felf and affociates to clear the fame of her who exifted not to benefit by it And now we muft beg leave to conduct our patient readers back to Ialy, there to learn the progrefs of erents neceffary for them to become acquainted with.

old, was to remain at Palino, and the time appointed for their departure was just advanced within one short hour, when the artful villanous Elfridii, with haggard looks expreffive of fatigue, confternation, grief, arrived, and, in a tone of well-acted diftraction, demanding an inftant and private audience of conte Ariofto, announced to him the elopement of Viola with Ambrofio. 19

When the unfortunate duca di Nanfredonia reached the cafle of Palio, and impárted to his friends there the dreadful fufpicions which had been forced into his ingenuous mind, This most horrible intelligence geat and terrible was the fhock he could not be concealed from the communicated to the affectionate wretched husband or Clementina.— hearts of the conte and conteffa Ari- To them therefore the feeling Altioto; and the ardent Clementina, al- dore conveyed it with all the caution though then in a fituation to render his tender affection for both infpired. travelling dangerous to her, inftantly But, gently as the blow was fuffered propofed making an attempt to reach to fall on them, it was in itself fo Manfredonia before the moment of direful, it almoft annihilated them. her confinement. Firmly the be. lieved the purity of Viola immaculate, and that all which had arifen to create fufpicion was through the machinations of Ambrofio to blaft that happinefs he envied. She doubted not being able to win every ferret from the guilclefs bofom of Viola, and to clear away, by her perfonal inveftigation, every thadow which had fallen upon a tame the believed fo fpotlefs, that even the depofition of the pope himself to the contrary would have been by her difregarded. Her adoring hufband fhuddered at the idea of a journey.at fuch a moment, but, dreading more from the tortures uicertainty and anxiety would inflict upon fuch an ardent mind, acceded to her propofal. Lorenzo catching at once all that hope and confidence (which glowed in the bofom of Clementina, faw happiness once more in view though bitterly arraigning his own reprehenfible and blind cre: dulity, which had led him to fufpect the affection of Viola.

Altidore trembling for the fafety of his adored wife, artanged for eve ry neceffary attendant to accompany her in this anxious journey. The infant Alphonfo, then about a year

In all the wild derangement of mental defpair and anguith, Clementina affirmed her coufin had been bafely tapanned away by Ambrofio and Leopold, and raved of fetting out inflantly to feek her through every circle of the earth. A letter was now put into her hands from Elvira, enclofing one apparently from the fugitive, which, without the precaution of fuch an envelope, the watchful Altidore would not have allowed to reach her at fuch a moment.This atrocious forgery was to bid Clementina farewell for ever. So artfully had Polydore and Elvira compofed it, no one could difbelieve its validity. Every line breathed the fentiments of a naturally pure mind, feduced by the infiduous fophiftry of a beloved deceiver; and every fentence it contained evinced the molt agonifing fruggles between virtue and vice, and acknowledging that fhe had facrificed every contideration for don Ambrofio, fhe conjured Clementina to forget that the yet exifted-but not to forfake her boy.

This epifle was a dreadful conviction Clementina had no means to doubt. It accelerated the birth of a ftill born child, and for many days

her

her own life was defpaired of. At by chance, brought the intelligence length fhe was pronounced out of to Manfredonia, of Viola having danger. But that playful vivacity, died in giving birth to a ftill-born fo lately the delight of her husband fon, at an obfcure village in Gafcony. and all around her, was fled never to Father Rinaldo was immediately dif return. The fuppofed lapfe from patched thither, by the now almoft virtue of that adored being the had diftracted duca, to afcertain the fact.. believed purity's own child fell heavi- Elfridii had placed perfons there to ly upon her fenfibility, and health give the neceffary teflimony; and and spirits bid her adieu for ever. fome remarkable trinkets belonging To pourtray the difmay, affliction, to Viola, purloined for that purpofe, and defpair of Lorenzo, the wretch were produced to the holy man, to ed hufband, would be impoffible-fubftantia e the evidence. The grief, Woe's most corrofive darts plunged nay the defpair of Lorenzo was now to the inmoft receffes of his agonifed beyond all expectation, beyond all heart. A letter fimilar to that prepared for Clementina was delivered to him, but with the dreadful addition of confeffing, that ine was compelled to fly to prevent the birth of Ambrofio's child in the cafle of Manfredonia and in all the mad dening anguifh of wounded love and pride Lorenzo returned to Manfredonia, to feed upon his mifery, to weep over his deferted child, and alternately to curfe and fondly cherish the remembrance of Viola.

After the fatal fuccefs of her diabolical confederacy, Elvira returned to Tuscany, high in the eftimation of the wretched duca; her winning attention to his Orlando, her fafcinating diftrefs and delicacy of con. duct upon the late unfortunate event, her amiable anxiety to fave as much as poffible the tarnished fame of the ducheffa from virulent obloquy, all confpiring to raise her to a diftinguished place in his eflimation. This the wary Elfridii clearly faw; and as upon Lorenzo's humility he built his former fuccefs, to now, circumftances having awakened another auxiliary, he refolved to profit by it, and, under the banners of wounded pride, to lead Elvira on to conqueft.

It was in a few months after the amiable ill-fated ducheffa had been carried off from her husband's castle, that the emiffaries of Elfridii, as if

confolation. Had not the vice and perfidy of Viola been proved incontrevertibly to him, he had been more refigued to her lofs. But the Chriftian's comfort of meeting thofe they love in a better world was cut off from him; and the horrible agonifing idea, that in defpite of her crimes his ftill tenderly adored Viola had deprived her felt of the blifs of Paradife, was an unremitting corroding, venom that poifoned the very vitals of his peace. Manfredonia, and indeed all Naples, became obnoxious to him; and he fed to Palino, to feek the only confolation that now; was left to him; the pleafing anguifh of talking to Clementina of what Viola once had been, and mingling; his bitter tears with hers.

In fuch a moment as this, none but Elfridi and Elvira would have, thought of luring him into a fecond, marriage; none but Elfridii and Elvira could have proved fuccefsful.Defpair and grief had overthrown the firmness and powers of his mind; they worked upon his mortified pride and his humanity. Elvira affailed him with all her charms and blan-difhments. Elfridii, with every art that could promote his purpose, ftrove to perfuade Lorenzo that the beautiful, the amiable, the accomplithed Elvira, had for years paft ftruggled with an unconquerable attachment, to him; that upon his ac

count

Fervently the

count fhe had refused many fplendid blafted happiness. alliances; and lovely and fafcinating wifhed to fee the re-establishment of Lorenzo's peace, but not by this means. She felt it a flight to the fuperior charms of her coulin, whose meniory, though dreadfully tarnished, the ftill adored; and although the owned it was a weakness, the felt jealous and offended. Her af fectionate and indulgent hufband, perceiving how much the idea of vifiting Naples, or feeing Orlando at fuch a moment, pained her fenfitive heart, declined for her and himself the preffing invitation of Lo renzo to accompany him and his bride to Manfredonia, where the dreadful knowledge of a new calamity await ed the wretched duca.

as fhe was, he was ftill unmarried, because the could love none but Loreazo. That to fee Elvira his wife had been the first wish of conte Ariofto's heart; now every obftacle was removed, he panted for this alliance; yet, fo great was his delicacy, he fedulously ftrove to hide thofe fentiments from all but him (Elfridii).Often Lorenzo feemed to liften to the fubtle traitor, while every thought was faftened upon the memory of Viola. Often the rhetoric of the wily fiend worked upon his feelings; and in one unfortunate moment, when his pride and pity were awakened to the higheft pitch of animation, he acceded to the propofal of Elfridii for becoming the husband of Elvira. '

It was neceffary for Polydore and Elvira's deep-laid fcheme of villany that Orlando fhould be difpofed of. Elfridii had no objection to the mea fure, refolving that the boy thould live, as thereby he had the power to hold the rod of vengeance over the leads of his two confederates, fhould they prove ungrateful, which his own feelings taught him to believe was. more than poffible. Orlando's principal nurfe was a creature of Elfri dii's, whom he found no difficulty in bribing to take a part in the diabo

When left by the artful Elfridii to his own reflections, Lorenzo fhuddered at what he had yielded to. It was then too late. Elfrilii fearing a countermand, had haftened to Elvira with the duca's propofal. Lorenzo's honour was now engaged; he could not recede; he ftrove to reconcile himfelf to the idea of this involuntary union, believing that his breaking heart would foon releafe him from fublunary mifery, and that in Elvira he thould leave a tender ineftimable lical plot. She declared her young parent to his Orlando. Shuddering at the union, the duca di Manfredonia led lady Elvira to the altar: the recollection how different were his fenfations when he plighted his vows to Viola ftruck dreadfully upon his heart, and twice he fainted ere the awful ceremony was concluded.

CHAP. LXIV.

HIGH as her fpeciouis fifter-in-law ftood in the estimation of the unfufpecting Clementina, fhe yet felt trongly averfe to this union. In vain did Altidore ftrive to reconcile her to it, by reminding hef that it was the only hope in exiftence for the restoration of his armiable friends,

lord was fickening for the fmallpox. Elfridii had taken care that the family phyfician Thould be out of the way when Fidato fent exprefs for him.

Another therefore was fümmoned whom Elfridii had fent into the neighbourhood belonging to the predaceous fociety, and who pronounced the child to be in the. finall-pox of the most virulent kind. By his orders Orlando's chamber was darkened, and the anxious Rinaldo himfelf went off with a courier to Naples to fummon all poffible medical aid; but, before his return, Orlando, while under the influence of a foporific, was conveyed out of the cattle, and a boy of his age and fize,

procured

procured for the purpofe, covered England was our heroine Victoria with puftules of the most malignant born. nature, was placed in his bed, and whom the physicians, on their arrival, declared to be in imminent danger. The event proved the truth of the prediction. The child died fo putrid, fo disfigured, that the cheat could not be detected; and fo well did Elfridii carry his project into execution, that Polydore and Elvira, with the rest of the world, firmly be lieved Orlando was no more.

The cold and uncertain climate of Britain foon, however, proved deftructive to this delicate plant. The London phyficians apprehended a rapid decline, and advised her immediate return to the fouth; and her almoft diftracted hufband, at her own request, after she had vifited the tomb of her mother at Clifton, haftened with her to Sicily; but in vain. In the cafile of Palermo, and in' Viola's own apartment, Clementina breathed her laft, and in her twentyfirst year fell a victim to that dæmon of revenge, who had blafted the fair fame of her idolifed friend, kinfwoman, and benefactrefs.

The anguifh of the poor duca upon this calamity was, as might na turally be expected, dreadful: he had ever renderly loved his child; but from the moment he believed his mother had for faken him, he became if poffible more interefling and dear The remains of the lovely young to the heart of Lorenzo, All now conteffa were conveyed to Tufcany, that had remained to him of Viola and there interred with all the pomp was torn from him; and his afflicti- and refpect her rank and virtues called on was direful, was piteous to be- for. Her wretched husband fhut hold. Elvira, now in the character himself up in his caffle with his chilof an adoring wife, affected the dren, fecluded from all fociety," deepeft diftre's and mortification at blending with his poignant grief felfthe forrows of her lord, and at his accufation for having taken his ador fo much fecluding himself from her ed wite fo far northward; and in lefs fociety. Lorenzo was really thocked than three years, as already fated,' at giving pain to her he believed at- he fell another victim to Elfridii's' tached to him; he confidered him- villany. felfungrateful to her, did violonce to The death of Clementina feemed his own tortured feelings to fave her to fill up the measure of the duca di from pain, chafed from his eyes the Manfredonia's mifery: he moaned tear of grief, appeared with her in her as a fifter, as a friend; and his company and wore the fmile of hap heart groaned with anguish to know pinefs in her prefence, while his heart that with her was torn from him was wrung with the keenest pangs of every individual who would talk with anguifh. him of what Viola once had been: that now he knew not that perfon upon earth, fave himfelf, that did not execrate her memory. would have flown to fympathife with his diftracted friend, had he not been well aware that his prefence would only augment the grief of Altidore: ' but no longer able to conceal his own he fled from fociety; and, in ' defpite of the flattering murmurs of Elvira, indulged in the moft profound and piteous melancholy. At

The fuppofed death of Orlando was another mining blow to the declining health of Clementina; and fo fenfibly was the affected by it, that her adoring husband inftantly deter mined upon a change of fcene. He immediately took her the continental tour, made her enter into all the diftipation her delicate ftate admitted of, and then proceeded with her to England to try the efficacy of her native air; and during this refidence

He'

length

length the ducheffa, with all the ap pearance of the most winning tendernefs, propofed a voyage to vifit, the iflands of the Archipelago, as an an tidote to fuch unavailing forrow, and to benefit his apparently declining health. The wretched Lorenzo anxious if poffible to fly from himfelf, gratefully acceded to the propotition.

weary of appearing in the mask of friendship to the man, he hated no longer oppofed the fiat for the duca's annihiliation. The voyage was therefore propofed; they embarked in a veffel belonging to the predaceous fociety, bearing English colours. They vilited fome of the islands, that, thould enquiry, hereafter fpread fo far, their having been there might be afcertained.

They fet out upon this expedition, attended by their anxious friend Elfri- Lorenzo, although he had before dii. Maratti, a yalet recommended vifited the Archipelago, feemed betby Elvira for the occafion, in place ter for the excurfion, as, while wanof the duca's own refpectable one dering about thefe celebrated places (who had a most invincible horror of ancient and immortal genius fanof the fea), and Biança; and, in cy allowed the fhadow of Viola to two months after their embarkation, wander with him; and all his Elvira returned to Naples a difconfo, thoughts, though mournfully confinLate widow, bringing with her a fu- ed to his own breaft, were there, in perb coffin, faid to contain the body, idea, participated by her; but at last of the duca, who had died at fea in the fatal moment for his doom arrivconfequence of breaking a blood vef- el. Another of the predaccous cafel. The coffin was conveved, in ravel joined them at Rhodes. all the pomp of oftentatious woe, frong opiate was infufed into Lorenfrom Naples to the eiftle of Manfre zo's therhet; and, while operating, donia, where, after lying in fate the unhappy victim of perfidy was three days, and high maffes per fettered, and in the dead of night, unformed throughout the province for known to Elvira, Bianca, or Mathe repofe of his foul, the coffin, ratti, conveyed on board the caravel, containing the body of a poor failoi, which immediately fet fail for Spain, was depofited, with every funeral and, after a tedious voyage, arrived fplendor, in the family maufoleum at don Manuel's caftle, when the with the ancestors of Lorenzo. The wretched Lorenzo was delivered with inconfolable widow remained at Na- a letter to Garcias, to whom Elfridi les to bewail her irreparable lofs; announced the real name of the capand the fincerity of her grief has been tive, with ftrict injunctions to keep already moft unequivocally evinced it fecret from every one, and to conto our readers. fine the unfortunate man clofely in a The final deftruction of Lorenzo dungeon apart from every individual. had not been fo long delayed, after. Thefe injunctions were too congenial lis marriage with Elvira had been to the natural turpitide of Garcias, effected, only to elude the eye of not to be moft fcrupuloudly obeyed. fufpicion, which the guilty feared Revenge was the highest gratification might fee too far if they fo fpeedity to his black heart, and he long had extirpated the whole race of Manfre- wished for an opportunity to wreck. donia; but at length Polydore be- his vengeance upon the man who came impatient for the poffeffion of had fecured the marchiefa of Palermo the Manfredonia propeity, which, from his machinations. as there was no heir to claim it,Elvira believed her husband was no would all devolve to the widow upon more, and that his body was actualthe duca's demife; and Elfridi, ly enclofed within the cofin the re

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