Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-04-03

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him during his absence. TLe h,on,e
horse remained In solitary rr,nae,r -
his place: and from that day forward
the jew, or whoever he might be, never
more made his appearance at Palazzo
Cayallo. SO strange was the event, that
the prince could not help mentioning il
to all bis acquaintance, and much inquiry
was made in every direction, TO endeavor
10 throw some light upon the affair, but
all in vain: and after time. except by
the prince himself. tx matter was en-
tirely forgotten. ...a-r-
Ii might be about five years after the
sale of the horse, that the prince was one
morning awakened in great haste. at the
earl Y hour Of six O'Clock. by the sudden
entrance Of the Abbate Selvaegi ian old
antiquarian friend of his,) while ne was
yet in bed. Getup, get up, my friend, I"
said he, eve must 60 instantly and ex-
anime your bronze horse, have made
great discovery; but I will explain
nothing until We have convinced ourselves
with our own eyes Of the extraordinary
truth. >. The prince ran with the abbate
10 the statue, when the priest, after a
glace, exclaimed Ii is true they haze
taken out his eyes. The abbate then
stated to the surprised prince, that he
had just been called to the death bed of
the confessor Of the princes late father,
and had received from the dying man q
most extraordinary confession liz writing.
After expressing regret for deed of guilt
committed. the dying mans confession
narrated, that he had been the confessor
of the late Principe di San Silvestro. who,
many years ago, had contided to him that
he had formed the resolution, on account
of vow he had made, to place two bril-
llants Of immense size and value, as ewes
in the head of his bronze horse. The
conlcssor had aided in he act, and added.
that he strongly suspected that the rea.
son OF the princes doing so extraordinary
deed proceeded from remnant Of the
superstitious veneration of horses. (which
hsd secretly been cherished i'm Naples
after the Inhabitants were converted 20
christianity But. if such was the case,
the. prince never confessed it.
Years rolled on, and the transaction
remained a profound secret; the prince
was strange, eccentric person, consider
ed half crazy by every one, who passed
ms days and nights in poring over an
cient lore, and receiving no visitors, un-
less it was some one who brought him
manuscripts or legends of antiquity, for
which he was always ready to give good
price. A short time before his death. the
confesSor used frequently to meet at his
house little old man Of foreign appear
ance, (who the reader may guess, was
the mysterious purchase of the bronze
horse. He had travelled much, and evil
IDENTIFY became soon in high favor with
the prince, with whom he supplied with
much of his fayorite literature, and they
used to be shut up for weeks together
over their books. On the death Of the
prince, the priest was tempted by the
stranger with an offer of 10000 ducats
to let the other take away the brilliants
and keep the secret. The p riest yielded;
the strange old man kept his promise,
and at once disappeared, leaving his ac-
complice to deep remorse. This was the
confession.
1t may be well imagined what was the
vexaiion of TIE Principe di San Silvestro,
on receiving the foregoing communication
from his friend the abbate. To hear tina,
he had been deprived of wealth, probs.
bly, more than sufficient to put him on
an equality with the richest Of the Nea-
politan mobiles, would have been a severe
trial to any one; but the prince had been
SO long accustomed to privations, that he
no longer felt disappointments SO keenly
as he did in his younger days; for his
sons sake alone he would have desired
riches. 'sGod has so ordered it." said
he to himself with sigh IL am not
born to be fortunate; however, $500 du-
cats are better than nothing, and will
assist me in fitting out my boy when he
leaves college"
in the meantime, the princes son the
young Constantine Florillo, grew up the
pride and joy Of his fond father, who. by
strict economy, had been enabled to give
him an excellent education; and CAV,
handsome, and accomplished, he was be-
loved by all his companions in college,
who, being sons of the first noblesse of
Naples, were much superior to him in
fortune. But Constantine as vet felt not
the difference of their positions. At col
lese ali were equal; and when at the age
Of eighteen, they returned to their fami-
lies, several young men with whom he
had contracted warm friendship con-
tinually invited him to visit them and
al length the Duca di Taurino, the father
Of his most favorite young friend (who was
carried off suddenly by an illness of few
days. procured for him the commission
his son had held in the Guardio Corpo,
or Kings Body guard, which was then
considered the first regiment in Naples,
and only the sons Of the nobility were
admitted into it. ..
One evening, during very gay carni-
val, the young Conte di Lesino called to
carry his friend, the Principino, with him
to ball at the Due de St. Marguerite's.
who was then French ambassador at the
court Of Naples, and on their way ,hitber
tie count exclaimed Gaily, Prepare to
Surrender your hitherto insensibie heart
tonight. Constantine, 1 am going to
show you the prettiest girl that has ap-
peared this winter, the beautiful CeciIe
de MonteDar-only do not try to sup.
plant me, as l fully intend doing her the
honor Of making her Contessa di Lesino.
My father has given bis consent to the
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