fhort diftance from Meffina, belonging to her aunt, who was prefent at the time when the came to herself.

A few days having completed the recovery of the young lady, who was entirely reftored to her former beauty and ftrength, Lionato fent for his brother, informed him of what had happened, and of the defign he had in contemplation, The plan adopted by them was put in execution in the following manner: Girolamo, for fo Lionate's brother was called, conducted his niece by night to his house, and there kept her fecretly with his wife for a few days; when, having made all neceffary preparations, he fent away, early in the morning, his wife and a little daughter with Fenicia and one of her fifters, about thirteen years of

companied only by a relation, who
was wife to one of Lionato's bro-
thers, having caufed fome water to
be heated, entered Fenicia's cham-
ber, and stripping her, began to
wash her with the warm water.
While they were performing this
laft fad office for the unfortunate
Fenicia, who had been in a trance
for fix hours, her fpirits began to
reanimate her body, and the giving,
for fome time, clear figns of being
alive, at length half opened her
eyes. The mother and the other
lady at firft were so much surprised,
that they were near crying out
through fear; but recovering their
fpirits fhortly, they placed their
hands upon her heart, and perceiv-
ed that it ftill beat, which animated
them with hopes that the yet lived;
wherefore, by means of hot garage.
ments, and other proper remedies,
without making any disturbance,
they attempted to reftore her, and
in a fhort time fucceeded: and Fe-
nicia, opening her eyes, with a deep
figh, faid, "Alas! where am I?"

"Do you not fee, my dear, replied the joyful mother, that you are with me and your aunt? A violent fit feized you, which induced us to imagine you were dead-but, thank God, you have recovered."

"Alas! how much better would it have been, replied the daughter, if death had relieved me from fo much diftrefs!"

"My dear child, faid the mother, you fhould with to live; as it pleases God to restore you to us, all, my love, will be well."—

Fenicia at this time was about fixteen. This was done, that Fezicia, after two or three years, when fhe was more fully grown, and fomewhat changed by age, as is ufual, might be married under another name.

The day after the accident happened, a report was fpread all over the city that Lionato's daughter was dead. Her father ordered the fu- neral rites to be performed in a manner confiftent with his rank; and having procured a coffin, they filled it privately with rubbish, no one being prefent but the father and mother, as they did not choose to admit any one to the knowledge of their fecret. The coffin was then nailed down, and ftopped with pitch. Her mother, concealing her joy, By this contrivance every one was opened a private door of the apart- perfuaded that the dead body was in ment, and called Liorato, who im- the coffin. In the evening, Lionato mediately entered the room. As and his family, dreffed in black, acfoon as he faw that his daughter was companied the coffin to church; the recovered, he was rejoiced beyond father and mother difplaying the measure. After a long confultation marks of the most violent grief, as between the two parents, it was reif it had really been their daughter's folved that no perfon fhould be in- body which they were attending to formed of the happy event, and that the grave. The furrounding mul. Fenicia fhould be fent to a house a titude were much affected with this

Scene:

perfon in the city who did not be-
lieve that the accufation was falfe,
and fabricated by Timbreo. The
coffin was configned to the grave
amidst the universal lamentation of
the city. A monument was erected
on the fpot, on which were engrav-
ed the arms of the family, and the
following epitaph:

Fenicia fu 'l mio nome: e 'ndegnamente
A crudo Cavalier fui maritata,
Che poi pentito, ch' io gli fofli data,
Femmi di grave error parer nocente.
lo, che era verginella e innocente,

Come mi vidi a torto fi macchiata,
Prima volli morir, ch' effer moftrata
A dito, oimè, per putta de la gente.
Ne fu bifogno ferco al mio morire,

fcene; for there was not a fingle | ther and mother lay, could have contrived eafily to have met any one on the other fide of the house, as fhe would be obliged, in order to effect her purpofe, to pafs through her father's chamber. These confiderations perplexed and afflicted him fo much, that he no longer enjoyed the smallest tranquillity. In like manner Girondo, having heard the manner of Fenicia's death, and knowing himfelf to have been her murderer, as he was the real author of the fcandal propagated against her, was fo oppreffed with anxiety and diftrefs, that in a fit of defpair he was feveral times at the point of putting an end to his exiftence. He was neither able to eat or drink; he wafted away daily, and was fo diftracted by the poignancy of his reflections, that he could reft neither night nor day. At length, feven days having paffed fince the burial, and he finding that he could not live unless he difcovered the iniquity of his conduct to Timbreo, about the time when it was customary for perfons in that city to dine, he went towards the king's palace, where he met Timbreo returning home from court; to whom he faid, "Timbreo, I requeft as a favour, if it be not troublefome, that you will accompany me a fhort way, on an affair of confequence to me."

Che 'l dolor fiero più che i ferro valse,
Quando contra ragion, m'udii fchernire.
Morendo, Iddio prega:, che l'opre falfe
Al fin ficeffe al mondo difcoprire,
'Pei ch' al mio fpofo di mia fe non calfe.

The funeral obfequies being celebrated, and the death of Fenicia being the general topic of converfation in the city, where every body was filled with compaffion for her, as they difbelieved the story raised to her disadvantage as a fiction invented by her pretended lover, Timbreo began to feel himself much agitated by grief, with a certain emotion in his heart which he could not comprehend. It appeared, however, to him, that he did not merit cenfure for his conduct, as he had seen a man enter the house by means of a ladder: but revolving thefe circumftances more maturely in his mind, and his indignation being in fome degree allayed, and reafon opening his eyes, he was induced to think that the raan had probably entered the houfe for fome other woman, and not for his miftrefs; he alfo remembered that Lionato's houfe was very extenfive, that no perfon lived in that part where the man had introduced himfelf, and that it could not be poffible that Fenicia, who flept with her fifters in a chamber within that where her fa

Timbreo, who loved Girondo much, readily went with him, converfing by the way on various fubjects, till they came to the church where a monument had been raised to Fenicia's memory. Having arrived at that place, Girondo ordered his fervants upon no account to prefume to enter the church, request ing Timbreo to give the fame orders to his; with which requeft Timbreo complied. The two gentlemen having then entered the church, where iortunately there was no perfon prefent, Girondo proceeded towards the chapel where the fepulchre was built, and conducted

thither

thither his friend. As foon as they | he also began to fled tears, befeech

ing Girondo to rife and difcover to him more clearly what was the caufe of this extraordinary fcene. He immediately threw the dagger to a confiderable diftance from him, and prevailed on Girondo to rife, who, interrupted all the time he was speaking by his tears, thus addressed Timbreo:

arrived at the tomb Girondo kneeling down before it, and drawing a dagger which he had by his fide, put it naked into Timbreo's hands, who all the time ftood in amazement at the scene paffing before his eyes; not as yet having difcovered whofe fepulchre it was before which his companion knelt. Girondo then with tears, mingled with the deepeft fighs, addreffed Timbreo in the following words: "moft excellent fir, I having in my own opinion injured you beyond the poflibility of reparation, am not come here to requeft your forgivenefs, as my offence is fuch that I do not deferve to be pardoned: if you ever wish to act confiftently with your character and reputation, if you defire to conduct yourself like a man of honour, if you are inclined to do what may be acceptable to God and man, plunge that dagger which you have in your hand into this criminal and treacherous breaft, and with my abominable and vicious blood make a due atonement to the facred relics of the innocent and unfortunate Fenicia, who was buried a few days fince in this tomb; fince I was the mischievous and fatal author of herceived; by which well-contrived immature and undeferved death.

"If you fhould fuffer any emotions of compaffion to deny me this requeft, I will with my own hands accomplish the juft vengeance which is due to fo execrable a crime; but if you are ftill that honourable and noble-fpirited gentleman which you have hitherto been, who would never fuffer the smallest stain, you will immediately avenge yourfelf and the unfortunate Fenicia on her wicked affaffin." Timbreo now, for the first time, perceived that this was Fenicia's tomb; and having heard what Girondo faid, he was ftruck with the greatest amazement, not being able to comprehend his meaning; but being very much affected with the condition in which he faw Girondo,

"You should be informed, my dear fir, that Fenicia was 'ardently beloved by me, and to fuch a degree that I fhall never know peace and tranquillity more,-fince my fatal love was the caufe of that injured lady's untimely death: for, perceiving that I could never expect a return from her, as the never even favoured me with a kind look or an approving fmile; as foon as I understood that fhe was promised to you, blinded by the ftrength of my patlion, I imagined that if I could contrive a fcheme to prevent her becoming your wife, I fhould easily obtain her for myfelf, by making propofals to her father. Not being able to difcover any other remedy for my ungovernable defires, without any reflection, I planned a device the most artful that could be con

plot I caufed you to believe that a man was accustomed to vifit her by night. The perfon whom you faw enter the houfe was one of my fervants; and he who came to give you the information that Fenicia had refigned herself to another more favoured lover, was my confidant, who had been fully instructed by me in the whole affair of my paffion, and whom I perfuaded to undertake to mislead you by false infinuations against the virtue of Lionato's daughter. Deceived by the tale he told you, the next day you broke off your engagement with Fenicia, who was fo much affected by the difgrace, that fhe died with grief, and was buried in this spot. Wherefore, fecing that I have

been

been the deftroyer of her reputation, the object of my love to my arms, and her murderer and affaffin,-with and her parent's affection. For one uplifted hands I, who have fo irre-thing only I feel inclined to blame parably injured you, implore you (here he again knelt to Timbreo) to avenge yourself and her for the deteftable crime I have committed against you both: for knowing how fcandalous and iniquitous my behaviour has been, I cannot endure the thoughts of preferving a life which I deteft and abhor."

Timbreo, hearing these circumftances, was exceedingly afflicted; and knowing that the fault which he had committed was irreparable, fince Fenicia had fallen a facrifice, and could not be restored, he determined that he would not exact any fevere retribution from Girondo, but pardon him his iniquitous conduct, and restore Fenicia to that reputation and honour which she had loft with fo much fhame and reproach. He therefore defired Girondo to rife; whom, after having fhed' many tears mingled with the deepest fighs, he thus addreffed:

you; and that is, that you did not rẻveal your love to me, as you knew that I was enamoured of her without being acquainted with your paffion; as I, before I had made.propofals to her father, would undoubtedly have yielded my pretenfions to yours; and, in conformity to the principles eftablished amongst men of refined and magnanimous fentiments, would have preferred the happiness of a friend to the gratification of my own defires: which would have faved you from the unmanly expedient you adopted, and preferved an innocent family from this unmerited ftain on their character. Now the thing is done, and. there is no remedy. I wish, however, you would favour me fo far as to be guided by my directions in a propofal I have to make to you.”

Command me as you please," replied Girondo," as I am ready to perform implicitly whatever you may require."

"It would have been much better for me, my friend, that I had never "I with," faid Timbreo, "that as been born, or that I had been deaf we have injured the reputation of from my birth, that I might not Fenicia, every thing in our power have been obliged to hear.a relation may be done to reftore her to her fo diftreffing and afflicting to me: fame and honour; that both her pa on account of which I fhall never rents and the Meffinefe may be more enjoy the fmaileft portion of convinced fhe was wrongfully acfelicity; fince my life will always be cufed: otherwife, as the whole city embittered by the reflection that by may believe from what I have faid, my too great credulity I have caufedthat the had deviated from the paths the death of that lovely girl whom I of chastity and virtue, I fhall conadored, and whofe fingular charms tinually be haunted with the idea and rare perfections merited a bet that her injured fhade is before me, ter fate than reproach, infamy, and imploring the vengeance of the Aldeath. Since, however, it has fo mighty against me." pleafed God, against whofe will not even a leaf falls to the ground, and as it is easier to cenfure than to a-longs to command; it is for me to mend what has happened, I am refolved not to increafe the bitterness of my grief by wreaking vengeance on my friend, which would only add to my affliction, without reftoring VOL. XXVII.

To this Girondo, with tears in his eyes, replied: "To you, fit, it be

obey. I was before united to you in the bonds of friendship; but now that you have, with the magnanimity of a true gentleman, pardoned my vile and perfidious conduct, you 4 H

have

have made me your faithful fervant and flave for ever."

These words having paffed, they both weeping knelt down before the fepulchre, and with uplifted hands implored God's pardon, the one for the too great cruelty he had mani-ftfted towards Fenicia, the other for the mischievous effects of his abominable conduct.

fhall not be denied, that you will difpofe of me and my affairs in the fame manner as if the projected alliance had taken place; for I fhall always hold you in the fame reverence and efteam in which good fons hold their fathers; and in whatever you command me to do, you will find me obedient and ready to comply with your requeft; as there is nothing, however difficult, that I would not attempt for your fake."

The old man returned Timbreo thanks in affectionate terms, and at length faid: "Since you have courteously made me fo generous an offer, and adverfe fortune has denied me the pleasure of your alliance, I

As foon as they had difperfed their tears, it was refolved they fhould immediately proceed to Lionato's houfe. They accordingly went thither together, and found Lionato juft rifing from table, with fome of his relations, to whom he had given an entertainment. Lionato was much furprised when he was informed that thefe two noble-fhall take the liberty of making one men wifhed to speak to him: he inftantly went and welcomed them. When Timbreo and his friend faw Lionato, his wife and family, dreffed in black, the cruel remembrance of Fenicia's death ftruck them fo forcibly, they could not refrain from tears, and were fcarcely able to fpeak.

Being feated, and recovering themselves a little from their confufion and grief, Timbreo, in the prefence of them ail, related the lamentable hiftory, and the occafion of Fenicia's immature and forrowful death, and together with Girondo caft himself at the feet of her parents, requesting their pardon for the tranfaction. Lionato, who wept with tendernefs and joy, embracing them both in a friendly manner, affured them he forgave every injury; at the fame time thanking God that the innocence of his daughter had been manifefted.

After fome converfation had paffed on the fubject, Timbreo, turning to Lionato, faid:

"My good fir, fince adverse fortune would not permit me to be come your fon-in-law, as I ardently defired, I befeech you, and I hope I

requeft to you, with which it will be eafy for you to comply; and it is, that whenever you feel inclined to marry, you will be content to receive from my hands as your wife whomfoever I fhall propofe to you. I conjure you to grant me this, by the affection you once had for the poor Fenicia."

Timbreo, thinking that the difconfolate old man had demanded a very trifling recompenfe for the great injury he had received, taking Lionato's hand and kiffing it, an fwered: "My dear father, you atk me too fmall a trifle, and which does not correfpond with the obligation I owe you. I with to show you in any way how willing I am to comply with any thing which may be agreeable to you. I here give you my honour before all these gentlemen, that I not only will not marry without your knowledge, but will accept of no other wife than tite one you may choose to offer me." Girondo alfo manifefted his defirs to make any recompenfe in his pow er, and offered to conform himfell in all things to the wishes of Lionato.

(To be continued.)