Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 212: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

208 THE PRINCE AND The prince turned very pale, and cast a despairing look around. F Gabriel regarded him di-dainfully, and in a more solemn and equal tone than he had hitherto used, proceeded. “There exists between our two families,’ he said, “a horrible mystery, which my mother confided to me whea she was at the brink of the tomb, of which even my father him- self is ignorant, and which no man on earth shall ever know but you; with you it is different, for you are about to die !”’ is he dragged him out of the house into the opea moon- ight. “Do you know,” he continued, “ why my sister, whose dishonour you would have accomplished, was devoted to the service of the Madonna? It was because your father sought the same means of destroying the more than life of my mother. There is, in connection with your accursed house, an infamous tradition, and that you shall hear !” He paused a moment, as if the proffered narrative required no slight effort in its relation, and then resumed, © “You know not what slow and terrible tortures my mother endured, which brought her to-an early grave, and which her angelic soul dared not confide to any but her son, at the moment of-her departure; and that only in order to engage me to keep stricter watch over my sister.” He was here overcome by emotion ; but, quickly recovering firmness, he went on with stern deliberation, “One day, before my sister and myself were born, a beauti- ful lady, richly adorned, landed on this island, in a magnificent boat; she asked to see my mother, who was then as young and fair as Nisida is now. This lady see ned never to grow weary of admiring her ; accused tie blindness of destiny for hiding so fair a diamond in such an obscure place ; and, finally, my mother’s parents were induced to let her quit the island in quality .of companion to the great lady, who was no other than your mother ; and do you know the reason of her coming in search of this poor innocent young girl? Because your mother had a lover ; and because she wished, by such infamous means, to assure herself of the indulgence of her prince,” | ‘Silence, wretch !” cried Brancaleone. “ Oh, you shall hear me to the end, your ezcellency,” replied the fisherman, bitterly ; and he went on to relate that his mother was for some time treated as the daughter of the prince and*princessg, so that, when the humble parents were invited to visit her, they found her so beautiful and happy, that they could entertain no wish to remove her from such protection. But the close attention of the prince soon afterwards began to be lavished on her; the princess absented herself for several days, regretting her inability to take her dear child (as she always called her) with her. In the meantime, all the means of temptation were resorted to on the part of the prince, and when he found these. fail, he passed from the most ardent passion to the deepest rage— from the humblest prayers and entreaties to the most fearful threats, And at length the unfortunate girl was immersed in a dungeon, to which but one feeble ray of light was admitted, and a grim gaoler threw her every morning a piece of black bread for her day’s subsistence, swearing to her that her situation would not be changed until she became the mistress of the prince. This punishment lasted two years. The princess had set out on a long journey to foreign countries, while the poor parents of the wretched captive believed that she was still happy with her protectress. - On her return, having’ doubtless herself many new faults requiring pardon, she blamed the prince for bad management, summoned the persecuted girl from her dungeon, and affected the most lively indignation at the horrible treatment to which she had been subjected, of which she pretended entire igno- rance until that moment. “One evening,” continued Gabriel, “after the tears of my poor mother had been dried, and the perfidious princess had received the grateful thanks of her victim, they supped together. The rarest fruits, the most exquisite meats, tlie 24: MA GO THE FISHERMAN. most delicate wines, were served ; but diabolical philtres were mixed with the drink presented to my mother, whose con- stitution hai been ruined, and whose reason had been enfeebled by long privation. She soon felt excited; her eyes shone with feverish brightness, and her cheeks seemed on fire. At that moment the prince entered—I bave nearly finished, my lord. Oh, your excellency, you are about to learn that God protects the poor! My mother fled for refuge, — like a frightened dove, into the bosom of the princess, who laughingly repulsed her ; and the poor girl, lost, trembling, and in tears, threw herself on her knees in the midst of that infamous chamber. It was the day of St. Anne: suddenly ~ . the house shook—cries of distress were heard on every side; but my mother was saved! It was the earthquake which destroyed the half of Naples ; and you well know, my lord, that your ancient palace was rendered uninhabitable from that day.” ty . “ And to what does all this lead ?”’ cried Brancaleone, in “yp the most terrible agitation. y “Oh, simply to persuade you that you must fight with me,”’ replied the fisherman, coldly, at the same time present- ing him with a charge for his gun. “And now,” he added, — , ; / in a higher tone, “address yourself to prayer, my lord ; forT : warn you, that you shall die by my hand. Justice must be " done.” ire The prince carefully examined the powder and ball, assured himself that his gun was in a perfect state, charged it, and, N§ eager to decide the affair, took aim at the fisherman, and fired ; but—whether from agitation of mind, produced by the horrible relation of his adversary, or that the grass had been rendered slippery by the stcrm—at the moment of advancing 7" he lost his equilibrium, and fell upon his knee, the shot flying into the air. Oo “That does not couat, my lord,’ cried Gabriel, handing ~ him a second cartridge. At the noise of the explosion Solomon appeared at the window ; and promptly understanding the cause, raised his hands to heaven, as if addressing a secret and fervent prayer to God. Brancaleone, with a horrible oath, aca reloaded his piece in haste; but, struck by the boldness of the young man, who and dignified old man, who seemed to conjure God, in the name of his paternal authority, to pronounce for the inno- cent ; disconcerted by those adverse demonstrations, as well — as by his fall, his knees trembled, his arms were rendered : useless, and he felt the coldness of death rush into his veins. — 3 (To be continued.) 2m NOW READY. * | JOLLY DOGS OF LONDON; OR, PA THE TWO ROADS OF LIFE. i: A SPLENDID NEW LARGE PICTURE CONTAINING > THE JOLLY DOGS OF LON-| THE JOLLY DOG’S WIFE, ~ DON BY NIGHT, THE JOLLY DOG’S GIRLS, THE JOLLY DOG AT|THE JOLLY DOG’S AS- HOME, SISTANT, and x a THE JOLLY DOG OUT, OG’S END. ; remained fixed and motionless before him, and by the calm ; THE JOLLY- The Engraving and Nos. 1 and 2 for One Penny. NOTICE.—The Work will also contain the commencement of a series of Stories, entitled, ¥ TALES OF THE INVISIBLE WORUD. ORDER EARLY TO SECURE COPIES. THE JOLLY DOCS OF LONDON; DS OF LIFE. Af TWO ROADS *.* Another Engraving is in course of preparation, and will ra be given away with an early Number. GComicbooks com