OR, WEEKLY THE VISITOR. FOR THE USE AND AMUSEMENT OF BOTH SEXES. VOL. XI.] Saturday, July 14,....1810. THE CAVERN OF STROZZI. In Continuation. Before we entered I deemed it prudent to secure those who were within; but in order to prevent the effusion of blood, I had recourse to stratagem, and with a loud voice pronounced the name of Ricardo. The gaoler, who had opened the entrance, repeated it, and the echoes of the subterraneous vault having conveyed it to Ricardo, he forth with made his appearance.As he held a torch, the light of which reflected on us, and shewed that we were masked, the two gaolers evinced their inquietude, which increased to the highest deof terror, when having surgree rounded them, we declared they were our prisoners, and ordered them to point out the dungeon of Antoni. It was curious to behold these wretches, whose countenances had just before exhibited the features of ferocious boldness, now altered by fear, and presenting the picture of disconcerted guilt. Pale and terrified, they proceeded along the Cavern without uttering a single word; and when they were before [NO. 12. the gate of Antoni's dungeon. Ricardo's hands trembled in such a manner that he could scarce turn the key. At the deplorable aspect of the wretched Antoni, fastened by a chain to an infectious carcase, and agonized with woe, the inquisitors started back with horror. With difficulty they restrained the violent indignation with which they were transported, and it was not till after some minutes they could recover their calmness and gravity. I addressed the prisoner, and taking off my mask, "You behold, said I, that my promise has not been made in vain: it is no longer a weak individual who interests himself in your cause. Heaven has referred it to the supreme authority-it is the Republic itself that comes to deliver you." "Yes," continued Signor Rozzelino, unmasking himself, "you see before you the Council of Ten, represented by three of its members, appointed for the protection of innocence, and the punishment of the guilty; it will this day fulfil its two-fold office :-be free Antoni:-Olympia shall now wear your chains." Antoni could not believe either his eyes or ears. Surprise, doubt and sorrow were painted on his countenance. Yielding however to the last of these sentiments, which more than any other overflowed his heart, he could only express himself by tears and gestures. Now he raised his humid eyes, and his arms oppressed with chains, towards Heavens and now he pointed to the body of his dear Zanetta. It may be easily conceived none of us could remain insensible to so afflicting a scene; but one of a far different nature was passing without. Olympia and her escort, after having landed as usual, advanced towards the Cavern; but at the instant they entered it, they were seized and secured. The name of the Inquisition, which had struck her associates dumb, had excited in that high-souled woman every sentiment of fury and every desire of revenge. Not only her prey had escaped her at the moment she was on the point of devouring it, but she had herself fallen into the power of a dreadful tribunal, with which she was not unacquainted, and from which she could have no hope of mercy. The guards bad been previously ordered to conduct her into the presence of the inquisitors, in the dungeon of Antoni. They forced her there, foaming with rage: her dreadful shrieks made the hair stood an end; her bosom heaved; her eyes were inflamed, and nearly started from their sockets; and her whole countenance was hideously distorted. Like an enraged tigress, she endeavoured to fall upon Antoni, to tear him with her hands, but she was restrained by dint of force-despairing she threw herself on the earth, and gave vent to the violence of her rage. In this dreadful state appeared the incomparable beauty, who had been the pride of her family, and the admiration of Venice. Rozzelino, after having promised Antoni that the remains of Zanetta should be honorably interred, conducted him to the gondola of Olympia. I requested leave to accompany hitn, which was granted me. We were placed and detained as prisoners, till the result of this affair, in the Castle of UIchria, in the gulph of the Adriatic. Olympia, with her accomplices, were sent to the prisons of the Inquisition, and confined in dunge ons. If curiosity in the first place, and compassion afterwards, were my sentiments with regard to Antoni, an intimate acquaintance with that excellent young man inspired me with others more lasting and worthy of him. In Antoni was united whatever was calculated to charm on a countenance peculiarly interesting were Cavern resound; her dishevelled "traced all the affections of a soul which communicated with the hall of its deliberations. In a quarter of an hour after we were summoned; and the council, after having received our homage, desired us to advance to our seats. We seated ourselves; and the only alteration I remarked was, that the figure of Christ was concealed beneath a black veil. With regard to the rest, though it was broad day-light, the place was lighted by the two chandeliers, as it had been when I was before there in the attuned to sensibility:his eyes Ten days after our entrance into the fortress of Ulchria, the senator Rozzelino visited us. He recommended us to wait with patience a few days longer, while the process against Olympia was preparing. The next day we each received an official citation from the Chancery of the Ten, which required us, within three days, to attend at the bar of the Council. Antoni could not behold the time approach without horror: the idea || of having to appear against her, who, by tearing Zanetta from him, had deprived him of what was dearer than life, almost bereft him of his senses. At On our right nearly opposite the table, was a recess, the curtain of which the presideut withdrew, and presented to our sight the Signora Olympia, seated on a stool, and two guards on each side of her, with drawn swords. this sight Antoni changed colour; and even I could not restrain my emotion at contemplating the humiliating situation of a woman whom I had before beheld in so cruel and menacing an attitude.The paleness of her countenance was particularly remarkable; one might have judged, by the distorted appearance of her countenance the agitation of her soul. She raised her eyes, from time to time, and looked sternly now upon the tribunal, and now upon Antoni; having met mine, the singular ex On the morning of the appoint-pression of all her features at that day, the Council delegated one of its officers to attend us; and we were conducted, without any other formalities, to the gallery moment shocked me, and I turned from beholding her with horror and affright. An officer of the council having commanded silence, the chief of the inquisitors addressed the rest. He traced the motives which had induced the tribunal to prosecute in so extraordinary a manner, the Signora Giustiniani, a noble Venetian lady, and widow of Signor Carlo Laurentini. He distinctly recapitulated the crimes alledged against her; read the different interrogatories put to her in the course of her examination; all of which she had positively denied ; stated that these interrogatories having been unproductive of any satisfactory information, the usual question was to be put to Olympia, after which the two persons at the bar (Antoni and myself) were to be heard. The same inquisitor then desired Antoni to retire to an adjoining -room; which he having done, and the council having ordered me to speak, I repeated my denunciation from beginning to end. It would be impossible to describe the impression it made on Olympia: not only her features but her gestures, her whole body expressed the sentiments of her soul :-inquietude, anxiety, grief, surprize, passion, fury, rage, and despair, were successively painted throughout her whole frame; but I had scarce closed two thirds of my recital, when a settled composure chased from her countenance the clouds which had obscured it. Leave was given to Olympia to speak, who thus addressed the tribunal: "If, said she, there existed no other means of hearing the truth from me than the dread of your tortures, you should ever remain ignorant. I know how to die, but I know not how to deceive, and while I can fall an innocent victim, I would not perish as a condemned criminal. A sentiment stronger than that of my own reputation at this moment animates me ; that sentiment, which I have before experienced, but which I believed to be extinct in my breast, impels me to disguise nothing from you. Antoni, this moment is a joyful one for I finished. Olympia was asked you; but you would be unworthy of your triumph if you could applaud yourself for it. You were my victim contemplate me now; you have nothing to reproach me with. It is not to the august assembly of the Ten I need recall the first adventure which conducted me before it. If, when I presented to its view the effect of those passions which swayed me, it had manifested its justice rather than its clemency, the just punishment I should have then experienced would have preserved my soul from the weight of additional guilt, my hands from a second murder, and your ears from the painful recital of it. May the horror with which it has inspired you, and the pain you felt at beholding the effects of my rage, expiate your culpable indulgence, and induce you to remember that it is not less dangerous to pardon a criminal, than atrocious to punish an innocent person!. "It was in this same hall, before these same senators, I appeared covered with human blood. The tears of a father whom you revered, washed the murderous stains from before your eyes. From your mouths, accustomed to pronounce the severest decrees, I heard the sweet assurance of mercy instead of condemning me to the scaffold, you sent me to the groves of Peschia; doubtless, that by contemplating the beauties of nature, my soul might be purified. The opinion of some was, that a secret execution should cut short my days; others wished to prolong it in close confinement.. My family spread the report that I was gone abroad, and from motives of partiality towards my father and myself, Laurentini's death remained unrevenged. "Though the tribunal had absolved me, my conscience had not. The blood-stained shade of a lover murdered by my hands, was incessantly before me. Remorse, like a devouring vulture, gnawed my heart. Oh! if it were known what pain and torment attend guilt the world would practice virtue from motives of choice and selfinterest. |