more, your highness, " answered the duke. "The Marquis of Orsini murdered him before the very eyes of the grandinquisitor, and will therefore head the procession of victims at theapproaching _auto-da-fe_. "

"By the footstool of Allah! that shall not be!" exclaimed Ibrahim. "Themachinations of the Count of Arestino threw into the inquisitiondungeons those two ladies whom ye delivered up to me last night; and itwas my intention, when I spoke of releasing certain prisoners ere now, to stipulate for the freedom of all those whom the vengeance of thatcount has immured in your accursed prison-house. See then, my lords, that all those of whom I speak be forthwith brought hither into ourpresence!"

It may be proper to inform the reader that Flora had solicited herbrother to save the Marquis of Orsini and the Countess Giulia, to whomthe young wife of Francisco had been indebted for her escape from theCarmelite Convent; for, as the secrets of the torture chamber were neversuffered to transpire, she was of course ignorant of the death of theguilty Giulia, and of the assassination of the Count of Arestino by theMarquis of Orsini. 

At the command of Ibrahim Pasha, who spoke in a firm and resolutemanner, the duke summoned a sentinel from the corridor adjoining thecouncil chamber, and issued the necessary orders to fulfill the desireof the grand vizier. Nearly a quarter of an hour elapsed during whichone of the councilors drew up the guaranty of peace and of thecommercial privileges demanded by Ibrahim. At length the door opened, and several familiars made their appearance, leading in Manuel d'Orsiniand Isaachar ben Solomon, both heavily chained. The former walked withhead erect, and proud bearing; the latter could scarcely drag hiswasted, racked, and tottering limbs along, and was compelled to hangupon the arms of the familiars for support. Nevertheless, there wassomething so meek--so patient and so resigned in the expression of theold and persecuted Israelite's countenance, that Ibrahim Pasha's soulwas touched with a sentiment of pity in his behalf. 

"But these are not all the prisoners, " exclaimed the grand vizier, turning angrily toward the duke; "where is the Countess Giulia ofArestino?"

"My lord, she is no more, " answered the prince. 

"And Heaven be thanked that she is indeed no more!" cried Manueld'Orsini, in a tone of mingled rage and bitterness. "Fortunate is it forher that death has snatched her away from the grasp of miscreants inhuman shape and who call themselves Christians. My lord, " he continued, turning toward Ibrahim, "I know not who you are; but I perceive by yourgarb that you are a Moslem, and I presume that your rank is high by thetitle addressed to you by the duke----"

"Presume not thus to intrude your observations on his highness the grandvizier!" exclaimed one of the councilors in a severe tone. 

"On the contrary, " said Ibrahim Pasha, "let him speak, and withoutreserve. My Lord of Orsini, fear not--I will protect you. "

"The remark I was about to make, illustrious vizier, " cried Manuel, "isbrief, though it may prove not palatable to the patrons of theinquisition and the supporters of that awful engine of despotism andcruelty, " he added, glancing fiercely at the duke and the assembledcouncilors. "I was anxious to observe that the Christian Church hasfounded and maintained that abhorrent institution; and that there ismore true mercy--more genuine sympathy--and more of the holy spirit offorgiveness in the breast of this reviled, despised and persecuted Jew, than in the bosoms of all the miserable hypocrites who have dared tosanction the infernal tortures which have been inflicted upon him. Formyself, I would not accept mercy at their hands; and I would rather goin the companionship of this Jew to the funeral pile, than remain aliveto dwell amongst a race of incarnate fiends, calling themselvesChristians!"

"This insolence is not to be borne, " exclaimed the duke, starting fromhis seat, his countenance glowing with indignation. 

"Your highness and all the councilors now assembled well merit thereproaches of the Marquis of Orsini, " said the grand vizier, sternly. "But it is for _me_ to command here, and for _you_ to obey, proudprince! Let the chains be removed from those prisoners forthwith. "

The duke sank back in his chair, and, subduing his rage as well as hewas able, he made a sign to the familiars to set the Jew and the marquisat liberty. 

"Grand vizier, " exclaimed Manuel, "the life and the liberty which, atyour all-powerful nod are restored to me will prove irksome andvalueless if I be compelled to remain in a Christian land. Confer notfavors by halves, my lord--render me completely grateful to you! Take meinto your service--even as a slave, if your highness will; but let meaccompany to a Mussulman country a Mussulman who can teach theChristians such a fine lesson of mercy and forgiveness. "

"You shall go with me to Constantinople, Manuel--but not as a slave, "returned Ibrahim, profoundly touched by the sincere tone and earnestmanner of the young noble; "no--you shall accompany me as a friend. "

"A thousand thanks, grand vizier, for this kindness--this generosity!"said the marquis, deeply affected; then as a sudden idea struck him, heturned toward the Jew exclaiming, "But we must not leave this old manbehind us. 'Twere the same as if we were to abandon a helpless child inthe midst of a forest inhabited by ferocious wolves. "

"Yes--yes--let me accompany you, excellent young man!" murmuredIsaachar, clinging to the arm of the marquis, for their chains were nowknocked off. "You were the first Christian who ever spoke kindly to me;and I have no kith--no kindred on the face of the earth. I am alone--desolate old man; but I have wealth--much wealth, Manueld'Orsini--and all that I have shall be thine. "

"The Jew shall accompany us, my lord, " said Ibrahim, addressing himselfto the marquis; then, turning toward the duke, he exclaimed in a severetone, "But a few hours remain till sunset, and the ransom of a hundredthousand pistoles must be paid to me; or I will deliver up this proudpalace and the homes of the councilors now assembled to the pillage ofmy troops. "

"Nay--nay, my lord!" cried the Jew, horror-struck at the threat; "bringnot the terrors of sack, and storm, and carnage into this fair city! Ahundred thousand pistoles, your highness says, --a hundred thousandpistoles, " he added, in a slower and more musing tone; "'tis a largesum--a very large sum! And yet--to save so many men and their innocentfamilies from ruin--from desolation---- Yes, my lord, " he exclaimed, hastily interrupting himself--"I--I will pay you the ransom-money. "

"No--by Allah!" ejaculated Ibrahim; "not a single pistole shall be thusextorted from thee! Sooner shall the Florentine Treasury grant thee anindemnification for the horrible tortures which thou hast endured, thanthy wealth be poured forth to furnish this ransom-money. Come, my Lordof Orsini--come, worthy Jew, " continued the grand vizier, rising fromhis seat, "we will depart to the Ottoman encampment. "

"Patience, your highness, for a few hours, " urged the duke, "and thehundred thousand pistoles shall be counted out before thee. "

"This poor man, " answered the grand vizier, indicating the Jew with arapid glance, "has been so racked and tortured in your accursedprison-house, that he cannot be too speedily placed under the care of myown chirurgeon. For this reason I depart at once; see that the ransom bedispatched to my pavilion ere the sun shall have set behind the westernhills. "

With these words the grand vizier bowed haughtily to the duke, andquitted the council chamber. Manuel d'Orsini followed, supportingIsaachar ben Solomon; and, on reaching the court, one of Ibrahim'sslaves took the Jew up behind him on his steed. The marquis was providedwith a horse; and the cavalcade moved rapidly away from the precincts ofthe ducal palace. Profiting by the hint which Ibrahim Pasha had offeredthem, the duke and the councilors instantly levied a heavy fine upon thegrand inquisitor; and the remainder of the money required to make up theamount demanded, was furnished from the public treasury. Thus by thehour of sunset the ransom was paid. 

 * * * * *

At an early hour on the ensuing morning, Francisco di Riverola and hisbeautiful, blushing bride quitted the chamber where they had passed thenight in each other's arms, and repaired to the apartment where so manyterrible mysteries had been revealed to them, and so many dreadfulincidents had occurred on the preceding day. Hand in hand they hadtraversed the passages and the corridors leading to that room in whichthey had left Christian Rosencrux with the dead Wagner and the dyingNisida; hand in hand and silently they went--that fine young noble andcharming bride!

On reaching the door of the chamber, Francisco knocked gently; and theglance of intelligence which passed between himself and Flora showedthat each was a prey to the same breathless suspense; the same mingledfeelings of bright hopes and vague fears. In a few moments the door wasslowly opened; and the venerable old man appeared, his countenancewearing a solemn and mournful aspect. Then Francisco and the youngcountess knew that all was over; and tears started into their eyes. 

Christian Rosencrux beckoned them to advance toward the bed, aroundwhich the curtains were drawn closer; and as they entered the room, therapid and simultaneous glances which they cast toward the spot whereFernand Wagner fell down and surrendered up his breath, showed them thatthe corpse had been removed. Approaching the bed with slow and measuredsteps, Rosencrux drew aside the drapery; and for a moment Francisco andFlora shrank back from the spectacle which met their view; but at thenext instant they advanced to the couch, and contemplated with mournfulattention the scene presented to them. For there--upon that couch--sideby side, lay Fernand Wagner and Nisida of Riverola--stiff, motionless, cold. 

"Grieve not for her loss, children, " said Christian Rosencrux; "she hasgone to a happier realm--for the sincere repentance which she manifestedin her last hours has atoned for all the evil she wrought in herlifetime. From the moment, young lady, when she banished from her soulthe rancor long harbored there against thee--from the instant that shereceived thee in her arms, and called thee sister--the blessing ofHeaven was vouchsafed unto her. She was penitent, very penitent, while Iadministered to her the consolations of religion, and a complete changecame over her mind. Grieve not, then, for her; happy on earth she nevercould have been again--but happy in heaven she doubtless now is!"

Francisco and the young countess knelt by the side of the couch, andprayed for a long time in silence, with their faces buried in theirhands. When they again raised their heads, and glanced around, thevenerable old man no longer met their eyes. Christian Rosencrux haddeparted, leaving Francisco and Flora in complete ignorance of his name;but they experienced a secret conviction that he was something more thanan ordinary mortal; and the remembrance of the blessing which he hadbestowed upon them the preceding day, shed a soothing and holy influenceover their minds. 

Little now remains to be said; a few brief observations and a rapidglance at the eventual fortunes and fates of the leading characters inthe tale, will acquit us of our task. Nisida and Wagner were entombed inthe same vault; and their names were inscribed upon the same muraltablet. The funeral was conducted with the utmost privacy--and themourners were few, but their grief was sincere. And among them was Dr. Duras, who had loved Nisida as if she had been his own child. On thenight following the one on which these obsequies took place, anotherfuneral procession departed from the Riverola Palace to the adjacentchurch; and two coffins were on this occasion, as on the former, consigned to the family tomb. But the ceremony was conducted with evenmore privacy than the first; and one mourner alone was present. This wasFrancisco himself; and thus did he perform the sad duty of interring insacred ground the remains of his ill-fated mother Vitangela and herbrother Eugenio. The manuscript of the late Count of Riverola was burnt;the closet which so long contained such fearful mysteries was walled up;the chamber where so many dreadful incidents had occurred was never usedduring the lifetime of Francisco and Flora. The grand vizier remainedwith his army a few days beneath the walls of Florence: and during thattime Isaachar ben Solomon so far recovered his health and strength, under the skillful care of an Egyptian physician, as to be able to visithis dwelling in the suburb of Alla Croce, and secure the immense wealthwhich he had amassed during a long life of activity and financialprosperity. 

When the day of the grand vizier's departure arrived, he took a tenderfarewell of his sister Flora and his aunt, both of whom he loaded withthe most costly presents; and in return, he received from Francisco agift of several horses of rare breed and immense value. Nor did thisspecies of interchange of proofs of attachment end here, for every year, until Ibrahim's death, did that great minister and the Count of Riverolaforward to each other letters and rich presents--thus maintaining to theend that friendship which had commenced in the Island of Rhodes, andwhich was cemented by the marriage of Francisco and Flora. Isaachar benSolomon and Manuel d'Orsini accompanied the grand vizier toConstantinople, and were treated by him with every mark of distinction. But the Jew never completely recovered from the tortures which he hadendured in the prison of the inquisition; and in less than two yearsfrom the date of his release, he died in the arms of the marquis, towhom he left the whole of his immense fortune. Manuel d'Orsini abjuredChristianity, and entered the Ottoman service, in which his success wasbrilliant and his rise rapid, thanks to the favor of the grand vizier. The reader of Ottoman history will find the name of Mustapha Pashafrequently mentioned with honor in the reign of Solyman theMagnificent--and Mustapha Pasha, beglerbeg of the mighty province ofAnatolia, was once Manuel d'Orsini. 

For nearly sixteen years did Ibrahim Pasha govern the Ottoman realms inthe name of the sultan: for nearly sixteen years did he hold theimperial seals which had been intrusted to him at a period when thecolossal power of the empire seemed tottering to its fall. During thatinterval he raised the Ottoman name to the highest pinnacle ofglory--extended the dominions of his master--and shook the proudestthrones in Christendom to their foundation. Ferdinand, King of Hungary, called him "brother, " and the Emperor Charles the Fifth of Germanystyled him "cousin" in the epistolary communications which passedbetween them. But a Greek who had long, long cherished a deadly hatredagainst the puissant grand vizier, at last contrived to enter theservice of the sultan in the guise of a slave; and this man, succeedingin gaining that monarch's ear, whispered mysterious warnings against theambition of Ibrahim. Solyman became alarmed; and, opening his eyes tothe real position of affairs, perceived that the vizier was indeed farmore powerful than himself. This was enough to insure the immediatedestruction of a Turkish minister. 

Accordingly, one evening, Ibrahim was invited to dine with the sultan, and to sleep at the imperial palace. Never had Solyman appeared moreattached to his favorite than on this occasion and Ibrahim retired to achamber prepared for him, with a heart elated by the caresses bestowedupon him by his imperial master. But in the dead of night he wasawakened by the entrance of several persons into the room; and startingup with terror, the grand vizier beheld _four black slaves_, headed by aGreek, creep snake-like toward his couch. And that Greek's countenance, sinister and menacing, was immediately recognized by the affrightedIbrahim--though more than fifteen years had elapsed since he had seteyes upon those features. Short and ineffectual was the struggle againstthe messengers of death; the accursed bowstring encircled the neck ofthe unhappy Ibrahim, and at the moment when the vindictive Greek drewtight the fatal noose, the last words which hissed in the ears of thegrand vizier, were--"The wrongs of Calanthe are avenged!"

Thus perished the most powerful minister that ever held the imperialseals of Ottoman domination;--and the long-pent-up but never subduedvindictive feelings of Demetrius were assuaged at length! DameFrancatelli had long been numbered with those who were gone to theireternal homes when the news of the death of Ibrahim Pasha reachedFlorence. But the Count and Countess of Riverola shed many, many tearsat the sad and untimely fate of the grand vizier. 

Time, however, smooths down all grief; and happiness again returned tothe Riverola Palace. For when Francisco and Flora looked around them andbeheld the smiling progeny which had blessed their union, --when theyexperienced the sweet solace of each other's sympathy, the outpouringsof two hearts which beat as one, ever in unison, and filled with amutual love which time impaired not, --then they remembered that it wasuseless and wrong to repine against the decrees of Providence; and, inthis trusting faith in Heaven and in the enjoyment of each other'sunwearying affection, they lived to a good old age--dying at length inthe arms of their children. 

[THE END. ]