New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-08

macy; but BY some strange quaiy, enc ~
pie ut distance without 30 much as 'e'0'os ''o"'
know that they we're excluded from her iD"er %
els "ghe ytsem,led one of those images OF "s"'
which coniorors evoke and eanse to shine pe'cfe un
in apparent tapgbihty, only On arm ie"s'"
our grasp: we make step IN adv'n'o'
+o ,svs The llusiop bat fluid j. still Prec"ey 30 lAr
ont Of opr resch Finally, society began 70 rec's-
&c ho ;mnossib,lty of getting nearer ID M'''ai''
"a ornalv acouesced." The Young Italian,
whose resemblance to the fauh " 1IAA'.cie'
uos the constant subject OF remark, hao,
on casual visit TO Rome, been attracted
Nv the rare beauty of Miriam; he had
soueht her. folowea her, sud inssted, with simple
perseveiaDce on b. inc aduited her acquaintance;
a boon witch had been granted to his atfechonate
simplc,ty, when more artful character would
have failed TO Obtain it. This young man, though
quite destitute Of intellectual brilaDcy, bad macy
agreeable characteristics, which won him the kindly
and half contemptuous regard of Miriam, to whom
his devotion was without bounds.
Not long after the opening Of the narrative, the
evil eeIius of Mirsm, the human tpscer who con-
staptly haunts FER with the remembrance OF some
mysterious crme 10 her past history IL brought
upon the scene, in the f, rm of "dosky death
scented apparitop," calling forth terrible dread
in Miriam aud in DouatellO excitiOg a hatred re-
senbllpg the instructive unreasOniDg antPatby OF
one of the lover ANIMALS. Without further e1pla-
nation, except 10 premise that Hlda and Kenyon
are artists residing OF Rome and the most ultimate
| companions of Miriam, we will introduce our read
els abruptly 10 q scene from which Tie ghastly 10
terest of the subsequent narrative takes It's origin
On the left of the Piazza Of the Campidogo, az you
face city ward and at the head OF the long and stately
fight OF steps descending from the Capisohue Hill to
tie level Of lower Rome, there Is narrow lane OF
| massage. Ipto this the party OF our friends no"
tured. TIE path ascended u little and ran along
under the was of palace bat coon parsed through
| gateway and terminated in small paved courtyard.
| 1t was bordeIed by allow parapet -
The spot, fer some reason or o'her impressed Vnem
| az exceedingly lonely. On side was the grea!
hight q. the palace, with the moonshipe falling over IT,
| end showing AL the windows barred and s6uItered.
Not hun an ey could look down into tie little court
| wand even if the seemingly deserted palace had a
tenant On all other sides VI s narrow Compass mere
| was nothing bat The psralet, Which, as II now
| appet red, built rs ht on the eose OF d s'eep
Irscirice. Gazing from ITS imminent brow, tne party
be held crowded confusion OF roofs spreading over
| the Whole space between them and the line OF
| hills that lay You'd The Iloer A long, misty
wreath ust dense enough to catch little OF The moon
|
hiy jI and show ed the of the unst en- river
Far away on the right the cleaned On the dome
of st. Peters as well on many lesser and nearer
comes.
What beautiful view of the city J" exclaimed
Hlda and never Rome from this point be-
fore"
1T ought 10 afford good prospect, said the scap-
tor; "1or il was from this point-at least We are at
liberty TO think so If we cboOee-that many famous
RomSn caught BIS last glimpse of his native city, and
OF al other earthly thngs. Ibis one o the soes OF
Il, Roc Innk
what ST eer tumble there might still be for traitor,
in sIe of the thirty feet of soil that have accumulated
at the foot Of the precipice.'
They ell bent over aud sow that the cliff fell per-
peudicularly downward TO about the depth or rather
more az boh the tall palace roe III hight above ther
heads Not that it still the natural shaggy front
OF tie original pieCpjce; for appeared To De cssed
in ancient stoDsw, rk, through which the primeval
rock showed its face here and there grimly and doubt
| tuIly Mosses grew on the slight projections, and
e shrubs sprouted out Of the ceviees o9t cond not
much soften the stem aspect OF the cih Brightly as
the Italian moonlight fell a-ooWn the hight, II scarcely
show I'd what portion Of it We mans work ana what
Na'ee bot left it all in very much b the same snt;
qusriaps generally leave the identity OF Roman re-
| name. -, -,
been bn against the base and sides of the cliff rose
Ne sIy midway TO the top; but from an angle OF the
para ct there precpitous plange straight down.
war ointo stone-paved court.
IL prefer This to any other site as having been YER
itaIly the Traitors Leap, said Kenyo because It
was 70 convenient to tbe Capitol. IL admlra-
be idea Of those stern old fellows 70 ting their polt.
cal criminals down from the veIy s0mmit on which
stood The Senste House and JOye's Temple, emblems
al the ins jtulioDs which they sought to violate. IL
symbozes how sudden the fall in those day from
the utmost hight of ambition 10 s profoundest ruin"
"Come, Gomez it Is midnight" cried another artist,
" TOO late TO be moralizing here. We are literally
dreaming on the edge of precip ice. Let 90 home
- IL tiwe, indeed" raid Hilda-
The sculptor was not without hopes that he might be
favored with the sweet charge OF escortlDg Hlsa
10 The foot of her tower Accord ngly, when the
psr, preuared TO turn back be offered her his arm.
Hda At first accepted it; but wheI they had partly
th1eaded the passage between the little courty 9rd and
the Piazza dtl Csundogho, she Uncovered that Miriam
bad reDsined behind.
from Kenyon's; "but pray do not come With
ne. Several times this evening L have mad
fancy that Miriam had something on Ter NINA
some SORROW or perplexlty Wmeh, perhaps,
il would relieve her TO tell me about. No. 10;
do not torn back DoDateno VIII De euncient guar
dian for Miriam and me-"
The sculptor was good deal mortified, and perhaps
a little angry but he EIew Hdas mood of gentle de-
cfop ana ipCepeIdeDce too well not % obey hsr. lie
therefore suffered the fearless maiden TO reurn Alone
Meanwhile MiIism had Dot noticed the departure OF
tie rest Of the company; she remained Oh the edge oil
the pr(cipice, and DoDatellO along with her. .
at would be fatal tall, ttll, she said to herself,
looking the psrapet, and shudderng as her eye
neasured the depth. " fes surely yes Even VIII
ont tie weight Of an over-burdeDed hfart a human
body would fall heavily enough upon thooe stones 70
shake all tie joints asunder. How soon 1t would De
over !"
Donatello, of whofe presence she wac possibly not
aware now presseo Oser to her rice; and he, too,
ike Miriam bent over the low parspet and Iembled
yio nty Yet he seemed 10 feel TIA; perlons asclna
tion which baus the brow Of precipees tempting the
ubwsIy one TO fling himself over for the very horror
of the thing for after drawing hastily back, he again
I'd