through all his limbs. On hearing this, the un-
happy girl could do nothing but beat her
innocent breast, and tear her hair; and turning
paler than ashes, and trembling all over, said
to Romeo, who had already fallen backwards,
kissing him, and shedding a flood of tears on
him : « Must you then, my dear Lord, die in
my presence? and will heaven suffer, that I
should survive you? Alas! would I could at
least give you my life, and die alone! » To this
the young man, with a faint voice answered:
« If my faith and love were dear to you, by them
I conjure you to live, if it be only to think of
him, who for love of you,
died in your pre-
sence. >> « If,» replied she, « you die for my
false death, what should I do for your real
death? I only grieve, that I have not now here
the means of dying before you, and I hate
myself because I live; but I hope in a short
time, as I have been the cause, to be also the
companion of your death.» Having uttered these
words with difficulty, she fainted. And coming
again to herself, she continued to gather with
her lips the last breath of her lover, who drew
quickly towards his end. In the mean time,
Father Lorenzo had heard how and when Ju-
lietta had taken the powder, and had been in-
terred as dead; and knowing the term was ar-
rived, when the virtue of the powder ended,

taking with him a faithful companion, he came to the vault about an hour before day, to take her out. On arriving there, and hearing her moan and weep, and seeing a light through an aperture of the door, he was much surprised, and supposed the young lady had in some way contrived to carry a lanthern with her; and that having awoke, she was weeping from fear of the dead bodies, or of remaining always shut up in the vault. Having, with the help of his companion, quickly opened the sepulchre, he saw Julietta, sitting, all dishevelled, with the head of her almost lifeless lover on her lap; and said to her: «< Didst thou fear, daughter, that I should leave thee here to die?» She, seeing the monk, and her grief redoubling, answered: « On the contrary, I fear you should take me away alive. Ah! for pity's sake, shut up the tomb, and go away, that I may die here ; or give me a dagger, that I may plunge it in my bosom, and end my sufferings. O! father, father, well you sent the letter; well shall I be married; well will you conduct me to Romeo see him here on my knees, already dead!»> And then relating the whole, she pointed to him. Father Lorenzo, hearing these things, stood motionless, and gazing on the youth, whose life was about to pass away, and sobbing violently, he called to him, saying: « Romeo, by what

hapless chance art thou taken from me? speak to me: turn thine eyes on me. O! Romeo, behold thy dearest Julietta, that begs thee to look at her; why dost thou not answer her at least, on whose fair bosom thou lyest? Romeo, at the sound of that dear name, raised a Ittle his languid eyes, on which death hung heavy; gazed on her, closed them again, and soon after writhing with pain, gave a faint sigh, and expired. The wretched lover, having died in the manner I have described, and the day approaching, the Monk with many sighs and tears, said to the lady: « And thou, Julietta, what wilt thou do?» « I will die here, she instantly replied. «No, daughter,» said he, say not so; come forth; and though I know not well where to conduct thee, yet thou canst retire into some holy Convent, there to pray to God for thyself and thy dead spouse, if it be needful.» « Father, replied she, I ask but one favour of you, which by the love you bear to his memory, (pointing to Romeo,) you will concede me willingly; and that is, never to declare the secret of our deaths; so that our bodies may remain in this sepulchre and if by chance it should be discovered, I conjure you, by the same love, to request our unhappy father to permit those whom love inspired with one flame, and conducted to the same death,

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to repose in the same grave.» Then turning to Romeo, whose head she had placed on a cushion, which had been left with her in the vault; she closed his eyes more perfectly, and bathing his cold visage with her tears, cried: « What have I more to do in life without thee, my Lord? and what duty remains for me to fulfil, if not to follow thee? no other, surely; death, which alone could divide me from thee, shall not long separate us. »> Saying this, and recalling to mind the extent of her misfortune, in thus losing her beloved Romeo, she drew in her breath, and containing it for some time, fell dead on the body. When Father Lorenzo saw that she was dead, he was so struck with pity, that he knew not what to do; and overcome with grief, together with his companion wept over the lifeless lovers. Some persons of the neighbourhood, who had risen early, and saw them in this state, recognised them; and immediately reported the circumstance to the Cappelletti; who went directly to the Prince, and entreated him, by means of torture, (if it could not be done otherwise,) to learn from the monk what he sought at that hour in their sepulchre; and the more, as they knew that he was friendly to their enemies. The Prince having posted guards, so that the monk could not escape, sent for him; and when he came

before him, said : « What were you seeking this morning in the vault of the Cappelletti? tell us; we will, at all events, know it?» Whilst the Monk was endeavouring to excuse himself under false pretences, and to conceal the truth, the other Monks of the Convent, who had heard the news, opened the vault; and looked in, to discover what their brethren had been doing there; and having found the dead body of Romeo, it was reported in great haste to the Prince, who was still talking to the Monk, that Romeo Montecchi was lying dead in the tomb of the Cappelletti, where Father Lorenzo had been taken that morning. This appeared almost impossible, and filled every one with wonder; when the Monk, finding he could no longer conceal the truth, knelt down before the Prince, and said: « Pardon me, my Lord, if I have answered untruly to what you demanded of me; since it was not from any evil intention, or for any profit to myself; but to observe the promise I had made to two unfortunate lovers. >> And he then related, in the presence of many witnesses, the whole story. Bartholomew della Scala, moved almost to tears by compassion wishing to see the bodies, went himself to the sepulchre, followed by a great concourse of people, and commanded the two lovers to be placed on carpets in the Church of St. Fran