The pilot. [volume] (Baltimore [Md.]) 1840-1840, 1840-04-29

nv were doomed to suffer. The people Oh 10
lence had heard this intelligence with horror
and for lime the spirit of their ioreia'he!S
seemed 10 animate them. They assembled IN
the streets in large numbers; and, but Tor me
nronnt aDpearance of the foreign soldiers VINO
we're i'm the city, and large reinforcement
which was drawn in from the nelghoorlhg
county. where they had been cantoned' re-.
voIt would probably have taken place. AhEo
these aBrrrv groups Camilla had now 10 make
her wav. led bv her two unknown conductors
Sine WAS terrified and surprised; but the' curl
osity she felt to penetrate the mystery OF her
husbands occupation was so slfoh@, 'l"l T'Ie
resolved to pursue the adventure 10 It's coN0'u-
sion. ,,,.
Tbevat lenrth stopped before a large gloomy
lootinG huiIdinr. A small door was opened up
nm sigral being given by one of her conduct
ors: and Camilla, still wrapped up in her man
RE. was led. trembling with terror, INTO vast
hail filed with soldiers, and whose arms were
piled atone end of il. Some of the men were
plavinr at dice upon the drumheads. GiasseS
and hotties were upon the tables, and the ioung-
inc soldiers and their idle occupations lmPeded
the passage OF Camilla's guides. AS soon, now
ever. as il was seen who was coming, pro-
loupd silence succeeded the ringing OF glasses
the rafting of the dice, and the oaths o! the
DlaverS. Camilla, wholly at a loss to imagine
whatcouid be the occasion OF tins, passed as
quickly as possible though the space which was
made for her.
She then entered another room, where her
appearance produced the same effect; out mere
the scene was so extraordinary That she had no
time to think Of herself.
Twelve firures, clothed in white, and each
holdinr 1amkeau in his hand, formed circle
rounE \ voung man loaded with chains, and
whose emaciated figure told tale CT suffering
and LANG imprisonment. A magistrate, an
AGED priest, and two boys, bearing religious
embIeals, were near the priSoneTthe other parts
of the chamber were filed by soldiers.
The appearance of Camilla caused a shud-
deripc among the religious persons.
4 am ready 10 hear your sentence, SAID the
prisoner in languid tone.
I'll is for this man to announce it to yos, said
the magistrate, as he presented to Camilla a
parchment, to which large seal was aiHXed'
'Siccati, do your duty; read the prisoners
doom
'Gcd of mercy!' cried the unhappy captive,
lis it then sentence Of death
He dashed his head, in a movement OF deS-
pair, against the wall, and the bloed flowed with
rapidly from the wound.
This completed Camia's fright and terror
she could endure her feelings me- longer, but
sunk iainting at the feet of the judge.
sHGlv Virgin, it is woman! cried one OF the
soldiers, who had stepped forward TO raise her.
"A womann Tepeatedthe Judge, IN tone oil
anger.
a womanr re-echoed the penitents with
surprise.
yes, it is woman sad the soldiers as they
retired, and the vaulied ROOF runG with the ex-
camatisn, 1T ie womarl'
The Fash step which Camilla had taken had
efactually estrauged her irOm the heart of her
husband: and, although she did not understand
Ithe exact nature Of! the dreadful spectacle
which she had witnessed, il had given rise 10
apprehensions and doubts Eot less painful Than
the worst reality. She complained no longer
of the refinement in which she lived; but, on
tie contrary, seemed 10 Shun every kind oil
amusement Her leasure hours were wholly
EMPLOYED ia reading religious books, and visit
inc sacred places. Pietro Natall's Lives Of
the Martyrs and Jac8po VoraglEe's 'GoIden
Le0end,' had assumed the place OF the tender
Petrarch and the elegant Metastasio. Her
walk was GO longer under the areh-trees at
the gates OF Florence, mar along the light sand
which covers the banks OF the Arao; but she
would be found instead kneelIng in the church
of Saint Mary Of the FIawer, or 9slnIng The
crowd of devotees at the beautiful gates OF 81.
JOINS church, which Michael Angeio sad
were worthy TO be the gates OF Paradise. The
dreadful scene which she had witnessed in the
prison, seemed to her 10 be the presage OF some
fatal event, and she felt ike criminal who
waits the sentence which be knows it is i'm
possible to evade. AT night, in the solitude OF
her chamber the wind Whistling through the
tops of the trees. the rustiin9 OF a drapery,
the creaking of door, filed her with terror;
and when she slept, her sumbers were troubled
with frightfu dreams. Ia the daytime she
would sometimes remain for hours together
alone, with her eyes fixed, and in the same
posture. If, at this time, Benno suddenly made
his appearance, shuddering seized her, and
tears and silence were the only requittal for the
affectonate interest which he testified. Her
harp now sounded only To sacred music, aud
all her accustomed occupations were forgotten.
The religious ceremonies with which the
people of Florence celebrate the solemn iesti
val of Easter had now begun, and Camilla
pursued her sacred duties with redoubed en-
erov. II is the custom, during the whole o.
the Easter week, 10 have preaching during the
NIGHT Camilla went one night, at the hour O
the Miserere, to the church of Santa Croce.-
The scene was one which would have been i'm
posing to the mind of any one; and upon Ca
milIa's AWipr 10 the disordered and depressed