The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1865-07-26
FRANCESCA RODONI.
4 Story Of a Sioilian Brigand.


my cruel situation. fsqucuiT reverted TO the rob
bor's words, and lady know " cher TO ooey
his directions or MOI Ut the light Of my be oved
L.ur.'s house soon put all thes" and any other re-
Elections g. O .ht, and rushed home Ia an ony
OF d spar. IL Was consi ierablv pat noon when
arr vel, AM I Isssi d q long and miserable night
Distracted by corteudng pssn"ns; Whist to do,
what W hope. know not, every effort TO calm nv =
sell only threw mo into 'r'sl proXy.ms Of giis,
rad gwen worlds 10 SO Laura, but dared not APP
Pfoaca her, lest my passion should incite me TO
SINE tesrf decd 70 remain In conhn,ment, how.
ever, vss impos i'lr, and towards .Ae evening OF
the Jay aiot nv r,tur Islols out Of doors. intend
ins TO take sotrry sttoll tut p'rce.y.ns crowd
o. The end ~ thu yi,se, my steps Involuntary
turned that way. Some Of the police were pro-
cl i'm MA revert Tor thu apprehension OF Fran
cesco Rodoni, uoorio . robbe', who &c. ali e.
couttry side n fear, and capture whom all att mpts
bat been ia vain. He hAd tat Very ghI, the uh.-
GERS srsl, robbed a. EnHlish gentleman OF
largo sum q money, and ih ,ugl wounded In the
scuGl' q, conlriyed = escspa With his b1oiy; he
p-ocinmstion ended By yes riding his person and
the smouut NJ q e reward.
A. FIRST lsl,nei with stupid INCONSISTENCIES
Of wust Was going on but - the description WAS
read, thougl fssasd upon Inc lhsi u vas Fran
cesco himself who hal Cnterta ed me on the
mount,in there could lie dodht ~ u, the ac-
count all ed 10 every respect and hsn, the rewAri
IL would iul pay the sum demanded By u, mo s,al
that iestt / ! e. frs! entered my mud, felt IS
thou yh struck by lightning my he al swan round,
and hal almost fallen ~ tie ground but -purn-
cd The imIting demon from me. What y
sail |, "beviy lin WHO sAel,e Of and fe. me a.
his own poll o.. no am not sunk 80 low ms
that. Come woe AMI despair snd dss,h, 10 that
lie fee from Grim and srch cimel"
Such were my first emo. ons tut slsBi the devil
returned O. inc Ia ihs solitude u night WI sperny
VI .cous though 9, apd Evasenin foul des res with
In me. That horrible plan flr acq iinng lhe re-
QUIET, money hauutsd me aud ~ vain Did / at
tempt 10 nj myself ofit The busy Suggestions
Of tue hond, by whom It WIS pr mp, d, aos'tei by
owl T. ell D q e OF
tn dreadful crime aud ne fearful c'ufct e.ween
NY good and evil M iurc Amos, goa d me ~ mad
noss; III nj leo III cpu forbesr no Longer. lives
eAl morn, aud the dars tres " hluh sha led Lsitas
window were Ia Ni-sg. "Is 10 enousA," said !;
"come what may, she thsl. he nine" yell q
d mouGc lsuTAtGr, mothon6ht burst out behind
mo az mace this exclamation u, stopped my
ears and ran furiously OF. / awoke the chef OF
the police, and rapidly informed him OF my object
He hesitAted tor some time for lie ovlcenay SUP
posed mo mad but was not so then. Oh that
were so now. Il did not take long TO convince
him OF the fearful rca ity Of my desgn AMI We set
of At once, accompanied by four Of hiI fellows, for
the capture OF him who had, two DAYS betJrs, saw
ti my lire. / could see tina, these men, hardened
as hcy were, despisod me; snd proceeded sc-
cordingly, at some distance before thsn. des-
pissed myself too-despised' / losthed and All
bored myself yet held on, my teeth SGT, my
hands clenchod, and the ire fhtll burning IN my
bosom.
On coming near The appointed spot my comrades
Jagged behind and wa ked forward alone to meet
Francesca. lie was waiting my arrival, aud bale
me welcome, which returned, though the words
almos. choked me and dared not look in the
face Of my unconscious victim. He seemed weak,
and was wounded Ia the right side, ye. every
glance az his eye made my guilty soul trenble
"lt is we'll" said he; II Am glad thai you keep
your appointment. Follow me" with those
words he turned to walk away but gave the pre-
concerted sgnsl, aud in an instant Lo was seized
aud hound / dared NOT meet his gaze now, but
snaichipg the gold from my employer, shot down
the steep pathway impelCd by shame horror, and
remolse. Strange 10 say, as proceeded these fool
ings gave way TO feeling almost Of 10y for the pos
session Of the money. stopped, poured out the
gold on n stone by tho way side, aud counted 1t
over. Then l laughed till tho valley was filled
with he echoes Of my dresdfu mirth, and danced
round tie treasure with the horrid CLEO that
demon might feel ON achieving the ruin Of . soul
whose spostacy, he knows Will only add deeper
shade 10 the blao kness Of his own damnstion.
On approaching the village, proceeded at once
TO Espinols's house. Laura, who was sitting
mournfuly at the window, uttered cry OF surprise,
and sprang up TO moei me. rushed In, and fling
ing tho gold on the table, exclaimed that there
was no bar to ouI happiness. In the impulse OF the
moment she flung hor arms about my neck aud
buIsI into ears ofJoy.
A tho though; u my dishonesty. however, cross
cd her mind, Laura stepped back, and ontreated
me nos 70 deceive her. "Assurs me-" said she,
that IL IL honestly, lawfully Obtained" This
might have told me what 70 expect when the full
uutn should be Known but was blinded TO ali
consequences and assured the trembling girl tia,
II was lawfully procursd-lawfully, Icould not say
honestly, Tor tho word suck In my throat.
Why should the tale OF guilt be Heightened GU, :
sat down beside her, and wretch that was clasp
81 my arm around her innocent form, and Listened
to oil her gullsloss prattle as though had really
been the sinl 80 youth seemed yet all the tune
there WAS fearful consciousness Of my dreadful
crime, that pressed like lead wi,hiu my bosom
Presently there was noise at tho end OF the VII
lige, which gradually approached, and attracted
L,urI's attention. / knew but too well wL.t
II was, yet l could not move, and did not even
look up till the crowd stopped al our window,
when my eyes met those Of Francesca Fettered
and wounded a. ho WIS., his glance petrifled me,
and remained TO hear my fearful doom, motionless
and seEseless to all but one drss1ful object.
Friends, " said the robber, looking around him,
81 am msefactor, u 10 true YET have the feelings
Of man, and deserve TO be, II, a,ed as such, tll
Am slaughtered Ike n dog Listen, and Judge Al
there be NOS grester miScreants on earth than Fan
cetcu Rodoni, Tho Otnsr day, . man approached
ny hgunts; me tempest coming on-he had lost
hil road--,e was weary aud hungry. 1 took him
to my home, gave him fo0d and shelter, aud the
mex! morning acted as his guide. the robber,
me muTdorer-lid this nay more, ne told me thai
he wanIed money 10 gain It l committed this las.
r bbery, Tor which am now TO suffer. had bid
cen him TO meet Inc tlis morning he came true
10 hls trysle, bu! how accompanied these bonds
may answer, What say 70 10 this I"
Ayu 81 harIas Asoss te- ~. ==vA - hvt