The Duchess's Revenge or The Three Warnings — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

6° tempted: me to’ think I loved you, and then en- trapped me into a promise, it was your fault, | “a ta _at which women bite so readily—a title.” not. mine. J) headstrong and’ passionate, your poems and specious compliments: worked upon metill I. thonght!l loved you. Yourvery poverty | and .nysterious history drew me towards you. ~ It was at. best but the dream of a romantic girl. Time pastand l was engaged'to my cousin, whose tuter you had become. I loved! him, do’ love him with all my heart and soul. This love was no dream, but a beautiful reality.” f'er a moment Bentivoglio could not speals for Suppressed passion; and had the duchess seen the, expression. of hisface:she wonld have greatly aoubted his love still existing. Aiter a while he so far recovered his emo- tion to say, in a quiet voice: “Pardon me, lady, if I have offended; my passion was not so easily cured'as yours; mine still burns in my heart, and will as Jonge as my life,lasts. The secret that I have’ concerns the duke. Now will you swear not to reveal who told. you it, or to blame the girl?” “The girl! Do you dare to insinuate “IT insinuate nothing,’ replied Bentivoglio, bowing low; “‘my mouth is sealed unless you swear.” | “I swear!” said the duchess. “Now what is your secret?” “Phe duke whonn you so fondly, blindly love, loves;another!’’ said Bentivoglio, sneerinely. “Tt is false!*’ cried the duchess. ‘“This' is some. calumny forged by your evil brain to change my love! But trust me that this an- dacity shall: not pass unpunished : your life shall answer this!” “Has the Duchess of Vercellesi forgotten the oath she,gave?’’ asked Bentivoglio. “No, Lhave notiforgotten it!” saidithe duchess; “but; lL warn you to quit my sight’ for ever, lest in my passion | forget my promise and punish your audaeiby! 7 “ Bus if I can prove my words are trne—if I can tell you that your husband is now kneeling at amother woman’s feet, and that woman one of your maids ini waiting: if I cam show you this, and: let you see your maid spurn your husband from her, what will you say then? Will you | still tell me that I have forged this against the good, pure-minded man you call your husband ? My~love was: fierce and strong: he knows not whatit is to love, but must have each day a fresh beanty to be the goddess of the puny pas- sion he dares to call his love.” “It cannot be! it cannot be!’’ gasped the miserable duchess. forgive you! Qh, man! man! man! you know not what you've done! My heart.is breaking!” “What:1s' this I see ?”’ exclaimed Bentivozlio, with a sneer; “tears inthe eyes of a Malatesta?” “My hearb is breaking !*” moaned the misera- ble duchess. | “Were it my ease, I wonld break his first. While we. stand ‘here, Vergellesi woos his’ mis- tress with sweet words, comparing her softer | beanty to the prond looks of Fiammetta. The maiden spurns: him now; but think you she will THE DUCHESS’S REVENGE: “Oh, say it is allie, and TI’ll | ; lone do so? He is handsome, though not manly —rich beyond belief, and bears that false bait “ Enough!’ eried the duchess. ‘ What isthe girl's namer” ‘“Remember your promise!” replied Bentt- voglio, in a stern voice. “{ do,” replied Fiammetta. “ See, lam calm, and ready to hear-all.” _‘‘The lady’s name is Constantia Gornito.” ‘“Tmpossible! The girl I took to me out of charity P” : “The same,’ replied Bentivoglio, coldly. ““She could not be so ungrateful.” “ Do you believe ingratitude? Besides, I tell you she spurns the duke.”’ | “Tt was by your recommendation that I placed hernear my person—have honoured and showered favours upon her.’’ “Believe me, madam, she deserves it all ; and this you can prove by witnessing the meeting between the maiden and your husband.” “How! You know the spot where they meet, then P”’ Tv dou?’ | “Tis strange that you should know so much, | and yet have nothing to do in the arrangement of the matter,”’ said the duchess, suspiciously. ““T have told’ you, madam, that I love you,” — said Bentivoglio, in a low voice; ‘love you, not with a selfish love, but one that would protect you from feeling the anguish I feel at seeing the one I love another’s. Can you not trust “T will trust you, Bentivoglio,” said the | duchess, placing her hand upon h® arm—“ trust you as long as | can. If I tind that you have been true and faithful to me, your services shall | meet a full reward; butif I find that you have played me false—have played a double part, no revenge shall be so deep, no punishment so ter- rible as that Ll] bring on you! ” | “Fear not, signora, but I will prove my words. Take the avenue to the left, which leads to the arbour by the statue of Endymion. Tread cautiously, for even your light tread muy cause the leaves to rustle. In the arbour you will see your husband and the fair Constantia. Do not let your passion get the mastery of your better judgment: remember, ‘impatience prevents good, and causes evil.’ Be cool, and listen to their words ; you can judge > then if I speak truly when I say the girl spwrins your husband. You will also see how passion~ ately he loves the girl. Mark well how ditler- ently he woos her to how he wooed Fiammetta Malatesta. His love for that high-born lady was cool enough, Heaven knows, to cause others to notice it; bat his passion forthis wench burns with such a flame that nothing bat its sweet — return can cool it.”’ “Silence!” said the duchess, sternly. ‘* Ben- tivoglio, if what you have told me prove true, © fear not but I will have a deep revenge—one becoming a Malatesta! Serve me well and truly, and I w'll not refuse you what reward you ask. ‘Take this small dagger, and when I say Eomichbooks.com >