Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 308: what you’re looking at

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

a tee th nei a oe JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 295 possession of the concealed treasure in the name /of temptation, had become a fallen object; and of the Count of Monte d’Oro. On arriving in the vicinage of our destination, we proceeded to the farmer’s house, where we distributed numerous handsome presents with which Constantine had charged us for this special purpose. We then un- folded to the family the object of our visit to that part of the country. As the reader may suppose, the tale of the hidden treasure having been dis- covered by us, was listened to with the wildest astonishment: but the farmer and his sons readily volunteered their assistance. To the ruins we pro- ceeded. We carefully avoided the fatal spot where the unfortunate Leone had met his death: none of us experienced a morbid curiosity to cast eyes on the scene where a fellow-creature’s blood had been spilt. On reaching the place where the treasure was concealed, I was at once satisfied that everything remained just as I had left it some weeks previous—and that the precautions taken at the time to conceal the subterranean, had proved fully effective. We removed the fragments of ma- sonry which we had piled over the opening—we de. scended into the vault; and this time I had no diffi- culty in speedily opening the coffer. All the treasure was there: the farmer and his sons contemplated it with the utmost curiosity—but not with greedi- ness. The gold, the silver, and the valuables were removed to the cart which the farmer had brought with him for the purpose; and in this vehicle they were transferred to the homestead, where they were safely packed in the post-chaise. In addition to the gifts sent by Constantine, and those which I had on a former occasion despatched on my own account from Ajaccio, I thought it right and proper to add some further recompense now; and [ accordingly distributed a few of the jewels which formed part of the treasure, amongst the members of the worthy family. They were highly delighted to possess these memorials of the long-hidden treasure of the monks of St. Bartholomew; and when the young page and myself took our depar- ture we left grateful hearts behind us. It was not however until the ensuing morning, immedjately after breakfast, that we left the farm- homestead : for I did not choose to travel by night with so costly a treasure in my charge. I had also taken the precaution to be well armed: but we performed the journey without the slightest moles- tation, and without any incident worthy of note. According to previous agreement with the young Count of Monte d’Oro, I ordered the post-chaise to drive straight to the principal banker’s at Ajaccio; and there the treasure was deposited. A piece of intelligence of a somewhat shocking character awaited me on my return to the Cor- sican capital; Signor Turano had put an end to his existence during the previous night, by open- ing a vein in his arm and suffering himself to bleed to death. It appeared that when the turnkey en- tered the cell in the morning, he found the wretched criminal still warm; and the surgeon who was immediately fetched, declared that life had not been many minutes extinct. Thus perished a man who, with all the personal and mental advantazes which he possessed, might have proved a veritable ornament to society—but who, by dissipated habits acquired in his early youth, and through want of that real moral stamina which can alone preserve men against the blandishments having for years led the life of an adventurer, he at length played the bold but desperate stroke which on the one hand might at once enrich and ennoble him, or on the other hand plunge him into a felons’ gaol and brand him with dis- honour. A few days afterwards the nuptials of the Count of Monte d’Oro and the judge’s niece were so- lemnized at Ajaccio. The wedding was a private one,— Signor Castelli, his wife, and his two daughters being the only persons present in ad- dition to our own party. Never did the young Greek look handsomer: never did Leonora seem more exquisitely beautiful. Her hair, dark as n'ght, clustered in luxuriant masses beneath the bridal veil: the superb symmetry of her form was set off to the utmost advantage by the dress of virgin white. The old Judge looked a dozen years younger than he actually was—so joyous were the feelings which inspired his soul. A splendid man- sion, ready furnished, and situated in the vicinage of Ajaccio, had been hired as the temporary abode of the newly-married pair: for it was the resolve of the Count of Monte d’Oro to build a large and suitable house on the site of the ruins of his an- cestral castle—so that he and his lovely Countess might in due time dwell upon their own domain and in the midst of their tenantry, that the pos- session of riches might in their hands become the means of working out extensive benefits to their fellow-creatures. ) Almost immediately after their establishment in their temporary home in the vicinage of Ajaccio, the Count and Countess of Monte d’Oro were visited by all the principal families of the city and neighbourhood,—the very Judges who had presided in the criminal court on the occasion of the trial, setting the example. The attention thus shown the young couple, conveyed its moral lesson. It was to the effect that whatsoever might have been the antecedents of Constantine, it was considered that an adequate atonement had been made by the horrible ordeal through which he had been dragged; and moreover that for the sake of the charming and devoted creature who was now his wife, his misdeeds might be over-looked. In the visits of those families there was likewise a homage paid to the irreproachable character of Signor Portici himself; and thus, when once the leading personages of the district had paid their respects from the best of motives to the Count and Countess of Monte d’Oro, all the other families of that class who are ever ready to worship the rising star of an individual’s prosperity and riches, flocked to the mansion. The page—no longer a page however, as I have before said—but regarded by Constantine as a brother—took up his abode at that mansion; as did likewise the venerable judge. ‘The latter resigned his situation at Civita Vecchia,—retiring on a handsome pension: for he had made wp his mind to pass the remainder of his days with his dearly beloved niece and her husband. I remained a week in Corsica after the marriage; and then [ took my temporary leave,—promising to return thither again shortly. It now wanted but about a fortnight to the trial of Mr. Lanover and Mr. Dorchester at Florence; and according to the de- sire expressed in the Count of Liyorno’s letter to Glook —_—_ (EO)