The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-23


sasm in New York, and in all the great Atlantic
cities. Almost all our exchange papers from these
towns have spoken Of il the press Of this country
never speaks Of poor book We are informed
that the first edition was exhausted before II had
been published week, and another has been sent
TO press.
But, as muttudes of our readers cannot yet have
seen il, we give them the following outline OF the
plot, which has been handed us by one OF our con-
irbutors, who declared to that he esteemed II
the best romance which has appeared in this coun-
try since the "Last Days of Pompeii:"
[.Nsw York Mirror.
Resume Of the Challenge Of Baistta.
The story opens in the spring Of 1903, and the
scene is laid in Bahetta a small fortified town on the
eastern coast of Italy, where the hostile armies OF
Ferdinand of Spain, led by the great captain Con-
zaes Cor Gonsalvo,) and of Louis of France, under
the command of the Duke de Nemours, were there
encamped, preparing for some decisive engagement
which would transfer the dominion of that beautiful
peninsula TO the proud young prince OF France, or
the bold captain Of Spain. Before this engagement
comes on all the events recorded IN this work take
place, and they are conducted with consummate
skill and address The scene opens by crowd of
soldiers and fishermen gathered round the beach, all
anxiously gazing off on the evening sea- IN the hope
OF catching some glimpse Of the feet daily expected
TO arrive from Spain, bearing reinlorcenents and
provisions to the Spanish camp, where hunger had
begun to work lis ravoges. The ave-maria sounds
its last tocsins the crowd dispense, and night comes
on. A light-rigged vessel had appeared in the fa-
ding twilight but it had attracted little observation.
At a late hour, boat was lowered from it, and pull
ed towards the beach, where two men landed; and
they were the two most consummate villains of that
age, when poison and the sietto made short but
sure roads to the accomplishment of mems pur-
Borgia and Don Michel, his Internal
agent.
Long years before, the hero of the story, the
brave Eltore Fieramosca, had found in him rival
Unable to corrupt the virtue OF the beautiful Cine
vra, Cesar Borgia had given her drugged wine at
dinner which had the desired effect, and by the aid
of priest in his pay, she had been borne off in the
night to the church in her coffin, while all but those
concerned in the plot supposed she was dead-Et-
tore among the number. In despair he had found
his way to the church, resolute when all had desert
ed the temple, to stab himself over her bier. He had
himself in the church till late hour; and
when all was STILL he went to the bier and knelt be-
side the dead Wishing to gaze once more ON her
face, he forced on the coffin lid with his dagger, says
the author. Ettore speaks" That beautiful form
was wrapped around with its pure white winding
sheets; and before left the world, wished toNsee
once more that ang' face. bent upon my knees,
and removed the y..s which hid from me the only
sight dear to me earth. The last was raised, and
Ginevra's countenance was there, pure and calm as
a waxen statue. All trembling, pressed my brow
against hers, and could in my delirium but kiss
her lips-ihey stirred oih slight fremor thought
I should fall dead Oh! Almighty God cried, can
thy mercy go so far pressed my hand TO her
pulses. The beating Of her heart took away my
breath! The pulses throbbed! Ginevra was aiven'
He lifts his hands to the Virgin, and swears that if
he redeem the life of the being he loves, he ''w
never do an act which can tempt her purity He
removes her from the coffin, and bears her from the
church He discovers the plot Of Cesar Borgia--a
plot SO internal and well laid, it seemed miracle
it could have failed He flies with her to Sicily.
Years pass by; and in the combats of contending
cheftains he with her to Italy, to Join in the
struggle. He reaches Barletta; places Ginevra in a
convent, and enters the camp of Gonzales
Cesar Borga, who had for years lost all trace of
his rival has now come to Barletta TO accomplish
his fendish purpose. His object is to carry off
Ginevra, or at least make her his victim; for she
had dared to treat with scom that dreadful prince,
whose very name filled all Italy with consterna-
ton.
Several chapters are filed with the history Of the
accomplishment Of Caesar Borgias revenge--plot-
ting and counterpottng-al the machinery of dark
ness brought TO the accomplishment of the revenge
of villan particularly during that age of in
trigue and bold crime all here clearly set forth.
The scenes that fill these chapters battle all de-
scrpion. To give our readers the faintest idea of
them, should be compelled to quote whole pages.
At last the bold villain is successfulGnevra is ru-
ined-and she dies with broken heart in the castle
of Barletta. The dying scene--which is illustrated
by the engraving OIL tHc uue-puSC--lS Obb Vi tnC
most touching chapters we ever read; we regard it
the great scene of the book; nor 10 we know of
a similar scene drawn with so mastery hand.
But, while all these exciting scenes being en-
acted, the great historical drama of the work is
moving on, which we have not yet glanced at. A
passed between the French and Italians,
which is fought with desperation. In all this, the
author has closely followed the facts Of history, as
recorded by the Italian annasts. II was an event
which arrested the gaze of Europe. Thirteen of the
bravest knights ofltaly, and an equal number from
France chosen from the flower of the chiyary of
Europe, met upon the field. The great question
was to be settled whether the days Of Italian glory
were over, or whether the fires that had once
burned on the old Roman affairs the times of Bru-
tus and shone out over the plains of Asia, when the
banners of the Crusaders hoated over the halls Of
Jerusalem, burned on still.
The rival chivalry of two brave nations met, and
it was field of desperate carnage of heroism, and
of blood But the Italian knights, led on by Ettore
Fieramosca, won the day; and then victory covered
Italy with glory.
The hero comes back triumphant from the field,
and dashes to The convent upon his foaming
battlchorse to bear the of the victory to his
beloved Gnevra. As yet, he knew nothing of her
fate. He crossed the drawbridge, eaped from the
saddle, and rushed to her room in the convent. He
found it deserted. He rushed to the chapel. Cine
vra was nowhere to be found. Here we quote
from the author, who has described the in the
most mastery style:
''The church was empty, and almost dark. He
could see person in the choir, and yet he heard
a low chanting, which seemed to come up from
below. He went forward, and that, from the
grating before the main altar, which looked down
into the subtcnancan chapel a light streaming,
which struck upon the ceiling above, in circular
discolored form. When he approached it, he heard
them recting, below the prayers for the dead. He
walked round the altar, and descended. The rat
Ting of his armor and spurs, and the clank of his
sword upon the steps, startled the circle gathered
around the little chapel The circle opcned at their
feet he beheld the bier he had that morning in
the secrsty of st. Dominica before him, tho side
of the aar--the friar Mariana, in surplice and the
habit for the dead holding in his extended hand the
holy water; in the centre, an open tomb--on one
side, two men supporting an upright stone; on the
other Loraide on her knees, bending over the body
of Gnevra, which had already been buried beneath.
She was composing the veil upon her face and lay
ing crown Of white roses upon her forehead.
"Ettore reached the pavement and stood gazing,
immovabe, without speaking a word-without
making motion, or moving his eye-lids. Slowly
kia face became rioid and nallid NO "a cornse then