His former fascinations, however, quickly returned, and again held him
in suspension between love and vengeance. That the vehemence of his
passion, however, might not want an object, he ordered Baptista to
discover the retreat of the Cavalier de Vincini on whom he meant to
revenge his lost honor. Shame forbade him to employ others in the
search. This discovery suspended for a while the operations of the fatal
scheme, which had before employed the thoughts of the marquis; but it
had only suspended--not destroyed them. The late occurrence had
annihilated his domestic happiness; but his pride now rose to rescue
him from despair, and he centered all his future hopes upon ambition.
In a moment of cool reflection, he considered that he had derived
neither happiness or content from the pursuit of dissipated pleasures,
to which he had hitherto sacrificed every opposing consideration. He
resolved, therefore, to abandon the gay schemes of dissipation which
had formerly allured him, and dedicate himself entirely to ambition,
in the pursuits and delights of which he hoped to bury all his cares.
He therefore became more earnest than ever for the marriage of Julia
with the Duke de Luovo, through whose means he designed to involve
himself in the interests of the state, and determined to recover her
at whatever consequence. He resolved, without further delay, to appeal
to the pope; but to do this with safety it was necessary that the
marchioness should die; and he returned therefore to the consideration
and execution of his diabolical purpose.
He mingled a poisonous drug with the food he designed for her; and
when night arrived, carried it to the cell. As he unlocked the door,
his hand trembled; and when he presented the food, and looked
consciously for the last time upon the marchioness, who received it
with humble thankfulness, his heart almost relented. His countenance,
over which was diffused the paleness of death, expressed the secret
movements of his soul, and he gazed upon her with eyes of stiffened
horror. Alarmed by his looks, she fell upon her knees to supplicate
his pity. Her attitude recalled his bewildered senses; and endeavouring to
assume a tranquil aspect, he bade her rise, and instantly quitted the
cell, fearful of the instability of his purpose. His mind was not yet
sufficiently hardened by guilt to repel the arrows of conscience, and
his imagination responded to her power. As he passed through the long
dreary passages from the prison, solemn and mysterious sounds seemed
to speak in every murmur of the blast which crept along their
windings, and he often started and looked back.
He reached his chamber, and having shut the door, surveyed the room in
fearful examination. Ideal forms flitted before his fancy, and for the
first time in his life he feared to be alone. Shame only withheld him
from calling Baptista. The gloom of the hour, and the death-like
silence that prevailed, assisted the horrors of his imagination. He
half repented of the deed, yet deemed it now too late to obviate it;
and he threw himself on his bed in terrible emotion. His head grew
dizzy, and a sudden faintness overcame him; he hesitated, and at
length arose to ring for assistance, but found himself unable to
stand. In a few moments he was somewhat revived, and rang his bell; but
before any person appeared, he was seized with terrible pains, and
staggering to his bed, sunk senseless upon it. Here Baptista, who was
the first person that entered his room, found him struggling seemingly
in the agonies of death. The whole castle was immediately roused, and
the confusion may be more easily imagined than described. Emilia,
amid the general alarm, came to her father's room, but the sight of
him overcame her, and she was carried from his presence. By the help
of proper applications the marquis recovered his senses and his pains
had a short cessation.