Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-10-21

1
name of this man who is now our cap
tive they do intend this very night to
sack the palace and to murder thy sire.
Wherefore HE thee away presently to
O place Of safety, and, as for this
swashbuckler, this raditore santanico,
70 to, we will attend to his affair"
The graceful and stately daughter
of Castruccio listened to him with an
air Of wonder and then gaZed at me
for moment with regretful and half
increduous look. 1t dkd not seem to
me possible that she could at once be-
lieve the word Of this gross and sense
less official in the face Of my love for
her and the devotion had shown her.
but she seemed upon the point Of do
ing so. She now turned away from me
coldly. and knew at once that her de-
termination was taken.
ut is all on account Of that unfortu,
nate dissension about our ancestors"
thought l. "and because Of her finding
that Internal handkerchief in the pas
sageway."
"Sayest thou even so, worthy podes.
tar" said she at length. "And yet l
might have been convinced sooner of
the princes perfidy If had believed
the evidences which have been thrust
upon me and had listened to the die
tates of reason. Ho. ye burly men of
the watch, bind the villain hand and
foot and tie him fast in yonder chair"
To say that l was shocked and
grieyed and surprised beyond measure
at my Quondam inamorata's harsh.
ness toward me does but poorly express
my feelings. The halDerdiers of the
watch to whom she had given this per-
emptory order at once produced cords
and secured me firmly to the chair as
she had directed.
"And now," she continued, "Messer
Gabrielle and right worshipful men,
bers Of the signoria and men of the
watch, fol. me, every one of We, and,
by our Lady, l will show ye such cry
ing and damnable evidences Of the
guilt and cruelty and bloodthirstiness
of this family of the PaZzi as will
| cause We to wish them presently eXter-
minated from the face Of the earth"
With that she took the wax taper
and went along the secret passage, and
they all, without exception, followed
her, and when she had come to the en-
trance of the ominous chamber she
stood aside by the doorway and let the
whole score Of them pass into the room,
and I could see the whole proceeding
from the chair where sat.
"This," said she to the closely as.
sembled group before her, "is the most
wicked spot in this most wicked and
bloody castle. Domeniddio alone know
eth how many murders have here been
done upon their foes by the remorseless
Pazzi. See, have but to pull this lever
and the floor will disappear from be-
meath your feet and ye will be cast
down into that black and bottomless
we'll Of which you have doubtless
heard"
At this a great fright seemed to seize
upon the gaping crew, and they crowd
ed quickly and eagerly to the entrance,
and then Ippolita must have pulled the
lever, for saw their hands wave in the
air, heard a most awful and blood cur.
ding shrek made Of all their combined
voices and saw them suddenly disap.
pear. Then there came great splash
ing, a sound of oaths and of blows and
of death struggles, and in q moment all
was still once more.
Ippolita now worked the lever back
and the floor rose again to its place
Then she came to me very quietly and
coolly and proceeded to unite my fas
Jennings.
81 will wager thou didst believe that
I did not love thee, my Timoteo," said
she. "Beshrew me. but did not think
that so light touch would move vol
iron lever, and now that l do bethinl
me am Of the opinion that ! did beal
upon 1t too heavily"
Was shs not a magnificent noble and