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A Sicilian Romance

Page 44

Julia passed the night in broken slumbers, and anxious consideration.

On her present decision hung the crisis of her fate. Her consciousness

of the influence of Hippolitus over her heart, made her fear to

indulge its predilection, by trusting to her own opinion of its

fidelity. She shrunk from the disgraceful idea of an elopement; yet

she saw no means of avoiding this, but by rushing upon the fate so

dreadful to her imagination.

On the following night, when the inhabitants of the castle were

retired to rest, Hippolitus, whose expectation had lengthened the

hours into ages, accompanied by Ferdinand, revisited the closet.

Julia, who had known no interval of rest since they last left her,

received them with much agitation. The vivid glow of health had fled

her cheek, and was succeeded by a languid delicacy, less beautiful,

but more interesting. To the eager enquiries of Hippolitus, she

returned no answer, but faintly smiling through her tears, presented

him her hand, and covered her face with her robe. 'I receive it,'

cried he, 'as the pledge of my happiness;--yet--yet let your voice

ratify the gift.' 'If the present concession does not sink me in your

esteem,' said Julia, in a low tone, 'this hand is yours.'--'The

concession, my love, (for by that tender name I may now call you)

would, if possible, raise you in my esteem; but since that has been

long incapable of addition, it can only heighten my opinion of myself,

and increase my gratitude to you: gratitude which I will endeavour to

shew by an anxious care of your happiness, and by the tender

attentions of a whole life. From this blessed moment,' continued he,

in a voice of rapture, 'permit me, in thought, to hail you as my wife.

From this moment let me banish every vestige of sorrow;--let me dry

those tears,' gently pressing her cheek with his lips, 'never to

spring again.'--

The gratitude and joy which Ferdinand expressed upon

this occasion, united with the tenderness of Hippolitus to soothe the

agitated spirits of Julia, and she gradually recovered her

complacency.

They now arranged their plan of escape; in the execution of which, no

time was to be lost, since the nuptials with the duke were to be

solemnized on the day after the morrow. Their scheme, whatever it was

that should be adopted, they, therefore, resolved to execute on the

following night. But when they descended from the first warmth of

enterprize, to minuter examination, they soon found the difficulties

of the undertaking. The keys of the castle were kept by Robert, the

confidential servant of the marquis, who every night deposited them in

an iron chest in his chamber. To obtain them by stratagem seemed

impossible, and Ferdinand feared to tamper with the honesty of this

man, who had been many years in the service of the marquis. Dangerous

as was the attempt, no other alternative appeared, and they were

therefore compelled to rest all their hopes upon the experiment. It

was settled, that if the keys could be procured, Ferdinand and

Hippolitus should meet Julia in the closet; that they should convey

her to the seashore, from whence a boat, which was to be kept in

waiting, would carry them to the opposite coast of Calabria, where the

marriage might be solemnized without danger of interruption. But, as

it was necessary that Ferdinand should not appear in the affair, it

was agreed that he should return to the castle immediately upon the

embarkation of his sister. Having thus arranged their plan of

operation, they separated till the following night, which was to

decide the fate of Hippolitus and Julia.

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