A Sicilian Romance

When the marquis read the answer of the Abate, all the baleful

passions of his nature were roused and inflamed to a degree which

bordered upon distraction. In the first impulse of his rage, he would

have forced the gates of the monastery, and defied the utmost malice

of his enemy. But a moment's reflection revived his fear of the

threatened secret, and he saw that he was still in the power of the

Superior.

The Abate procured the necessary dispensation, and preparations were

immediately began for the approaching ceremony. Julia watched the

departure of those moments which led to her fate with the calm

fortitude of despair. She had no means of escaping from the coming

evil, without exposing herself to a worse; she surveyed it therefore

with a steady eye, and no longer shrunk from its approach.

On the morning preceding the day of her consecration, she was informed

that a stranger enquired for her at the grate. Her mind had been so

long accustomed to the vicissitudes of apprehension, that fear was the

emotion which now occurred; she suspected, yet scarcely knew why, that

the marquis was below, and hesitated whether to descend. A little

reflection determined her, and she went to the parlour--where, to her

equal joy and surprise, she beheld--Ferdinand!

During the absence of the marquis from his castle, Ferdinand, who had

been informed of the discovery of Julia, effected his escape from

imprisonment, and had hastened to the monastery in the design of

rescuing her. He had passed the woods in disguise, with much

difficulty eluding the observation of the marquis's people, who were

yet dispersed round the abbey. To the monastery, as he came alone, he

had been admitted without difficulty.

When he learned the conditions of the Abate's protection, and that

the following day was appointed for the consecration of Julia, he was

shocked, and paused in deliberation. A period so short as was this

interval, afforded little opportunity for contrivance, and less for

hesitation. The night of the present day was the only time that

remained for the attempt and execution of a plan of escape, which if

it then failed of success, Julia would not only be condemned for life

to the walls of a monastery, but would be subjected to whatever

punishment the severity of the Abate, exasperated by the detection,

should think fit to inflict. The danger was desperate, but the

occasion was desperate also.

The nobly disinterested conduct of her brother, struck Julia with

gratitude and admiration; but despair of success made her now hesitate

whether she should accept his offer. She considered that his

generosity would most probably involve him in destruction with

herself; and she paused in deep deliberation, when Ferdinand informed

her of a circumstance which, till now, he had purposely concealed, and

which at once dissolved every doubt and every fear. 'Hippolitus,' said

Ferdinand, 'yet lives.'--'Lives!' repeated Julia faintly,--'lives, Oh!

tell me where--how.'--Her breath refused to aid her, and she sunk in

her chair overcome with the strong and various sensations that pressed

upon her heart.