Part 9 (2/2)

Not to trouble you with particulars, the recital of which would tear nation and remorse, I shall only observe, that, by the power of his infernal insinuation, he fascinated the heart of Serafina, brought over Antonia herself to the interests of his passion, and at once detached theion Heaven and earth! how dangerous, how irresistible is the power of infatuation!

While I re for the nuptials offelicity, Antonia found e, by representing that it would be a pity to deprive Serafina of the opportunity she then had of profiting by the German's instructions; and, upon that account, I prevailed upon Don Manuel to bridle the i this interval, as I one evening enjoyed the cool air in arden, I was accosted by an old duenna, who had been my nurse and lived in the family since the tier pers I see you daily suffer Dismiss that Gerlory of your naer is an aborant Heaven! he may not have already poisoned the minds of those you holdof this address; but, finding the iion, in which, thank God, I aot, I recovered my serenity of disposition, thanked the old woed her to persevere inobservations on such subjects as should concern my honour and my quiet

We live in such a world of wickedness and fraud, that a ilant in his own defence: had I e, I should in all probability have been at this day in possession of every coreeable The duenna, thus authorised, eacity with such success, that I had reason to suspect the Gern upon the heart of Serafina; but, as the presumptions did not a hi discovered that he was an enemy to the Catholic church; and forthwith appointed a day for the celebration of e with Don Manuel de Mendoza I could easily perceive a cloud of melancholy overspread the faces of Serafina and her mother, when I declared these my resolutions; but, as they made no objection to what I proposed, I did not at that time enter into an explanation of the true motives that influenced my conduct Both parties were probably afraid of such expostulation

Meanwhile, preparations werethe anxiety I had undergone, on account of her connexion with the Gerlory, had triumphed over all such low-born considerations, if ever they had been entertained; because she, and even Antonia, seeh the features of both still retained evident ly imputed to the mutual prospect of their separation This, however, was but a faithless calht forth a tempest which hath wrecked my hopes

Two days before the appointed union of Don Manuel and Serafina, I was informed by the duenna, that, while she acco-maid at church, she had seen her receive a billet fro at her side, had conveyed it in such a mysteriouslady; she had therefore hastened hoht have an opportunity of exaer before she could have ti with fearful presages upon this occasion, and even abhorring the person to whose duty and zeal I was beholden for the intelligence, even while I endeavoured to persuade myself that the inquiry would end in the detection of soallant

I intercepted her in returning fro her to follow me to a convenient place, extorted from her, by dint of threats, the fatal letter, which I read to this effect:--

”The whole business of my life, O divine Serafina! will be to repay that affection I have been so happy as to engage With what transport then shall I obey your su that enterprise, which will rescue you from the bed of a detested rival, and put myself in full possession of a jehich I value infinitely more than life! Yes, adorable creature! I have provided everything for our escape, and at ht will attend you in your own apartment, from whence you shall be conveyed into a land of liberty and peace, where you will, union you have espoused, and in full security bless the arms of your ever faithful, ORLANDO”

Were you a fond parent, a tender husband, and a noble Castilian, I should not need to mention the unutterable horrors that took possession of my bosom, when I perused this accursed letter, by which I learned the apostasy, disobedience, and degeneracy of my idolised Serafina, who had overthrown and destroyed the whole plan of felicity which I had erected, and blasted all the glories of er, terrified by itation, confessed that Antonia herself was privy to the guilt of her daughter, whoht of Heaven, and that by her connivance this plebeian intended, that very night, to bereave rief and ae, which had well-nigh terminated in despair and distraction

I now treiddy with the remembrance of that dreadful occasion Behold how the drops trickle down ony is a fierce and familiar visitant; I shall banish it anon I summoned my pride, my resentment, to ainst all other reflections; those were the auxiliaries that enabled me, in the day of trial, to perform that sacrifice which my honour demanded, in a strain so loud as to drown the cries of nature, love, and colory which huh unnatural

My scheme was soon laid, my resolution soon taken; I privately confined the wretch who had been the industrious slave of this infaht take no step to frustrate or interrupt the execution ofto the house of an apothecary as devoted to my service, communicated my intention, which he durst not conde the oath of secrecy I had imposed; and he furnished me with two vials of poison for the dismal catastrophe I had planned Thus provided, I, on pretence of sudden business at Seville, carefully avoided the dear, the wretched pair, whoht not relent, by ht of theht vanished, took h which the villain must have entered on his hellish purpose

There I stood, in a state of horrid expectation, ed with the different passions that assailed it, until the fatal moment arrived; when I perceived the traitor approach theof a lower apart the casement, which was purposely left unsecured, insinuated half of his body into the house

Then rushi+ng upon hied , ”Villain! receive the reward of thy treachery and presumption”

The steel was so well aimed as to render a repetition of the stroke unnecessary; he uttered one groan, and fell breathless at e, I penetrated into the chamber where the robber of my peace was expected by the unhappy Serafina and her e aspect, and a sword reeking with the vengeance I had taken, seemed almost petrified with fear ”Behold,” said I, ”the blood of that base plebeian, who made an atteainst the unfortunate Don Diego de Zelos is now discovered; that presumptuous slave, the favoured Orlando, is now no more”

Scarce had I pronounced these words, when a loud scream was uttered by both the unhappy victims ”If Orlando is slain,” cried the infatuated Serafina, ”what have I to do with life? O my dear lord! my husband, and my lover! how are our promised joys at once cut off! here, strike, my father! complete your barbarous sacrifice! the spirit of the murdered Orlando still hovers for his wife” These frantic exclamations, in which she was joined by Antonia, kept up the fury of ht have been weakened and rendered ineffectual ”Yes, hapless wretches,” I replied, ”ye shall enjoy your wish: the honour of le the breast of Antonia, on which I have so often reposed; I will not shed the blood of Zelos, nor disfigure the beauteous forazed onder and unspeakable delight Here is an elixir, to which I trust the consu, I e one in each hand, the miserable, the fair offenders instantly received the destined draughts, which they drank without hesitation; then praying to heaven for the wretched Don Diego, sunk upon the saroan O well-contrived beverage! O happy composition, by which all the miseries of life are so easily cured!

Such was the fate of Antonia and Serafina; these hands were the instruments that deprived them of life, these eyes beheld them the richest prize that death had ever won Powers supreo live to make this recapitulation? I have done my duty; but ah! I am haunted by the furies of res of rehter present theination All the scenes of happiness I have enjoyed as a lover, husband, and parent, all the endearing hopes I have cherished, now pass in review beforethe circumstances of my inexpressible woe; and I consider myself as a solitary outcast froh of these uns of nature are too ieance, I retired intomyself with some ready money and jewels of considerable value, went into the stable, saddled my favourite steed, which I instantly mounted, and, before the tumults of my breast subsided, found myself at the town of St

Lucar There I learned from inquiry, that there was a Dutch bark in the harbour ready to sail; upon which I addressed ratification, was prevailed upon to weigh anchor that sa without delay, I soon bid eternal adieu to my native country It was not from reason and reflection that I took these measures for my personal safety; but, in consequence of an involuntary instinct, that seems to operate in the ani is suspended

To what a dreadful reckoning was I called, when reason resumed her function! You may believe me, my friend, when I assure you, that I should not have outlived those tragedies I acted, had I not been restrained fro violence upon ht to set aside I could not bear the thought of falling ingloriously by the hand of an executioner, and entailing disgrace upon a fa an end to my own misery, by the apprehension of posthu wretch, utterly destitute of that patience, fortitude, and resignation, which are the characteristics of a true Castilian I was also influenced by religiousto atone, by uilt I had incurred in co in the sight of Heaven

These were the reasons that opposed my entrance into that peaceful harbour which death presented to my view; and they were soon reinforced by another principle that sanctioned my determination to continue at the servile oar of life In consequence of unfavourable winds, our vessel for soe to Holland, and near the coast of Gallicia ere joined by an English shi+p froave us to understand, that before he set sail, a courier had arrived froidore to prevent the escape of any native Spaniard by sea from any port within his district; and to use his uto de Zelos, as suspected of treasonable practices against the state Such an order, with a minute description of my person, was at the same time despatched to all the seaports and frontier places in Spain

You may easily suppose hoas already overwhelravation of race: I, who had always maintained the reputation of loyalty, which was acquired at the hazard of my life, and the expense of ence roused un to overpower e to the evil offices of soe of my deplorable situation, and I was inflathe injury Thus aniuise myself effectually from the observation of those spies which every nation finds its account in en countries; I purchased this habit froator, in whose house I kept myself concealed, after our arrival at Ath to favour n, and then appeared as a Persian dealer in jewels As I could gain no satisfactory infor myself in this country, had no purpose to pursue, and was extre mercenary and unsocial, were very ill adapted to alleviate the horrors of ratified my landlord for his important services, with the best part of , by his istracy, repaired to Rotterdae for Antwerp, on , with a succession of different objects, to uish of my mind, and by the most industrious inquiry, to learn such particulars of that false impeachment, as would enable me to takea plan of revenge against the vile perfidious author

This, I i the friendshi+p and intercourse subsisting between the Spanish and French nations, and the communicative disposition for which the Parisians are renowned; but I have found iously deceived in my expectation The officers of police in this city are so inquisitive and vigilant that the reat severity; and, although the inhabitants are very frank in discoursing on indifferent subjects, they are at the sa all conversation that turns upon state occurrences and overnment

In a word, the peculiarity of my appearance subjects me so ht proper to devour riefs in silence, and even to bear the want of almost every convenience, rather than hazard a pre ency I have been so far fortunate as to become acquainted with you, whom I look upon as a ht prepossessed in your favour, for, notwithstanding thefrono an opinion of his character and disposition For once, my penetration hath not failed me; your behaviour justifies my decision; you have treated enerous will pay to the unfortunate I have trusted you accordingly I have putleave to depend upon your friendshi+p, for obtaining that satisfaction for which alone I seek to live Your ele with the societies of men; the domestics of the Spanish ambassador will not shun your acquaintance; you may frequent the coffee-houses to which they resort; and, in the course of these occasions, unsuspected infore which lies heavy on the fao Imy jewels into money, that I may breathe independent of rie of life

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

A FLAGRANT INSTANCE OF FATHOM'S VIRTUE, IN THE MANNER OF HIS RETREAT TO ENGLAND