Rule of the Monk; Or, Rome in the Nineteenth CenturyGaribaldi, Giuseppe
History
Rule of the Monk; Or, Rome in the Nineteenth Century
Garibaldi, Giuseppe
Italian fiction -- Translations into English; Rome (Italy) -- History -- 1798-1870 -- Fiction
The hired assassins of the priesthood having no other motives than
rapine and slaughter, inundated the factory with the hope of securing
plunder and wreaking revenge. They never thought of the oaken back-door
by which the surviving defenders of Italian liberty had escaped, until
too late. Having discovered by-and-by that the building contained only
corpses, they were reminded of the subterranean passage. They searched,
inquired, and at length discovered the door leading to it. Some time
elapsed before they succeeded in forcing open the obstacles which barred
it, as well as in organizing an entry into the darkness, and all this
gave the fugitives sufficient opportunity of placing themselves in
safety.
In the first week of November, 1867, three females, an old man, and a
lad in the bloom of youth, descended at the Leghorn station. At the head
of this party stood one of those daughters of England, from whose pure
and lofty countenance, sad though she was, and dressed in mourning, the
heart derived new ideas of the dignity and happiness of life. Her lady
companion was not less beautiful nor less sad, and displayed in the
lovely lineaments of her face a different but exquisite feminine
delicacy of the Southern type, such as Raphael portrayed in his
Fornarina. The third woman was also comely; but sorrow had furrowed her
forehead deeply, and a look of vacancy had settled upon her melancholy
features. The old man, Dentato, whom Julia would not leave to misery and
want, was occupying himself about the luggage.
Jack, with the vivacity of sixteen years, offered his arm to the ladies,
to assist them as they alighted from the railway carriage. He quickly
discovered Captain Thompson and his wife, the Signora Aurelia, who were
awaiting them, and saluted the latter, who had a high regard for our
sailor-lad. Jack alone was able to relate what had passed.
"Oh!" he said, "I have kissed their corpses," and a tear rolled down
his cheek, cheek of Britannia's fair son. He spoke of the dead bodies
of Orazio and Irene, who loved him so much, and who had been his
preservers. They had been removed for burial along with the other sad
relics of our noble friends.
The women embraced, weeping on each other's bosoms, but unable to
articulate a word. After assisting at this mute scene for some time, and
showing himself also much affected, Captain Thompson raised his head,
and, approaching his mistress, addressed her, cap in hand, saying-
"Madam, the yacht is anchored off the pier, awaiting your orders; do you
desire to go on board?"
"Yes, Thompson," she replied, "let us go on board, and set sail
immediately, so as to get out of Italy; it has become the grave of all
its best and most beautiful."
Julia sailed for merry England, and took kind care of her adopted
family, to whom were added, after a time, Manlio and Silvia. Until they
joined her in England, they had remained on the island of the Recluse.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account