A Sicilian Romance

She descended to supper, where the marquis met her alone at table.

Little was said during the repast, at the conclusion of which the

servants were dismissed; and it was believed that during the interval

between supper, and the hour of repose, Maria de Vellorno contrived to

mingle poison with the wine of the marquis. How she had procured this

poison was never discovered.

She retired early to her chamber; and her woman observing that she

appeared much agitated, inquired if she was ill? To this she returned

a short answer in the negative, and her woman was soon afterwards

dismissed. But she had hardly shut the door of the room when she heard

her lady's voice recalling her. She returned, and received some

trifling order, and observed that Maria looked uncommonly pale; there

was besides a wildness in her eyes which frightened her, but she did

not dare to ask any questions. She again quitted the room, and had

only reached the extremity of the gallery when her mistress's bell

rang. She hastened back, Maria enquired if the marquis was gone to

bed, and if all was quiet? Being answered in the affirmative, she

replied, 'This is a still hour and a dark one!--Good night!'

Her woman having once more left the room, stopped at the door to

listen, but all within remaining silent, she retired to rest.

It is probable that Maria perpetrated the fatal act soon after the

dismission of her woman; for when she was found, two hours afterwards,

she appeared to have been dead for some time. On examination a wound

was discovered on her left side, which had doubtless penetrated to the

heart, from the suddenness of her death, and from the effusion of

blood which had followed.

These terrible events so deeply affected Emilia that she was confined

to her bed by a dangerous illness. Ferdinand struggled against the

shock with manly fortitude. But amid all the tumult of the present

scenes, his uncertainty concerning Julia, whom he had left in the

hands of banditti, and whom he had been withheld from seeking or

rescuing, formed, perhaps, the most affecting part of his distress.

The late Marquis de Mazzini, and Maria de Vellorno, were interred with

the honor due to their rank in the church of the convent of St Nicolo.

Their lives exhibited a boundless indulgence of violent and luxurious

passions, and their deaths marked the consequences of such indulgence,

and held forth to mankind a singular instance of divine vengeance.