Middletown transcript., 1869-09-04
Original Storu.
For The Midlletorn Transcript
STORYeOF
THE STRANGE ITALIAN.
WRITTEN IN lS42-BY OATS.
CONCLUDED.

He remained moment on the canal
then giving an order to the gondolier to
leave him, he threw himself into the gon-
cola, WHICH darted like Il thing Of life over
the waters IL sprang into the first |
could find, and telling the gondolicr to fol-
low at Il dlstance, we were soon noise lessly
upon the pursuit. The gondolier did not
snow my rank, nor indeed cared His pay
Vas all he cared about; SO slipping some
raluapIc coin IN his hand, we at once, as
by tacit consent, understood that silence
and pursuit were the objects.
We foiiuWed long ana swiftly; now gain
ln5 upon the unconscious fugitive, now
dropping lar in the rear. At last the
foremost gundola shot mo ttIe landing
At thc tormua.lon of an island in the La
guna, while the one winch | occupied
landed me at nearer prlnt.
Giving the gonuolirr oracrs 10 await un~
Gil | returned, anu seconding the request
with some coin, ! sto lG cautiously through
tne shruDbery toYaru the Sput where Man
frini had landed. | soon discovered him. .
he was alone, and to my astonishmtnt,
for the moon gave me Il full and distinct
view Of his countenance, looked troubled
and sad Favored by the shr4bbery, |
contnued following him until | discovered
him, on turning an angle of the sLrub-
ocry, bending over tGWb. Cautiously
now approached, and by the moonlight
discovered it was my mothers grave.
My father had acyer told me whero my
mother was buried nor did know until iii,
moment but that she was slumbering il
our own vaults.
tixdd'aAy eye upon his movements, like
the hawk ere he pounces upon his prey
Pity had no more pity for him in my
soul than the sirocco for the caravan in
the desert Il. He was my motber's murder
er, it was enough
The villain was communing with un-
pleasant memories He sighed, and by
the moonlight, discovered tears coursinr
down his cheeks. He approached still
nearer, and dropping OF bis knees beside
the monument. exclaimed
Venitia, buried Venitia, murdered
Venetia, thy assassin, at thy grave, begs
forgiveness This night nineteen years
ago, l gave the fatal draught that con-
signed thy beauty to the banquet of worms
oh Venitia, Venitia, from Heaven,
ministering spirit, forgive mel
"Villaip !" l cried. springing upon
him, =" take this for forgiveness" as [
plunged my stilletto to his heart-The off
spring of Venitia thus avenges her death !"
The death-struck Manfrini rolled his
eyes wildly upon me, as he exclaimed.
- tits just,-Ay-my gondola-fy-my
forgiv,n ness, and expired.
l rushed from the scene of horrors
Conscience had already summoned her
courts within my breast, but the belief
that | was fulfilling my destiny, gave
suPerRuman energy to my resolves.
sought the gondola in which l came,
flung myself into it, apd whispering to the
goudolier, as l placed the gIittering coin
in his hand, "now for your life-swift" -
We soon left the island far far behind.
Throwing myself from the gondola at
convenient landing, hurried through the
deserted streets of Venice to my fathers
palace. IL was silent, ALL sought his
room, approached his couch, drew aside
the curtain,-My God--he was stiff dead
The mighty oath which be held so scrur-
uIously sacred, and kept iuviolute, had
fulniled rs allotted time and eptrusting
us w,JH the revelation of my destiny, the
old man aeart had broken Peace 10
his memory
| now ietermiped 10 leaye Venice for
eyer, ana az sn eXplaiion in the sight of
Heaven for tae shedding OF blood, resolved
| wouid devote my future HE to the
Priesthood. No Suspicion bad attached
10 me us the murderer of Manfrini, SO af-
ter brief fortnight, l tore myself away
irom that city Of the soul"
| pleaded my own grief to friend of
Francesca's who had called upon me to
know the reason why 1 did not call on
her, and sending her word to Danish me
forever from her thoughts, | left the pace
of my birth.
In that rigid order of --=- now en-
tered, and changing my nane to Father