The Duchess's Revenge or The Three Warnings — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

4 THE DUCHESS’S REVENGE. “Constantia is a pretty name.” ‘Aye, and Constantia is a charming creature. I would describe her, had you not unwittingly ' performed the task yourself.” ‘Your news but makes me more miserable, Bentivoglio : it comes too late. Am not I indeed miserable to discover that I most desire when I dare not clasp it P”’ “Dare not? And why not? Constantia is a woman, and therefore to be won; Constantia is poor, and therefore prizes riches; Constantia’s father is a simple knight, and therefore Con- stantia adores high titles. But still *tis naught to me, and may seem ill in me to speak such words. Pardon my having done so, my lord ; it was out of the love I bore to you.” “¢ Speak not of it, Bentivoglio; I—I thank you. But Constantia must leave the palace to-night ; I dare not let her stay here.” 7 ‘“You have but to command, and it will be done. Where shall she go, or, rather, be carried to—your Castle of Mugnone?”’ ‘No, no; let her return home, or evil may come of it.” “The weak-minded fool!’’ growled Benti- voglio, between his teeth; then added, with a shrug of the shoulders: “ As you will, My lord! but will you not see her first? If only to bear out the truth of what I have said, [ would have you see her.” The young duke hesitated, not daring to trust himself to speak. ‘Tt is true, the duchess might resent.’ ‘Man, would you madden me?” cried the duke. ‘‘ You know how strong the temptation is that 1 now am striving to resist, and yet you urge me on to this rash step! ”’ “Not I, my lord: I pray you not tocharge me » with that, else it may come to the ears of the | duchess, and then I should go to the castle Muegnone.”’ “« Hear not; she will not know it.” ““No; there is no need that she should know you meet in secret!”’ “ Meet ? I—I said not that!’’ cried the dnke in irresolute tones. ‘*Oh, Bentivoglio, wouldst thou had never spoken to me of this girl! and yet I feel that she must be mine. Help me! help me, my friend! Tell me whatis to bedone?”’ ‘Jn an hour’s time, my lord, be at the arbour close by the statue of Diana and Hndymion,”’ said Bentivoglio, in rapid tones, ‘‘ I will be there with the fair Constantia. Breathe not a word of this, in case some tattler shonld carry the news to the duchess. Swear also that you will be there: let me not run this risk for nothing.” ‘‘T swear !’’ said the duke. | Scarcely had the words fallen from his lips when a weird sound of unearthly music floated on the breeze. The duke and his companion turned toward the direction from whence the weird sound came, and beheld a female figure, | clothed in long, flowing, white drapery, standing some twenty paces from them. Slowly she pressed back her long tresses with both her hands, then extending her arm slowly, she ’ pointed to Bentivoglio. ““<Tis the White Woman! the First Warning!” screamed the duke, and fell senseless at his companion’s feet. ‘ Blanche !’’ exclaimed Bentivoglio, in trem- bling tones. “Blanche! then the warning is indeed true !”’ A minute or two afterwards and the figure melted away. Quickly recovering himself, Bentivoglio stooped over the duke, and commenced chafing his tem- ples so as to restore him to consciousness, at the same time murmuring between his clenched teeth: “Danger is indeed near, my lord duke; not the assassin who strikes with the knife, but rather he who rends the heart with grief.” After the first shock was over, the duke quickly ‘recovered, and demanded if the spectre had gone. “Spectre, my lord!” cried Bentivoglio, as if in surprise. “‘I saw no spectre! A sudden faint- ness but this moment seized upon you, and you sank upon the earth before I could save yon. But on my word there was no spectre! ” “I tell you that I saw Blanche, the whiie lady,” cried the duke. ‘‘T dare not contradict my lord, but by my honour I saw no such thing. Believe me, my good lord, the gloomy thoughts which have haunted you of late have weighed upon your brain, and caused you to imagine what you say you saw. Come, my lord, let us join the com- pany. The music tells me that the mask’s began. A cup of wine and a loving talk with the lovely Constantia will soon cure you of these morbid fantasies. Come, my lord, a mask and cloak, and then to join the revellers; but remember that at ten o’clock yeu meet me by the statue of Endymion.” " As he spoke he led the duke from the lane to the house, where, having procured their masks and cloaks, they hastened to join in the revelries. It was a beautiful sight to see the gaily dressed men and women daneing, laughing, and flirting beneath the lamps. Here lovers strolled away, Saying those small things so uninteresting to all save the parties immediately concerned ; there a group of ladies clustered round a gallant who touched the guitar gently as he sang one of those sweet, voluptuous songs for which Italy is so famous; further on were another crowd of ladies, who were watching the movements of a party of dancers. Outside this last group of dancers stood Ben- tivoglio, his black domino drawn round his | figure, his mask fringed with more than the usual lace, and his broad, slonched hat drawn ° over his face, made it quite impossible for any one to recognize him. With a quick, sharp eye he scanned the group, until he caught sight of a fair, sylph-like figure of a girl who seemed deeply interested in the dance. Moving round so that she might see him, he waited anxiously until he could at- tract her notice, then, placing one finger on his lips, he motioned her with the other hand to follow him to a more secluded spot. IJOOKS EO AMICe - (E(©)