The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-02-19
THE IRON sHRoUD,
OR-ITALIAN VENGEANCE.

manded magnificent view al Sicily IN
all its grandeur I; and here, in dungeon,
excavated deep in the solid rock, the
miserable victim was immured, whom
revenge pursued dark, fierce, and
Implying revenge Of an Italian heart.
Viyenzio--the noble and the generous,
TIC fearless in battle, aud the pride of
Naples IN her sammy hours Of peace-the
young, the brave, the proud, Vivenzio
fell beneath this subtle and remorseless
spirit. He was tho prisoner of Tolfi,
and he lnnguished in that rock-encircled
dungeon, which stood alone, and whose
portals never opened twice upon living
captive.
Il had The semblance of vast cage,
for the roof, and floor, and sides, were
of iron, solidly wrought, and spaciousy
constructed. High above there ran a
range Of seven grated windows, guard
cd with massy bars of the same metal,
I which admitted light aud air. Save
these, and tall folding doors beneath
them, which occupied the centre, no
chink, or chasn, or projection, broke the
smooih black surface of the walls. An
iron bedstead, Uttered with straw, stood
in one corner and beside it. vessel
with water, and coarse dish filled with
coarser food.
( Sscn the intrepid soul of Vivenzio
shrunk with dismay as he entered this a
bode, and heard the ponderous doors tri-
ple-locked by the silent rullinns who con-
/ Quoted him 10 il. Their silence seemed
prophetic of his fate,-of the living
grave that had been prepared for him.
lie could not hope 10 escape, unless
he had The power with his bare hands, of
rendiog asunder the solid iron walls of
his prison. lie could not hope for lib
er,y from the relen,ing mercics Of his
enemy.
1t was evening when Vivenzio entered
his dungeon, and .he approaching shades
of night wrapped it in total darkness, as
he paced up and down, revolving in his
mind these horrible forebodings.
The stronger light Of day only served
to confirm what the gloomy indistinct-
ness of the preceding evening had par
italy discloscd-lhe utter impossihlity
of escape. As, however, his eyes wan
,lcred round and round, and from place
to place, he noticed two circumstances
which excited his surprise and Curiosity.
The one, ho thought, might be fancy !;
but the other was positive. His pitcher
of water, and the dish which contained
his food, had been removed from his
side while he slept, aud now stood near
the door. lie had been visited there
fore during the night. But how had the
person obtained entrance Gould he
have slept SO sonndly, that the unlocked
and opening of those ponderous portals
were effected without waking him =
He would have said this was not posi-
BILE, but that in doing SO, he must admit
II greater difficulty, an entrance by 9th
cr means, of which lie was convinced
there existed none. The other circuin-
stance whici, had attracted his notice,
was the disappearance, as he believed,
of one of the seven grated windows that
ran along the top of his prison. He fel,
confident that he had observed and couii-
ted them for he was rather surprised
at their number, and there was some
thing peculiar in their form, MS well as
) in the manner of their arrangement, al
unequal distances. 1t was so much Ell.
sier, however, to suppose he was mista-
!, ken, than that portion of the solid
iron, Which formed the walls, coult
have escaped from its position, that ht
soon dismissed the thought from hi:
mind.
Viycnzio pariook of the food that wa.
before him, without apprehension. j
might bc poisoned but if it were, h,
knew he could not escape death, slioull
u such be the design of Tolfii, and th,
: quickcs. death would be the specdies,
U release.
: The day passed wcarily and gloomily
= though not without n faint hope that, by
keeping watch at night he might observe
a when the person came again TO brin:
4 him food, which he supposed he woult
: do in tho same way US before. Th,
mere thought Of being approached by |
living creature, and the opportunity i
C might present Of learning the doom pre-
Y pared, or preparing, for him, impaired
some comfort. Besides, if he came u
: lone, might he not in furious onset o
;. vcrpowcr hin, Or he might be acces
sble to pity, Of the influence Of sucl
n mu .: .:ficent rewards as he could bestov
!. If ouce more at liberty aud master o
i himself Say he were armed. Th
: wors, that could befal, il neither bribe
z nor force prevailed, was a faithful blow
d which, though dealt in n damned cause
u might work "a desired end. There wa
h no chance so desperate, but il Iooke'
y lovely in yiyenzio's eyes, compare'
II with the idea Of being totally abandon
d ded.