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diff --git a/2363-h/2363-h.htm b/2363-h/2363-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9ed3f32 --- /dev/null +++ b/2363-h/2363-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2607 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Incognita, by William Congreve</title> + +<style type="text/css"> + +body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + text-align: justify; } + +h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 {text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-weight: +normal; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em;} + +h1 {font-size: 300%; + margin-top: 0.6em; + margin-bottom: 0.6em; + letter-spacing: 0.12em; + word-spacing: 0.2em; + text-indent: 0em;} +h2 {font-size: 150%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +h3 {font-size: 130%; margin-top: 1em;} +h4 {font-size: 120%;} +h5 {font-size: 110%;} + +.no-break {page-break-before: avoid;} /* for epubs */ + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always; margin-top: 4em;} + +hr {width: 80%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + +p {text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.25em; } + +p.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: 90%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.center {text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.right {text-align: right; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + + </style> +</head> +<body> + +<div style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold;'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Incognita, by William Congreve</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Incognita<br /> + or, Love & Duty Reconcil’d. A Novel</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: William Congreve</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0'>Release Date: October, 2000 [eBook #2363]<br /> +[Most recently updated: January 31, 2021]</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: David Price</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK INCOGNITA ***</div> + +<h1>Incognita: or, Love & Duty Reconcil’d.<br /> +A Novel</h1> + +<h2 class="no-break">by William Congreve</h2> + +<hr /> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p class="center"> +TO THE<br /> +Honoured and Worthily Esteem’d<br /> +Mrs. <i>Katharine Leveson</i>. +</p> + +<p> +<i>Madam</i>, +</p> + +<p> +A Clear Wit, sound Judgment and a Merciful Disposition, are things so rarely +united, that it is almost inexcusable to entertain them with any thing less +excellent in its kind. My knowledge of you were a sufficient Caution to me, to +avoid your Censure of this Trifle, had I not as intire a knowledge of your +Goodness. Since I have drawn my Pen for a Rencounter, I think it better to +engage where, though there be Skill enough to Disarm me, there is too much +Generosity to Wound; for so shall I have the saving Reputation of an +unsuccessful Courage, if I cannot make it a drawn Battle. But methinks the +Comparison intimates something of a Defiance, and savours of Arrogance; +wherefore since I am Conscious to my self of a Fear which I cannot put off, let +me use the Policy of Cowards and lay this Novel unarm’d, naked and +shivering at your Feet, so that if it should want Merit to challenge +Protection, yet, as an Object of Charity, it may move Compassion. It has been +some Diversion to me to Write it, I wish it may prove such to you when you have +an hour to throw away in Reading of it: but this Satisfaction I have at least +beforehand, that in its greatest failings it may fly for Pardon to that +Indulgence which you owe to the weakness of your Friend; a Title which I am +proud you have thought me worthy of, and which I think can alone be superior to +that +</p> + +<p class="right"> +<i>Your most Humble and</i><br /> +<i>Obliged Servant</i><br /> +CLEOPHIL. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2>THE PREFACE TO THE READER.</h2> + +<p> +Reader, +</p> + +<p> +Some Authors are so fond of a Preface, that they will write one tho’ +there be nothing more in it than an Apology for its self. But to show thee that +I am not one of those, I will make no Apology for this, but do tell thee that I +think it necessary to be prefix’d to this Trifle, to prevent thy +overlooking some little pains which I have taken in the Composition of the +following Story. Romances are generally composed of the Constant Loves and +invincible Courages of Hero’s, Heroins, Kings and Queens, Mortals of the +first Rank, and so forth; where lofty Language, miraculous Contingencies and +impossible Performances, elevate and surprize the Reader into a giddy Delight, +which leaves him flat upon the Ground whenever he gives of, and vexes him to +think how he has suffer’d himself to be pleased and transported, +concern’d and afflicted at the several Passages which he has Read, viz. +these Knights Success to their Damosels Misfortunes, and such like, when he is +forced to be very well convinced that ’tis all a lye. Novels are of a +more familiar nature; Come near us, and represent to us Intrigues in practice, +delight us with Accidents and odd Events, but not such as are wholly unusual or +unpresidented, such which not being so distant from our Belief bring also the +pleasure nearer us. Romances give more of Wonder, Novels more Delight. And with +reverence be it spoken, and the Parallel kept at due distance, there is +something of equality in the Proportion which they bear in reference to one +another, with that betwen Comedy and Tragedy; but the Drama is the long +extracted from Romance and History: ’tis the Midwife to Industry, and +brings forth alive the Conceptions of the Brain. Minerva walks upon the Stage +before us, and we are more assured of the real presence of Wit when it is +delivered viva voce— +</p> + +<p class="letter"> +Segnius irritant animos demissa per aurem,<br /> +Quam quæ sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus, & quæ<br /> +Ipse sibi tradit spectator.—Horace. +</p> + +<p> +Since all Traditions must indisputably give place to the Drama, and since there +is no possibility of giving that life to the Writing or Repetition of a Story +which it has in the Action, I resolved in another beauty to imitate Dramatick +Writing, namely, in the Design, Contexture and Result of the Plot. I have not +observed it before in a Novel. Some I have seen begin with an unexpected +accident, which has been the only surprizing part of the Story, cause enough to +make the Sequel look flat, tedious and insipid; for ’tis but reasonable +the Reader should expect it not to rise, at least to keep upon a level in the +entertainment; for so he may be kept on in hopes that at some time or other it +may mend; but the ’tother is such a balk to a Man, ’tis carrying +him up stairs to show him the Dining-Room, and after forcing him to make a Meal +in the Kitchin. This I have not only endeavoured to avoid, but also have used a +method for the contrary purpose. The design of the Novel is obvious, after the +first meeting of Aurelian and Hippolito with Incognita and Leonora, and the +difficulty is in bringing it to pass, maugre all apparent obstacles, within the +compass of two days. How many probable Casualties intervene in opposition to +the main Design, viz. of marrying two Couple so oddly engaged in an intricate +Amour, I leave the Reader at his leisure to consider: As also whether every +Obstacle does not in the progress of the Story act as subservient to that +purpose, which at first it seems to oppose. In a Comedy this would be called +the Unity of Action; here it may pretend to no more than an Unity of +Contrivance. The Scene is continued in Florence from the commencement of the +Amour; and the time from first to last is but three days. If there be any thing +more in particular resembling the Copy which I imitate (as the Curious Reader +will soon perceive) I leave it to show it self, being very well satisfy’d +how much more proper it had been for him to have found out this himself, than +for me to prepossess him with an Opinion of something extraordinary in an Essay +began and finished in the idler hours of a fortnight’s time: for I can +only esteem it a laborious idleness, which is Parent to so inconsiderable a +Birth. I have gratified the Bookseller in pretending an occasion for a Preface; +the other two Persons concern’d are the Reader and my self, and if he be +but pleased with what was produced for that end, my satisfaction follows of +course, since it will be proportion’d to his Approbation or Dislike. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2>INCOGNITA:<br /> +OR,<br /> +Love & Duty<br /> +RECONCIL’D</h2> + +<p> +Aurelian was the only Son to a Principal Gentleman of Florence. The Indulgence +of his Father prompted, and his Wealth enabled him, to bestow a generous +Education upon him, whom, he now began to look upon as the Type of himself; an +Impression he had made in the Gayety and Vigour of his Youth, before the Rust +of Age had debilitated and obscur’d the Splendour of the Original: He was +sensible, That he ought not to be sparing in the Adornment of him, if he had +Resolution to beautifie his own Memory. Indeed Don Fabio (for so was the Old +Gentleman call’d) has been observ’d to have fix’d his Eyes +upon Aurelian, when much Company has been at Table, and have wept through +Earnestness of Intention, if nothing hapned to divert the Object; whether it +were for regret, at the Recollection of his former self, or for the Joy he +conceiv’d in being, as it were, reviv’d in the Person of his Son, I +never took upon me to enquire, but suppos’d it might be sometimes one, +and sometimes both together. +</p> + +<p> +Aurelian, at the Age of Eighteen Years, wanted nothing (but a Beard) that the +most accomplished Cavalier in Florence could pretend to: he had been Educated +from Twelve Years old at Siena, where it seems his Father kept a Receiver, +having a large Income from the Rents of several Houses in that Town. Don Fabio +gave his Servant Orders, That Aurelian should not be stinted in his Expences, +when he came up to Years of Discretion. By which means he was enabled, not only +to keep Company with, but also to confer many Obligations upon Strangers of +Quality, and Gentlemen who travelled from other Countries into Italy, of which +Siena never wanted store, being a Town most delightfully Situate, upon a Noble +Hill, and very well suiting with Strangers at first, by reason of the +agreeableness and purity of the Air: There also is the quaintness and delicacy +of the Italian Tongue most likely to be learned, there being many publick +Professors of it in that place; and indeed the very Vulgar of Siena do express +themselves with an easiness and sweetness surprizing, and even grateful to +their Ears who understand not the Language. +</p> + +<p> +Here Aurelian contracted an acquaintance with Persons of Worth of several +Countries, but among the rest an intimacy with a Gentleman of Quality of Spain, +and Nephew to the Archbishop of Toledo, who had so wrought himself into the +Affections of Aurelian, through a Conformity of Temper, an Equality in Years, +and something of resemblance in Feature and Proportion, that he look’d +upon him as his second self. Hippolito, on the other hand, was not ungrateful +in return of Friendship, but thought himself either alone or in ill Company, if +Aurelian were absent: but his Uncle having sent him to travel, under the +Conduct of a Governour, and the two Years which limited his stay at Siena being +expired, he was put in mind of his departure. His Friend grew melancholy at the +News, but considering that Hippolito had never seen Florence, he easily +prevailed with him to make his first journey thither, whither he would +accompany him, and perhaps prevail with his Father to do the like throughout +his Travels. +</p> + +<p> +They accordingly set out, but not being able easily to reach Florence the same +Night, they rested a League or two short, at a Villa of the great Duke’s +called Poggio Imperiale, where they were informed by some of his +Highness’s Servants, That the Nuptials of Donna Catharina (near Kinswoman +to the great Duke) and Don Ferdinand de Rovori, were to be solemnized the next +day, and that extraordinary Preparations had been making for some time past, to +illustrate the Solemnity with Balls and Masques, and other Divertisements; that +a Tilting had been proclaimed, and to that purpose Scaffolds erected around the +Spacious Court, before the Church Di Santa Croce, where were usually seen all +Cavalcades and Shews, performed by Assemblies of the Young Nobility: That all +Mechanicks and Tradesmen were forbidden to work or expose any Goods to Sale for +the space of three days; during which time all Persons should be +entertain’d at the Great Duke’s Cost; and publick Provision was to +be made for the setting forth and furnishing a multitude of Tables, with +Entertainment for all Comers and Goers, and several Houses appointed for that +use in all Streets. +</p> + +<p> +This Account alarm’d the Spirits of our Young Travellers, and they were +overjoy’d at the prospect of Pleasures they foresaw. Aurelian could not +contain the satisfaction he conceiv’d in the welcome Fortune had +prepar’d for his dear Hippolito. In short, they both remembred so much of +the pleasing Relation had been made them, that they forgot to sleep, and were +up as soon as it was light, pounding at poor Signior Claudio’s Door (so +was Hippolito’s Governour call’d) to rouse him, that no time might +be lost till they were arriv’d at Florence, where they would furnish +themselves with Disguises and other Accoutrements necessary for the Prosecution +of their Design of sharing in the publick Merriment; the rather were they for +going so early because Aurelian did not think fit to publish his being in Town +for a time, least his Father knowing of it, might give some restraint to that +loose they designed themselves. +</p> + +<p> +Before Sun rise they entred Florence at Porta Romana, attended only by two +Servants, the rest being left behind to avoid notice; but, alas! they needed +not to have used half that caution; for early as it was, the Streets were +crowded with all sorts of People passing to and fro, and every Man +employ’d in something relating to the Diversions to come; so that no +notice was taken of any body; a Marquess and his Train might have pass’d +by as unregarded as a single Fachin or Cobler. Not a Window in the Streets but +echoed the tuning of a Lute or thrumming of a Gitarr: for, by the way, the +Inhabitants of Florence are strangely addicted to the love of Musick, insomuch +that scarce their Children can go, before they can scratch some Instrument or +other. It was no unpleasing Spectacle to our Cavaliers (who, seeing they were +not observ’d, resolved to make Observations) to behold the Diversity of +Figures and Postures of many of these Musicians. Here you should have an +affected Vallet, who Mimick’d the Behaviour of his Master, leaning +carelessly against the Window, with his Head on one side, in a languishing +Posture, whining, in a low, mournful Voice, some dismal Complaint; while, from +his sympathizing Theorbo, issued a Base no less doleful to the Hearers. In +Opposition to him was set up perhaps a Cobler, with the wretched Skeleton of a +Gitarr, battered and waxed together by his own Industry, and who with three +Strings out of Tune, and his own tearing hoarse Voice, would rack attention +from the Neighbourhood, to the great affliction of many more moderate +Practitioners, who, no doubt, were full as desirous to be heard. By this time +Aurelian’s Servant had taken a Lodging and was returned, to give his +Master an Account of it. The Cavaliers grown weary of that ridiculous +Entertainment, which was diverting at first sight, retired whither the Lacquey +conducted them; who, according to their Directions, had sought out one of the +most obscure Streets in the City. All that day, to the evening, was spent in +sending from one Brokers Shop to another, to furnish them with Habits, since +they had not time to make any new. +</p> + +<p> +There was, it happened, but one to be got Rich enough to please our young +Gentlemen, so many were taken up upon this occasion. While they were in Dispute +and Complementing one another, (Aurelian protesting that Hippolito should wear +it, and he, on ’tother hand, forswearing it as bitterly) a Servant of +Hippolito’s came up and ended the Controversie; telling them, That he had +met below with the Vallet de Chambre of a Gentleman, who was one of the +greatest Gallants about the Town, but was at this time in such a condition he +could not possibly be at the Entertainment; whereupon the Vallet had designed +to dress himself up in his Master’s Apparel, and try his talent at Court; +which he hearing, told him he would inform him how he might bestow the Habit +for some time much more to his profit if not to his pleasure, so acquainted him +with the occasion his Master had for it. Hippolito sent for the Fellow up, who +was not so fond of his design as not to be bought off it, but upon having his +own demand granted for the use of it, brought it; it was very Rich, and upon +tryal, as fit for Hippolito as if it had been made for him. The Ceremony was +performed in the Morning, in the great Dome, with all magnificence +correspondent to the wealth of the great Duke, and the esteem he had for the +Noble Pair. The next Morning was to be a Tilting, and the same Night a Masquing +Ball at Court. To omit the Description of the universal Joy, (that had +diffus’d it self through all the Conduits of Wine, which convey’d +it in large measures to the People) and only relate those effects of it which +concern our present Adventurers. You must know, that about the fall of the +Evening, and at that time when the <i>æquilibrium</i> of Day and Night, +for some time, holds the Air in a gloomy suspence between an unwillingness to +leave the light, and a natural impulse into the Dominion of darkness, about +this time our Hero’s, shall I say, sally’d or slunk out of their +Lodgings, and steer’d toward the great Palace, whither, before they were +arrived, such a prodigious number of Torches were on fire, that the day, by +help of these Auxiliary Forces, seem’d to continue its Dominion; the Owls +and Bats apprehending their mistake, in counting the hours, retir’d again +to a convenient darkness; for Madam Night was no more to be seen than she was +to be heard; and the Chymists were of Opinion, That her fuliginous Damps, +rarefy’d by the abundance of Flame, were evaporated. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Reader I suppose to be upon Thorns at this and the like impertinent +Digressions, but let him alone and he’ll come to himself; at which time I +think fit to acquaint him, that when I digress, I am at that time writing to +please my self, when I continue the Thread of the Story, I write to please him; +supposing him a reasonable Man, I conclude him satisfied to allow me this +liberty, and so I proceed. +</p> + +<p> +If our Cavaliers were dazled at the splendour they beheld without doors, what +surprize, think you, must they be in, when entering the Palace they found even +the lights there to be but so many foils to the bright eyes that flash’d +upon ’em at every turn. +</p> + +<p> +A more glorious Troop no occasion ever assembled; all the fair of Florence, +with the most accomplished Cavaliers, were present; and however Nature had been +partial in bestowing on some better Faces than others, Art was alike indulgent +to all, and industriously supplyed those Defects she had left, giving some +Addition also to her greatest Excellencies. Every body appear’d well +shap’d, as it is to be suppos’d, none who were conscious to +themselves of any visible Deformity would presume to come thither. Their +Apparel was equally glorious, though each differing in fancy. In short, our +Strangers were so well bred, as to conclude from these apparent Perfections, +that there was not a Masque which did not at least hide the Face of a Cherubim. +Perhaps the Ladies were not behind hand in return of a favourable Opinion of +them: for they were both well dress’d, and had something inexpressibly +pleasing in their Air and Mien, different from other People, and indeed +differing from one another. They fansy’d that while they stood together +they were more particularly taken notice of than any in the Room, and being +unwilling to be taken for Strangers, which they thought they were, by reason of +some whispering they observed near them, they agreed upon an hour of meeting +after the company should be broke up, and so separately mingled with the +thickest of the Assembly. Aurelian had fixed his eye upon a Lady whom he had +observ’d to have been a considerable time in close whisper with another +Woman; he expected with great impatience the result of that private Conference, +that he might have an opportunity of engaging the Lady whose Person was so +agreeable to him. At last he perceived they were broke off, and the +’tother Lady seem’d to have taken her leave. He had taken no small +pains in the mean time to put himself in a posture to accost the Lady, which, +no doubt, he had happily performed had he not been interrupted; but scarce had +he acquitted himself of a preliminary bow (and which, I have heard him say, was +the lowest that ever he made) and had just opened his Lips to deliver himself +of a small Complement, which, nevertheless he was very big with, when he +unluckily miscarried, by the interposal of the same Lady, whose departure, not +long before, he had so zealously pray’d for: but, as Providence would +have it, there was only some very small matter forgot, which was recovered in a +short whisper. The Coast being again cleared, he took heart and bore up, and, +striking sail, repeated his Ceremony to the Lady; who, having Obligingly +returned it, he accosted her in these or the like words: +</p> + +<p> +‘If I do not usurp a priviledge reserved for some one more happy in your +acquaintance, may I presume, Madam, to entreat (for a while) the favour of your +Conversation, at least till the arrival of whom you expect, provided you are +not tired of me before; for then upon the least intimation of uneasiness, I +will not fail of doing my self the violence to withdraw for your release. The +Lady made him answer, she did not expect any body; by which he might imagine +her Conversation not of value to be bespoke, and to afford it him, were but +farther to convince him to her own cost. He reply’d, ‘She had +already said enough to convince him of something he heartily wished might not +be to his cost in the end. She pretended not to understand him; but told him, +‘If he already found himself grieved with her Conversation, he would have +sufficient reason to repent the rashness of his first Demand before they had +ended: for that now she intended to hold discourse with him, on purpose to +punish his unadvisedness, in presuming upon a Person whose dress and mien might +not (may be) be disagreeable to have wit. ‘I must confess (reply’d +Aurelian) my self guilty of a Presumption, and willingly submit to the +punishment you intend: and though it be an aggravation of a Crime to persevere +in its justification, yet I cannot help defending an Opinion in which now I am +more confirm’d, that probable conjectures may be made of the ingenious +Disposition of the Mind, from the fancy and choice of Apparel. The humour I +grant ye (said the Lady) or constitution of the Person whether melancholick or +brisk; but I should hardly pass my censure upon so slight an indication of wit: +for there is your brisk fool as well as your brisk man of sense, and so of the +melancholick. I confess ’tis possible a fool may reveal himself by his +Dress, in wearing something extravagantly singular and ridiculous, or in +preposterous suiting of colours; but a decency of Habit (which is all that Men +of best sense pretend to) may be acquired by custom and example, without +putting the Person to a superfluous expence of wit for the contrivance; and +though there should be occasion for it, few are so unfortunate in their +Relations and Acquaintance not to have some Friend capable of giving them +advice, if they are not too ignorantly conceited to ask it. Aurelian was so +pleased with the easiness and smartness of her Expostulation, that he forgot to +make a reply, when she seem’d to expect it; but being a Woman of a quick +Apprehension, and justly sensible of her own perfections, she soon perceived he +did not grudge his attention. However she had a mind to put it upon him to turn +the discourse, so went on upon the same Subject. ‘Signior (said she) I +have been looking round me, and by your Maxim I cannot discover one fool in the +Company; for they are all well drest. This was spoken with an Air of Rallery +that awakened the Cavalier, who immediately made answer: ’Tis true, +Madam, we see there may be as much variety of good fancies as of faces, yet +there may be many of both kinds borrowed and adulterate if inquired into; and +as you were pleased to observe, the invention may be Foreign to the Person who +puts it in practice; and as good an Opinion as I have of an agreeable Dress, I +should be loth to answer for the wit of all about us. I believe you (says the +Lady) and hope you are convinced of your error, since you must allow it +impossible to tell who of all this Assembly did or did not make choice of their +own Apparel. Not all (said Aurelian) there is an ungainness in some which +betrays them. ‘Look ye there (says he) pointing to a Lady who stood +playing with the Tassels of her Girdle, I dare answer for that Lady, though she +be very well dress’d, ’tis more than she knows. His fair unknown +could not forbear laughing at his particular distinction, and freely told him, +he had indeed light upon one who knew as little as any body in the Room, her +self excepted. Ah! Madam, (reply’d Aurelian) you know every thing in the +World but your own Perfections, and you only know not those because ’tis +the top of Perfection not to know them. How? (reply’d the Lady) I thought +it had been the extremity of knowledge to know ones self. Aurelian had a little +over-strain’d himself in that Complement, and I am of Opinion would have +been puzzl’d to have brought himself off readily: but by good fortune the +Musick came into the Room and gave him an opportunity to seem to decline an +answer, because the company prepared to dance: he only told her he was too mean +a Conquest for her wit who was already a Slave to the Charms of her Person. She +thanked him for his Complement, and briskly told him she ought to have made him +a return in praise of his wit, but she hoped he was a Man more happy than to be +dissatisfy’d with any of his own Endowments; and if it were so, that he +had not a just Opinion of himself, she knew her self incapable of saying any +thing to beget one. Aurelian did not know well what to make of this last reply; +for he always abhor’d any thing that was conceited, with which this +seem’d to reproach him. But however modest he had been heretofore in his +own thoughts, yet never was he so distrustful of his good behaviour as now, +being rally’d so by a Person whom he took to be of judgment: Yet he +resolved to take no notice, but with an Air unconcerned and full of good humour +entreated her to Dance with him: She promised him to Dance with no body else, +nor I believe had she inclination; for notwithstanding her tartness, she was +upon equal terms with him as to the liking of each others Person and Humour, +and only gave those little hints to try his Temper; there being certainly no +greater sign of folly and ill breeding, than to grow serious and concerned at +any thing spoken in rallery: for his part, he was strangely and insensibly +fallen in love with her Shape, Wit and Air; which, together with a white Hand, +he had seen (perhaps not accidentally) were enough to have subdued a more +stubborn Heart than ever he was master of; and for her Face, which he had not +seen, he bestowed upon her the best his Imagination could furnish him with. I +should by right now describe her Dress, which was extreamly agreeable and rich, +but ’tis possible I might err in some material Pin or other, in the +sticking of which may be the whole grace of the Drapery depended. Well, they +danced several times together, and no less to the satisfaction of the whole +Company, than of themselves; for at the end of each Dance, some publick note of +Applause or other was given to the graceful Couple. +</p> + +<p> +Aurelian was amaz’d, that among all that danced or stood in view he could +not see Hippolito; but concluding that he had met with some pleasing +Conversation, and was withdrawn to some retired part of the Room, he forbore +his search till the mirth of that Night should be over, and the Company ready +to break up, where we will leave him for a while, to see what became of his +adventurous Friend. +</p> + +<p> +Hippolito, a little after he had parted with Aurelian, was got among a knot of +Ladies and Cavaliers, who were looking upon a large Gold Cup set with Jewels, +in which his Royal Highness had drank to the prosperity of the new married +Couple at Dinner, and which afterward he presented to his Cousin Donna +Catharina. He among the rest was very intent, admiring the richness, +workmanship and beauty of the Cup, when a Lady came behind him and pulling him +by the Elbow, made a sign she would speak with him; Hippolito, who knew himself +an utter Stranger to Florence and every body in it, immediately guessed she had +mistaken him for her acquaintance, as indeed it happened; however he resolved +not to discover himself till he should be assured of it; having followed her +into a set Window remote from Company, she address’d her self to him in +this manner: ‘Signior Don Lorenzo (said she) I am overjoy’d to see +you are so speedily recovered of your Wounds, which by report were much more +dangerous than to have suffered your coming abroad so soon; but I must accuse +you of great indiscretion, in appearing in a Habit which so many must needs +remember you to have worn upon the like occasion not long ago, I mean at the +Marriage of Don Cynthio with your Sister Atalanta; I do assure you, you were +known by it, both to Juliana and my self, who was so far concerned for you, as +to desire me to tell you, that her Brother Don Fabritio (who saw you when you +came in with another Gentleman) had eyed you very narrowly, and is since gone +out of the Room, she knows not upon what design; however she would have you, +for your own sake, be advised and circumspect when you depart this place, lest +you should be set upon unawares; you know the hatred Don Fabritio has born you +ever since you had the fortune to kill his Kinsman in a Duel: Here she paused +as if expecting his reply; but Hippolito was so confounded, that he stood mute, +and contemplating the hazard he had ignorantly brought himself into, forgot his +design of informing the Lady of her mistake. She finding he made her no Answer, +went on. ‘I perceive (continued she) you are in some surprize at what I +have related, and may be, are doubtful of the Truth; but I thought you had been +better acquainted with your Cousin Leonora’s Voice, than to have forgot +it so soon: Yet in Complaisance to your ill Memory, I will put you past doubt, +by shewing you my Face; with that she pulled off her Mask, and discovered to +Hippolito (now more amaz’d than ever) the most Angelick Face that he had +ever beheld. He was just about to have made her some answer, when, clapping on +her Mask again without giving him time, she happily for him pursu’d her +Discourse. (For ’tis odds but he had made some discovery of himself in +the surprize he was in.) Having taken him familiarly by the Hand, now she had +made her self known to him, ‘Cousin Lorenzo (added she) you may perhaps +have taken it unkindly, that, during the time of your indisposition by reason +of your Wounds, I have not been to visit you; I do assure you it was not for +want of any Inclination I had both to see and serve you to my power; but you +are well acquainted with the Severity of my Father, whom you know how lately +you have disobliged. I am mighty glad that I have met with you here, where I +have had an Opportunity to tell you what so much concerns your Safety, which I +am afraid you will not find in Florence; considering the great Power Don +Fabritio and his Father, the Marquess of Viterbo, have in this City. I have +another thing to inform you of, That whereas Don Fabio had interested himself +in your Cause, in Opposition to the Marquess of Viterbo, by reason of the long +Animosity between them, all hopes of his Countenance and Assistance are +defeated: For there has been a Proposal of Reconciliation made to both Houses, +and it is said it will be confirm’d (as most such ancient Quarrels are at +last) by the Marriage of Juliana the Marquess’s Daughter, with Aurelian, +Son to Don Fabio: to which effect the old Gentleman sent ’tother Day to +Siena, where Aurelian has been Educated, to hasten his coming to Town; but the +Messenger returning this Morning, brought word, That the same day he +arriv’d at Siena, Aurelian had set out for Florence, in Company with a +young Spanish Nobleman, his intimate Friend; so it is believ’d, they are +both in Town, and not unlikely in this Room in Masquerade. +</p> + +<p> +Hippolito could not forbear smiling to himself, at these last words. For ever +since the naming of Don Fabio he had been very attentive; but before, his +Thoughts were wholly taken up with the Beauty of the Face he had seen, and from +the time she had taken him by the Hand, a successive warmth and chillness had +play’d about his Heart, and surpriz’d him with an unusual +Transport. He was in a hundred Minds, whether he should make her sensible of +her Error or no; but considering he could expect no farther Conference with her +after he should discover himself, and that as yet he knew not of her place of +abode, he resolv’d to humour the mistake a little further. Having her +still by the Hand, which he squeez’d somewhat more eagerly than is usual +for Cousins to do, in a low and undistinguishable Voice, he let her know how +much he held himself obliged to her, and avoiding as many words as handsomely +he could, at the same time, entreated her to give him her Advice, toward the +management of himself in this Affair. Leonora, who never from the beginning had +entertain’d the least Scruple of distrust, imagined he spoke faintly, as +not being yet perfectly recovered in his strength; and withal considering that +the heat of the Room, by reason of the Crowd, might be uneasie to a Person in +his Condition; she kindly told him, That if he were as inclinable to dispense +with the remainder of that Nights Diversion as she was, and had no other +engagement upon him, by her consent they should both steal out of the Assembly, +and go to her House, where they might with more freedom discourse about a +business of that importance, and where he might take something to refresh +himself if he were (as she conceiv’d him to be) indisposed with his long +standing. Judge you whether the Proposal were acceptable to Hippolito or no; he +had been ruminating with himself how to bring something like this about, and +had almost despair’d of it; when of a suddain he found the success of his +design had prevented his own endeavours. He told his Cousin in the same key as +before, That he was unwilling to be the occasion of her Divorce from so much +good Company; but for his own part, he was afraid he had presumed too much upon +his recovery in coming abroad so soon, and that he found himself so unwell, he +feared he should be quickly forc’d to retire. Leonora stay’d not to +make him any other reply, only tipp’d him upon the Arm, and bid him +follow her at a convenient distance to avoid Observation. +</p> + +<p> +Whoever had seen the Joy that was in Hippolito’s Countenance, and the +Sprightliness with which he follow’d his Beautiful Conductress, would +scarce have taken him for a Person griev’d with uncured Wounds. She led +him down a back pair of Stairs, into one of the Palace Gardens which had a Door +opening into the Piazza, not far from where Don Mario her Father lived. They +had little Discourse by the way, which gave Hippolito time to consider of the +best way of discovering himself. A thousand things came into his Head in a +minute, yet nothing that pleased him: and after so many Contrivances as he had +formed for the discovery of himself, he found it more rational for him not to +reveal himself at all that Night, since he could not foresee what effect the +surprize would have, she must needs be in, at the appearance of a Stranger, +whom she had never seen before, yet whom she had treated so familiarly. He knew +Women were apt to shriek or swoon upon such Occasions, and should she happen to +do either, he might be at a loss how to bring himself off. He thought he might +easily pretend to be indisposed somewhat more than ordinary, and so make an +excuse to go to his own Lodging. It came into his Head too, that under pretence +of giving her an account of his Health, he might enquire of her the means how a +Letter might be convey’d to her the next morning, wherein he might inform +her gently of her mistake, and insinuate something of that Passion he had +conceiv’d, which he was sure he could not have opportunity to speak of if +he bluntly revealed himself. He had just resolv’d upon this Method, as +they were come to the great Gates of the Court, when Leonora stopping to let +him go in before her, he of a suddain fetch’d his Breath violently as if +some stitch or twinging smart had just then assaulted him. She enquired the +matter of him, and advised him to make haste into the House that he might sit +down and rest him. He told her he found himself so ill, that he judged it more +convenient for him to go home while he was in a condition to move, for he +fear’d if he should once settle himself to rest he might not be able to +stir. She was much troubled, and would have had a Chair made ready and Servants +to carry him home; but he made answer, he would not have any of her Fathers +Servants know of his being abroad, and that just now he had an interval of +ease, which he hop’d would continue till he made a shift to reach his own +Lodgings. Yet if she pleased to inform him how he might give an account of +himself the next morning, in a line or two, he would not fail to give her the +thanks due to her great kindness; and withal, would let her know something +which would not a little surprize her, though now he had not time to acquaint +her with it. She show’d him a little Window at the corner of the House, +where one should wait to receive his Letter, and was just taking her leave of +him, when seeing him search hastily in his Pocket, she ask’d him if he +miss’d any thing; he told her he thought a Wound which was not throughly +heal’d bled a little, and that he had lost his Handkerchief. His design +took; for she immediately gave him hers: which indeed accordingly he +apply’d to the only wound he was then griev’d with; which though it +went quite through his Heart, yet thank God was not Mortal. He was not a little +rejoyc’d at his good Fortune in getting so early a Favour from his +Mistress, and notwithstanding the violence he did himself to personate a sick +Man, he could not forbear giving some Symptoms of an extraordinary content; and +telling her that he did not doubt to receive a considerable Proportion of ease +from the Application of what had so often kiss’d her fair Hand. Leonora +who did not suspect the Compliment, told him she should be heartily glad if +that or any thing in her power might contribute to his recovery; and wishing +him well home, went into her House, as much troubled for her Cousin as he was +joyful for his Mistress. +</p> + +<p> +Hippolito as soon as she was gone in, began to make his Remarks about the +House, walking round the great Court, viewing the Gardens and all the Passages +leading to that side of the Piazza. Having sufficiently informed himself, with +a Heart full of Love, and a Head full of Stratagem, he walked toward his +Lodging, impatient till the arrival of Aurelian that he might give himself +vent. In which interim, let me take the liberty to digress a little, and tell +the Reader something which I do not doubt he has apprehended himself long ago, +if he be not the dullest Reader in the World; yet only for orders sake, let me +tell him I say, That a young Gentleman (Cousin to the aforesaid Don Fabritio) +happened one night to have some words at a Gameing House with one Lorenzo, +which created a Quarrel of fatal Consequence to the former, who was killed upon +the Spot, and likely to be so to the latter, who was very desperately wounded. +</p> + +<p> +Fabritio being much concerned for his Kinsman, vow’d revenge (according +to the ancient and laudable custom of Italy) upon Lorenzo if he surviv’d, +or in case of his death (if it should happen to anticipate that, much more +swinging Death which he had in store for him) upon his next of Kin, and so to +descend Lineally like an English Estate, to all the Heirs Males of this Family. +This same Fabritio had indeed (as Leonora told Hippolito) taken particular +notice of him from his first entrance into the Room, and was so far doubtful as +to go out immediately himself, and make enquiry concerning Lorenzo, but was +quickly inform’d of the greatness of his Error, in believing a Man to be +abroad, who was so ill of his Wounds, that they now despair’d of his +recovery; and thereupon return’d to the Ball very well satisfied, but not +before Leonora and Hippolito were departed. +</p> + +<p> +So, Reader, having now discharg’d my Conscience of a small Discovery +which I thought my self obliged to make to Thee, I proceed to tell thee, that +our Friend Aurelian had by this time danced himself into a Net which he neither +could, nor which is worse desired to untangle. +</p> + +<p> +His Soul was charm’d to the movement of her Body: an Air so graceful, so +sweet, so easie and so great, he had never seen. She had something of Majesty +in her, which appear’d to be born with her; and though it struck an awe +into the Beholders, yet was it sweetned with a familiarity of Behaviour, which +rendred it agreeable to every Body. The grandeur of her Mien was not stiff, but +unstudied and unforced, mixed with a simplicity; free, yet not loose nor +affected. If the former seem’d to condescend, the latter seem’d to +aspire; and both to unite in the centre of Perfection. Every turn she gave in +dancing snatcht Aurelian into a Rapture, and he had like to have been out two +or three times with following his Eyes, which she led about as Slaves to her +Heels. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as they had done dancing, he began to complain of his want of Breath +and Lungs, to speak sufficiently in her Commendation; She smilingly told him, +he did ill to dance so much then: Yet in Consideration of the pains he had +taken more than ordinary upon her account she would bate him a great deal of +Complement, but with this Proviso, That he was to discover to her who he was. +Aurelian was unwilling for the present to own himself to be really the Man he +was; when a suddain thought came into his Head to take upon him the Name and +Character of Hippolito, who he was sure was not known in Florence. He +thereupon, after a little pause, pretended to recal himself in this manner: +‘Madam, it is no small demonstration of the entire Resignation which I +have made of my Heart to your Chains, since the secrets of it are no longer in +my power. I confess I only took Florence in my way, not designing any longer +Residence, than should be requisite to inform the Curiosity of a Traveller, of +the rareties of the Place. Whether Happiness or Misery will be the Consequence +of that Curiosity, I am yet in fear, and submit to your Determination; but sure +I am, not to depart Florence till you have made me the most miserable Man in +it, and refuse me the fatal Kindness of Dying at your Feet. I am by Birth a +Spaniard, of the City of Toledo; my name Hippolito di Saviolina: I was +yesterday a Man free, as Nature made the first; to day I am fallen into a +Captivity, which must continue with my Life, and which, it is in your power, to +make much dearer to me. Thus in obedience to your Commands, and contrary to my +Resolution of remaining unknown in this place, I have inform’d you, +Madam, what I am; what I shall be, I desire to know from you; at least, I hope, +the free discovery I have made of my self, will encourage you to trust me with +the knowledge of your Person. +</p> + +<p> +Here a low bow, and a deep sigh, put an end to his Discourse, and signified his +Expectation of her Reply, which was to this purpose—(But I had forgot to +tell you, That Aurelian kept off his Mask from the time that he told her he was +of Spain, till the period of his Relation.) Had I thought (said she) that my +Curiosity would have brought me in debt, I should certainly have forborn it; or +at least have agreed with you before hand about the rate of your discovery, +then I had not brought my self to the Inconveniency of being censur’d, +either of too much easiness or reservedness; but to avoid, as much as I can, +the extreamity of either, I am resolv’d but to discover my self in part, +and will endeavour to give you as little occasion as I can, either to boast of, +or ridicule the Behaviour of the Women of Florence in your Travels. +</p> + +<p> +Aurelian interrupted her, and swore very solemnly (and the more heartily, I +believe, because he then indeed spoke truth) that he would make Florence the +place of his abode, whatever concerns he had elsewhere. She advised him to be +cautious how he swore to his Expressions of Gallantry; and farther told him she +now hoped she should make him a return to all the Fine Things he had said, +since she gave him his choice whether he would know who she was, or see her +Face. +</p> + +<p> +Aurelian who was really in Love, and in whom Consideration would have been a +Crime, greedily embrac’d the latter, since she assured him at that time +he should not know both. Well, what follow’d? Why, she pull’d off +her Mask, and appear’d to him at once in the Glory of Beauty. But who can +tell the astonishment Aurelian felt? He was for a time senseless; Admiration +had suppress’d his Speech, and his Eyes were entangled in Light. In +short, to be made sensible of his condition, we must conceive some Idea of what +he beheld, which is not to be imagined till seen, nor then to be +express’d. Now see the impertinence and conceitedness of an Author, who +will have a fling at a Description, which he has Prefaced with an +impossibility. One might have seen something in her Composition resembling the +Formation of Epicurus his World, as if every Atome of Beauty had +concurr’d to unite an excellency. Had that curious Painter lived in her +days, he might have avoided his painful search, when he collected from the +choicest pieces the most choice Features, and by a due Disposition and +Judicious Symmetry of those exquisite parts, made one whole and perfect Venus. +Nature seem’d here to have play’d the Plagiary, and to have molded +into Substance the most refined Thoughts of inspired Poets. Her Eyes +diffus’d Rays comfortable as warmth, and piercing as the light; they +would have worked a passage through the straightest Pores, and with a delicious +heat, have play’d about the most obdurate frozen Heart, untill +’twere melted down to Love. Such Majesty and Affability were in her +Looks; so alluring, yet commanding was her Presence, that it minged awe with +love; kindling a Flame which trembled to aspire. She had danced much, which, +together with her being close masked, gave her a tincture of Carnation more +than ordinary. But Aurelian (from whom I had every tittle of her Description) +fancy’d he saw a little Nest of Cupids break from the Tresses of her +Hair, and every one officiously betake himself to his task. Some fann’d +with their downy Wings, her glowing Cheeks; while others brush’d the +balmy Dew from off her Face, leaving alone a heavenly Moisture blubbing on her +Lips, on which they drank and revell’d for their pains; Nay, so +particular were their allotments in her service, that Aurelian was very +positive a young Cupid who was but just Pen-feather’d, employ’d his +naked Quills to pick her Teeth. And a thousand other things his transport +represented to him, which none but Lovers who have experience of such Visions +will believe. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as he awaked and found his Speech come to him, he employ’d it to +this effect: +</p> + +<p> +‘’Tis enough that I have seen a Divinity—Nothing but Mercy +can inhabit these Perfections—Their utmost rigour brings a Death +preferable to any Life, but what they give—Use me, Madam, as you please; +for by your fair self, I cannot think a Bliss beyond what now I feel—You +wound with Pleasure, and if you Kill it must be with Transport—Ah! Yet +methinks to live—O Heaven! to have Life pronounced by those Bless’d +Lips—Did they not inspire where they command, it were an immediate Death +of Joy. +</p> + +<p> +Aurelian was growing a little too loud with his Admiration, had she not just +then interrupted him, by clapping on her Masque, and telling him they should be +observed, if he proceeded in his Extravagance; and withal, that his Passion was +too suddain to be real, and too violent to be lasting. He replied, Indeed it +might not be very lasting, (with a submissive mournful Voice) but it would +continue during his Life. That it was suddain, he denied, for she had raised it +by degrees from his first sight of her, by a continued discovery of Charms, in +her Mien and Conversation, till she thought fit to set Fire to the Train she +had laid, by the Lightning of her Face; and then he could not help it, if he +were blown up. +</p> + +<p> +He begg’d her to believe the Sincerity of his Passion, at least to enjoin +him something, which might tend to the Convincing of her Incredulity. She said, +she should find a time to make some Trials of him; but for the first, she +charged him not to follow or observe her, after the Dissolution of the +Assembly. He promised to obey, and entreated her to tell him but her Name, that +he might have Recourse to that in his Affliction for her Absence, if he were +able to survive it. She desired him to live by all means; and if he must have a +Name to play with, to call her Incognita, till he were better informed. +</p> + +<p> +The Company breaking up, she took her leave, and at his earnest Entreaty, gave +him a short Vision of her Face which, then dress’d in an obliging smile, +caused another fit of Transport, which lasted till she was gone out of Sight. +Aurelian gathered up his Spirits, and walked slowly towards his Lodging, never +remembring that he had lost Hippolito, till upon turning the Corner of a +Street, he heard a noise of Fighting; and coming near, saw a Man make a +vigorous Defence against two, who pressed violently upon him. He then thought +of Hippolito, and fancying he saw the glimmering of Diamond Buttons, such as +Hippolito had upon the Sleeves of his Habit, immediately drew to his +Assistance; and with that Eagerness and Resolution, that the Assailants, +finding their unmanly odds defeated, took to their Heels. The Person rescued by +the Generous Help of Aurelian, came toward him; but as he would have +stoop’d to have saluted him, dropp’d, fainting at his feet. +Aurelian, now he was so near him, perceiv’d plainly Hippolito’s +Habit, and step’d hastily to take him up. Just as some of the Guards (who +were going the Rounds, apprehensive of such Disorders in an Universal +Merriment) came up to him with Lights, and had taken Prisoners the Two Men, +whom they met with their Sword’s drawn; when looking in the Face of the +Wounded Man, he found it was not Hippolito, but his Governour Claudio, in the +Habit he had worn at the Ball. He was extreamly surpriz’d, as were the +Prisoners, who confess’d their Design to have been upon Lorenzo; +grounding their Mistake upon the Habit which was known to have been his. They +were Two Men who formerly had been Servants to him, whom Lorenzo had +unfortunately slain. +</p> + +<p> +They made a shift to bring Claudio to himself; and part of the Guard carrying +off the Prisoners, whom Aurelian desired they would secure, the rest +accompanied him bearing Claudio in their Arms to his Lodging. He had not +patience to forbear asking for Hippolito by the Way; whom Claudio assured him, +he had left safe in his Chamber, above Two Hours since. That his coming Home so +long before the Divertisements were ended, and Undressing himself, had given +him the Unhappy Curiosity, to put on his Habit, and go to the Pallace; in his +Return from whence, he was set upon in the Manner he found him, which if he +recovered, he must own his Life indebted to his timely Assistance. +</p> + +<p> +Being come to the House, they carried him to his Bed, and having sent for +Surgeons Aurelian rewarded and dismissed the Guard. He stay’d the +dressing of Claudio’s Wounds, which were many, though they hop’d +none Mortal: and leaving him to his Rest, went to give Hippolito an Account of +what had happened, whom he found with a Table before him, leaning upon both his +Elbows, his Face covered with his Hands, and so motionless, that Aurelian +concluded he was asleep; seeing several Papers lie before him, half written and +blotted out again, he thought to steal softly to the Table, and discover what +he had been employed about. Just as he reach’d forth his Hand to take up +one of the Papers, Hippolito started up so on the suddain, as surpriz’d +Aurelian and made him leap back; Hippolito, on the other hand, not supposing +that any Body had been near him, was so disordered with the Appearance of a Man +at his Elbow, (whom his Amazement did not permit him to distinguish) that he +leap’d hastily to his Sword, and in turning him about, overthrew the +Stand and Candles. Here were they both left in the Dark, Hippolito groping +about with his Sword, and thrusting at every Chair that he felt oppose him. +Aurelian was scarce come to himself, when thinking to step back toward the Door +that he might inform his Friend of his Mistake, without exposing himself to his +blind Fury; Hippolito heard him stir, and made a full thrust with such +Violence, that the Hilt of the Sword meeting with Aurelian’s Breast beat +him down, and Hippolito a top of him, as a Servant alarm’d with the +noise, came into the Chamber with a Light. The Fellow trembled, and thought +they were both Dead, till Hippolito raising himself, to see whom he had got +under him, swoon’d away upon the discovery of his Friend. But such was +the extraordinary Care of Providence in directing the Sword, that it only past +under his Arm, giving no Wound to Aurelian, but a little Bruise between his +Shoulder and Breast with the Hilt. He got up, scarce recovered of his Fright, +and by the help of the Servant; laid Hippolito upon the Bed; who when he was +come to himself could hardly be perswaded, that his Friend was before him and +alive, till he shew’d him his Breast, where was nothing of a Wound. +Hippolito begg’d his Pardon a Thousand Times, and curs’d himself as +often, who was so near to committing the most Execrable Act of Amicide. +</p> + +<p> +They dismiss’d the Fellow, and with many Embraces, congratulated their +fortunate Delivery from the Mischief which came so near them, each blaming +himself as the Occasion: Aurelian accusing his own unadvisedness in stealing +upon Hippolito; Hippolito blaming his own temerity and weakness, in being so +easily frighted to Disorder; and last of all, his blindness, in not knowing his +dearest Friend. But there he gave a Sigh, and passionately taking Aurelian by +the Hand, cry’d, Ah! my Friend, Love is indeed blind, when it would not +suffer me to see you—There arose another Sigh; a Sympathy seiz’d +Aurelian immediately: (For, by the Way, sighing is as catching among Lovers, as +yawning among the Vulgar.) Beside hearing the Name of Love, made him fetch such +a Sigh, that Hippolito’s were but Fly-blows in Comparison, that was +answered with all the Might Hippolito had, Aurelian ply’d him close till +they were both out of Breath. +</p> + +<p> +Thus not a Word pass’d, though each wondred why the t’other +sigh’d, at last concluded it to be only Complaisance to one another. +</p> + +<p> +Aurelian broke the Silence, by telling him the Misfortune of his Governour. +Hippolito rejoic’d as at the luckiest Accident which could have +befall’n him. Aurelian wondred at his unseasonable Mirth, and demanded +the Cause of it; he answer’d, It would necessitate his longer Stay in +Florence, and for ought he knew be the Means of bringing a happy Period to his +Amour. +</p> + +<p> +His Friend thought him to be little better than a Madman, when he +perceiv’d him of a suddain snatch out of his Bosom a Handkerchief, which +having kiss’d with a great deal of Ardour, he took Aurelian by the Hand, +and smiling at the Surprize he saw him in; +</p> + +<p> +‘Your Florentine Cupid is certainly (said he) ‘the most Expert in +the World. I have since I saw you beheld the most Beautiful of Women. I am faln +desperately in Love with her, and those Papers which you see so blotted and +scattered, are but so many Essays which I have made to the Declaration of my +Passion. And this Handkerchief which I so zealously Caress, is the Inestimable +Token which I have to make my self known to her. ‘O Leonora! (continued +he) ‘how hast thou stamp’d thine Image on my Soul! How much dearer +am I to my self, since I have had thy Heavenly Form in keeping! Now, my +Aurelian, I am worthy thee; my exalted Love has Dignified me, and rais’d +me far above thy poor former Despicable Hippolito. +</p> + +<p> +Aurelian seeing the Rapture he was in, thought it in vain to expect a settled +Relation of the Adventure, so was reaching to the Table for some of the Papers, +but Hippolito told him, If he would have a little patience he would acquaint +him with the whole Matter; and thereupon told him Word for Word how he was +mistaken for Lorenzo, and his Management of himself. Aurelian commended his +Prudence, in not discovering himself; and told him, If he could spare so much +time from the Contemplation of his Mistress, he would inform him of an +Adventure, though not so Accidental, yet of as great Concern to his own future +Happiness. So related all that had happened to him with his Beautiful +Incognita. +</p> + +<p> +Having ended the Story, they began to consider of the Means they were to use +toward a Review of their Mistresses. Aurelian was Confounded at the Difficulty +he conceived on his Part. He understood from Hippolito’s Adventure, that +his Father knew of his being in Town, whom he must unavoidably Disoblige if he +yet concealed himself, and Disobey if he came into his Sight; for he had +already entertain’d an Aversion for Juliana, in apprehension of her being +Imposed on him. His Incognita was rooted in his Heart, yet could he not Comfort +himself with any Hopes when he should see her: He knew not where she lived, and +she had made him no Promise of a second Conference. Then did he repent his +inconsiderate Choice, in preferring the momentary Vision of her Face, to a +certain Intelligence of her Person. Every thought that succeeded distracted +him, and all the Hopes he could presume upon, were within compass of the Two +Days Merriment yet to come; for which Space he hop’d he might excuse his +remaining conceal’d to his Father. +</p> + +<p> +Hippolito on the other side (though Aurelian thought him in a much better Way) +was no less afflicted for himself. The Difficulties which he saw in his +Friend’s Circumstances, put him upon finding out a great many more in his +own, than really there were. But what terrified him most of all, was his being +an utter Stranger to Leonora; she had not the least knowledge of him but +through mistake, and consequently could form no Idea of him to his Advantage. +He look’d upon it as an unlucky thought in Aurelian to take upon him his +Name, since possibly the Two Ladies were acquainted, and should they +communicate to each other their Adventures; they might both reasonably suffer +in their Opinions, and be thought guilty of Falshood, since it would appear to +them as One Person pretending to Two. Aurelian told him, there was but one +Remedy for that, which was for Hippolito, in the same Manner that he had done, +to make use of his Name, when he writ to Leonora, and use what arguments he +could to perswade her to Secrecy, least his Father should know of the Reason +which kept him concealed in Town. And it was likely, though perhaps she might +not immediately entertain his Passion; yet she would out of Generosity conceal, +what was hidden only for her sake. +</p> + +<p> +Well this was concluded on, after a great many other Reasons used on either +Side, in favour of the Contrivance; they at last argued themselves into a +Belief, that Fortune had befriended them with a better Plot, than their regular +Thinking could have contriv’d. So soon had they convinc’d +themselves, in what they were willing to believe. +</p> + +<p> +Aurelian laid himself down to rest, that is, upon the Bed; for he was a better +Lover than to pretend to sleep that Night, while Hippolito set himself again to +frame his Letter design’d for Leonora. He writ several, at last pitched +upon one, and very probably the worst, as you may guess when you read it in its +proper Place. +</p> + +<p> +It was break of Day when the Servant, who had been employed all the foregoing +Day in procuring Accoutrements for the Two Cavaliers, to appear in at the +Tilting, came into the Room, and told them all the Young Gentlemen in the Town +were trying their Equipage, and preparing to be early in the Lists. They made +themselves ready with all Expedition at the Alarm: and Hippolito having made a +Visit to his Governour, dispatch’d a Messenger with the Letter and +Directions to Leonora. At the Signal agreed upon the Casement was opened and a +String let down, to which the Bearer having fastned the Letter, saw it drawn +up, and returned. It were a vain attempt to describe Leonora’s Surprize, +when she read the Superscription.—The Unfortunate Aurelian, to the +Beautiful Leonora—After she was a little recovered from her Amaze, she +recollected to her self all the Passages between her and her supposed Cousin, +and immediately concluded him to be Aurelian. Then several little Circumstances +which she thought might have been sufficient to have convinced her, represented +themselves to her; and she was in a strange Uneasiness to think of her free +Carriage to a Stranger. +</p> + +<p> +She was once in a Mind to have burn’d the Letter, or to have stay’d +for an Opportunity to send it again. But she was a Woman, and her Curiosity +opposed it self to all thoughts of that Nature: at length with a firm +Resolution, she opened it, and found Word for Word, what is underwritten. +</p> + +<h3>The Letter.</h3> + +<p class="letter"> +MADAM, +</p> + +<p class="letter"> +If your fair Eyes, upon the breaking up of this, meet with somewhat too quick a +Surprize, make thence, I beseech you, some reflection upon the Condition I must +needs have been in, at the suddain Appearance of that Sun of Beauty, which at +once shone so full upon my soul. I could not immediately disengage my self from +that Maze of Charms, to let you know how unworthy a Captive your Eyes had made +through mistake. Sure, Madam, you cannot but remember my Disorder, of which +your Innocent (Innocent, though perhaps to me Fatal) Error made a Charitable +(but wide) Construction. Your Tongue pursued the Victory of your Eyes, and you +did not give me time to rally my poor Disordered Senses, so as to make a +tolerable Retreat. Pardon, Madam, the Continuation of the Deceipt, and call it +not so, that I appear’d to be other than my self; for Heaven knows I was +not then my self, nor am I now my own. You told me something that +concern’d me nearly, as to a Marriage my Father design’d me, and +much more nearly in being told by you. For Heaven’s sake, disclose not to +any Body your Knowledge of me, that I may not be forced to an immediate Act of +Disobedience; for if my future Services and inviolate Love, cannot recommend me +to your Favour, I shall find more comfort in the cold Embraces of a Grave, than +in the Arms of the never so much admired (but by me dreaded) Juliana. Think, +Madam, of those severe Circumstances I lie under; and withal I beg you, think +it is in your Power, and only in your Power, to make them happy as my Wishes, +or much more miserable than I am able to imagine. That dear, inestimable +(though undesign’d) Favour which I receiv’d from you, shall this +Day distinguish me from the Crowd of your Admirers; that which I really applied +to my inward bleeding Wound, the welcom Wound which you have made, and which, +unless from you, does wish no Cure; then pardon and have pity on, O Adored +Leonora, him, who is your’s by Creation as he is Heaven’s, though +never so unworthy. Have pity on +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Your <br /> +Aurelian. +</p> + +<p> +She read the Letter over and over, then flung it by, then read it again; the +Novelty of the Adventure made her repeat her Curiosity, and take more than +ordinary Pains to understand it. At last her Familiarity with the Expressions +grew to an Intimacy, and what she at first permitted she now began to like. She +thought there was something in it a little more serious, than to be barely +Gallantry. She wondred at her own Blindness, and fancy’d she could +remember something of a more becoming Air in the Stranger than was usual to +Lorenzo. This thought was parent to another of the same kind, till a long Chain +successively had Birth, and every one somewhat more than other, in Favour of +the supposed Aurelian. She reflected upon his Discretion, in deferring the +Discovery of himself, till a little time had, as it were, weaned her from her +perswasion, and by removing her farther from her Mistake, had prepared her for +a full and determinate Convincement. She thought his Behaviour, in personating +a Sick Man so readily, upon the first hint was not amiss, and smil’d to +think of his Excuse to procure her Handkerchief; and last of all, his sifting +out the Means to write to her, which he had done with that Modesty and Respect, +she could not tell how to find fault with it. +</p> + +<p> +She had proceeded thus far in a maze of Thought, when she started to find her +self so lost to her Reason, and would have trod back again that path of +deluding Fancy; accusing her self of Fondness, and inconsiderate Easiness, in +giving Credit to the Letter of a Person whose Face she never saw, and whose +first Acquaintance with her was a Treachery, and he who could so readily +deliver his Tongue of a Lye upon a Surprize, was scarce to be trusted when he +had sufficient Time allow’d him to beget a Fiction, and Means to perfect +the Birth. +</p> + +<p> +How did she know this to be Aurelian, if he were? Nay farther, put it to the +Extremity, What if she should upon farther Conversation with him proceed to +Love him? What Hopes were there for her? Or how could she consent to Marry a +Man already Destined for another Woman? nay, a Woman that was her Friend, whose +Marrying with him was to compleat the happy Reconciliation of Two Noble +Families, and which might prevent the Effusion of much Blood likely to be shed +in that Quarrel: Besides, she should incurr share of the Guilt, which he would +draw upon him by Disobedience to his Father, whom she was sure would not be +consenting to it. +</p> + +<p> +’Tis strange now, but all Accounts agree, that just here Leonora, who had +run like a violent Stream against Aurelian hitherto, now retorted with as much +precipitation in his Favour. I could never get any Body to give me a +satisfactory reason, for her suddain and dextrous Change of Opinion just at +that stop, which made me conclude she could not help it; and that Nature +boil’d over in her at that time when it had so fair an Opportunity to +show it self: For Leonora it seems was a Woman Beautiful, and otherwise of an +excellent Disposition; but in the Bottom a very Woman. This last Objection, +this Opportunity of perswading Man to Disobedience, determined the Matter in +Favour of Aurelian, more than all his Excellencies and Qualifications, take him +as Aurelian, or Hippolito, or both together. +</p> + +<p> +Well, the Spirit of Contradiction and of Eve was strong in her; and she was in +a fair Way to Love Aurelian, for she lik’d him already; that it was +Aurelian she no longer doubted, for had it been a Villain, who had only taken +his Name upon him for any ill Designs, he would never have slip’d so +favourable an Opportunity as when they were alone and in the Night coming +through the Garden and broad Space before the Piazza. In short, thus much she +resolv’d, at least to conceal the Knowledge she had of him, as he had +entreated her in his Letter, and to make particular Remarks of his Behaviour +that Day in the Lists, which should it happen to Charm her with an absolute +liking of his Person, she resolv’d to dress her self to the best +Advantage, and mustering up all her Graces, out of pure Revenge to kill him +down right. +</p> + +<p> +I would not have the Reader now be impertinent, and look upon this to be force, +or a whim of the Author’s, that a Woman should proceed so far in her +Approbation of a Man whom she never saw, that it is impossible, therefore +ridiculous to suppose it. Let me tell such a Critick, that he knows nothing of +the Sex, if he does not know that Woman may be taken with the Character and +Description of a Man, when general and extraordinary, that she may be +prepossess’d with an agreeable Idea of his Person and Conversation; and +though she cannot imagine his real Features, or manner of Wit, yet she has a +general Notion of what is call’d a fine Gentleman, and is prepar’d +to like such a one who does not disagree with that Character. Aurelian, as he +bore a very fair Character, so was he extreamly deserving to make it good, +which otherways might have been to his prejudice; for oftentimes, through an +imprudent Indulgence to our Friends merit, we give so large a Description of +his excellencies, that People make more room in their Expectation, than the +Intrinsick worth of the Man will fill, which renders him so much the more +despicable as there is emptyness to spare. ’Tis certain, though the Women +seldom find that out; for though they do not see so much in a Man as was +promised, yet they will be so kind to imagine he has some hidden excellencies; +which time may discover to them, so are content to allow, him a considerable +share of their esteem, and take him into Favour upon Tick. Aurelian as he had +good Credit, so he had a good Stock to support it, and his Person was a good +promising Security for the payment of any Obligation he could lie under to the +Fair Sex. Hippolito, who at this time was our Aurelian, did not at all lessen +him in appearing for him: So that although Leonora was indeed mistaken, she +could not be said to be much in the wrong. I could find in my Heart to beg the +Reader’s pardon for this Digression, if I thought he would be sensible of +the Civility; for I promise him, I do not intend to do it again throughout the +Story, though I make never so many, and though he take them never so ill. But +because I began this upon a bare Supposition of his Impertinence, which might +be somewhat impertinent in me to suppose, I do, and hope to make him amends by +telling him, that by the time Leonora was dress’d, several Ladies of her +acquaintance came to accompany her to the place designed for the Tilting, where +we will leave them drinking Chocholate till ’tis time for them to go. +</p> + +<p> +Our Cavaliers had by good Fortune provided themselves of two curious Suits of +light Armour, finely enammelled and gilt. Hippolito had sent to Poggio +Imperiale for a couple of fine led Horses which he had left there with the rest +of his Train at his entrance into Florence. Mounted on these and every way well +Equipt, they took their way, attended only by two Lacqueys, toward the Church +di Santa Croce, before which they were to perform their Exercises of Chivalry. +Hippolito wore upon his Helm a large Plume of Crimson Feathers, in the midst of +which was artificially placed Leonora’s Handkerchief. His Armour was +gilt, and enammell’d with Green and Crimson. Aurelian was not so happy as +to wear any token to recommend him to the notice of his Mistress, so had only a +Plume of Sky-colour and White Feathers, suitable to his Armour, which was +Silver enammelled with Azure. I shall not describe the Habits of any other +Cavaliers, or of the Ladies; let it suffice to tell the Reader they were all +very Fine and very Glorious, and let him dress them in what is most agreeable +to his own Fancy. +</p> + +<p> +Our Gallants entred the Lists, and having made their Obeysance to his Highness, +turned round to salute and view the Company. The Scaffold was circular, so that +there was no end of the Delightful Prospect. It seem’d a Glory of Beauty +which shone around the admiring Beholders. Our Lovers soon perceived the Stars +which were to Rule their Destiny, which sparkled a lustre beyond all the +inferiour Constellations, and seem’d like two Suns to distribute Light to +all the Planets in that Heavenly Sphere. Leonora knew her Slave by his Badge +and blushed till the Lilies and Roses in her cheeks had resemblance to the +Plume of Crimson and White Handkerchief in Hippolito’s Crest. He made her +a low bow, and reined his Horse back with an extraordinary Grace, into a +respectful retreat. Aurelian saw his Angel, his beautiful Incognita, and had no +other way to make himself known to her, but by saluting and bowing to her after +the Spanish mode; she guess’d him by it to be her new Servant Hippolito, +and signified her apprehension, by making him a more particular and obliging +return, than to any of the Cavaliers who had saluted her before. +</p> + +<p> +The Exercise that was to be perform’d was in general a running at the +Ring; and afterwards two Cavaliers undertook to defend the Beauty of Donna +Catharina, against all who would not allow her preheminence of their +Mistresses. This thing was only designed for show and form, none presuming that +any body would put so great an affront upon the Bride and Duke’s +Kinswoman, as to dispute her pretentions to the first place in the Court of +Venus. But here our Cavaliers were under a mistake; for seeing a large Shield +carry’d before two Knights, with a Lady painted upon it; not knowing who, +but reading the Inscription which was (in large Gold Letters) Above the +Insolence of Competition. They thought themselves obliged, especially in the +presence of their Mistresses, to vindicate their Beauty; and were just spurring +on to engage the Champions, when a Gentleman stopping them, told them their +mistake, that it was the Picture of Donna Catharina, and a particular Honour +done to her by his Highness’s Commands, and not to be disputed. Upon this +they would have returned to their Post, much concerned for their mistake; but +notice being taken by Don Ferdinand of some Show of Opposition that was made, +he would have begged leave of the Duke, to have maintained his Lady’s +Honour against the Insolence of those Cavaliers; but the Duke would by no means +permit it. They were arguing about it when one of them came up, before whom the +Shield was born, and demanded his Highness’s Permission, to inform those +Gentlemen better of their mistake, by giving them the Foyl. By the Intercession +of Don Ferdinand, leave was given them; whereupon a Civil Challenge was sent to +the two Strangers, informing them of their Error, and withal telling them they +must either maintain it by force of Arms, or make a publick acknowledgment by +riding bare headed before the Picture once round the Lists. The +Stranger-Cavaliers remonstrated to the Duke how sensible they were of their +Error, and though they would not justifie it, yet they could not decline the +Combate, being pressed to it beyond an honourable refusal. To the Bride they +sent a Complement, wherein, having first begg’d her pardon for not +knowing her Picture, they gave her to understand, that now they were not about +to dispute her undoubted right to the Crown of Beauty, but the honour of being +her Champions was the Prize they fought for, which they thought themselves as +able to maintain as any other Pretenders. Wherefore they pray’d her, that +if fortune so far befriended their endeavours as to make them Victors, that +they might receive no other Reward, but to be crown’d with the Titles of +their Adversaries, and be ever after esteem’d as her most humble +Servants. The excuse was so handsomely designed, and much better +express’d than it is here, that it took effect. The Duke, Don Ferdinand +and his Lady were so well satisfied with it as to grant their Request. +</p> + +<p> +While the running at the Ring lasted, our Cavaliers alternately bore away great +share of the Honour. That Sport ended, Marshals were appointed for the Field, +and every thing in great form settled for the Combat. The Cavaliers were all in +good earnest, but orders were given to bring ’em blunted Lances, and to +forbid the drawing of a Sword upon pain of his Highness’s Displeasure. +The Trumpets sounded and they began their Course: The Ladies’ Hearts, +particularly the Incognita and Leonora’s beat time to the Horses Hoofs, +and hope and fear made a mock Fight within their tender Breasts, each wishing +and doubting success where she lik’d: But as the generality of their +Prayers were for the graceful Strangers, they accordingly succeeded. +Aurelian’s Adversary was unhorsed in the first Encounter, and +Hippolito’s lost both Stirrups and dropt his Lance to save himself. The +Honour of the Field was immediately granted to them, and Don Catharina sent +them both Favours, which she pray’d them to wear as her Knights. The +Crowd breaking up, our Cavaliers made a shift to steal off unmarked, save by +the watchful Leonora and Incognita, whose Eyes were never off from their +respective Servants. There was enquiry made for them, but to no purpose; for +they to prevent their being discovered had prepared another House, distant from +their Lodging, where a Servant attended to disarm them, and another carried +back their Horses to the Villa, while they walked unsuspected to their Lodging; +but Incognita had given command to a Page to dog ’em till the Evening, at +a distance, and bring her word where they were latest housed. +</p> + +<p> +While several Conjectures pass’d among the Company, who were all gone to +Dinner at the Palace, who those Cavaliers should be, Don Fabio thought himself +the only Man able to guess; for he knew for certain that his Son and Hippolito +were both in Town, and was well enough pleased with his humour of remaining +Incognito till the Diversions should be over, believing then that the surprize +of his Discovery would add much to the Gallantry he had shown in Masquerade; +but hearing the extraordinary liking that every body express’d, and in a +particular manner, the great Duke himself, to the Persons and Behaviour of the +unknown Cavaliers, the Old Gentleman could not forbear the Vanity to tell his +Highness, that he believed he had an interest in one of the Gentlemen, whom he +was pleased to honour with so favourable a Character; and told him what reason +he had to believe the one to be his Son, and the other a Spanish Nobleman, his +Friend. +</p> + +<p> +This discovery having thus got vent, was diffused like Air; every body +suck’d it in, and let it out again with their Breath to the next they met +withal; and in half an hours time it was talked of in the House where our +Adventurers were lodged. Aurelian was stark mad at the News, and knew what +search would be immediately made for him. Hippolito, had he not been +desperately in Love, would certainly have taken Horse and rid out of Town just +then, for he could make no longer doubt of being discovered, and he was afraid +of the just Exceptions Leonora might make to a Person who had now deceived her +twice. Well, we will leave them both fretting and contriving to no purpose, to +look about and see what was done at the Palace, where their doom was determined +much quicker than they imagined. +</p> + +<p> +Dinner ended, the Duke retired with some chosen Friends to a Glass of Wine; +among whom were the Marquess of Viterbo and Don Fabio. His Highness was no +Stranger to the long Fewd that had been between the two Families, and also +understood what Overtures of Reconciliation had been lately made, with the +Proposals of Marriage between Aurelian and the Marquess’s Daughter. +Having waited till the Wine had taken the effect proposed, and the Company were +raised to an uncommon pitch of Chearfulness, which he also encouraged by an +Example of Freedom and Good Humour, he took an opportunity of rallying the two +grave Signiors into an Accommodation: That was seconded with the praises of the +young Couple, and the whole Company joined in a large Encomium upon the Graces +of Aurelian and the Beauties of Juliana. The old Fellows were tickled with +Delight to hear their Darlings so admired, which the Duke perceiving, out of a +Principle of Generosity and Friendship, urged the present Consummation of the +Marriage; telling them there was yet one day of publick Rejoycing to come, and +how glad he should be to have it improved by so acceptable an Alliance; and +what an honour it would be to have his Cousin’s Marriage attended by the +Conjunction of so extraordinary a Pair, the performance of which Ceremony would +crown the Joy that was then in Agitation, and make the last day vie for equal +Glory and Happiness with the first. In short, by the Complaisant and Perswasive +Authority of the Duke, the Dons were wrought into a Compliance, and accordingly +embraced and shook Hands upon the Matter. This News was dispersed like the +former, and Don Fabio gave orders for the enquiring out his Son’s +Lodging, that the Marquess and he might make him a Visit, as soon as he had +acquainted Juliana with his purpose, that she might prepare her self. He found +her very chearful with Donna Catharina and several other Ladies; whereupon the +old Gentleman, pretty well warmed with the Duke’s Goodfellowship, told +her aloud he was come to crown their Mirth with another Wedding; that his +Highness had been pleased to provide a Husband for his Daughter, and he would +have her provide her self to receive him to-morrow. All the Company at first, +as well as Juliana her self, thought he had rally’d, till the Duke coming +in confirmed the serious part of his Discourse. Juliana was confounded at the +haste that was imposed on her, and desired a little time to consider what she +was about. But the Marquess told her, she should have all the rest of her Life +to consider in; that Aurelian should come and consider with her in the Morning, +if she pleased; but in the mean time, he advised her to go home and call her +Maids to Counsel. +</p> + +<p> +Juliana took her leave of the Company very gravely, as if not much delighted +with her Father’s Rallery. Leonora happened to be by, and heard all that +passed; she was ready to swoon, and found her self seized with a more violent +Passion than ever for Aurelian: Now upon her apprehensions of losing him, her +active fancy had brought him before her with all the advantages imaginable, and +though she had before found great tenderness in her Inclination toward him, yet +was she somewhat surprized to find she really lov’d him. She was so +uneasie at what she had heard, that she thought it convenient to steal out of +the presence and retire to her Closet, to bemoan her unhappy helpless +Condition. +</p> + +<p> +Our Two Cavalier-Lovers had rack’d their Invention till it was quite +disabled, and could not make discovery of one Contrivance more for their +Relief. Both sat silent, each depending upon his Friend, and still expecting +when t’other should speak. Night came upon them while they sate thus +thoughtless, or rather drowned in Thought; but a Servant bringing Lights into +the Room awakened them: And Hippolito’s Speech, usher’d by a +profound Sigh, broke Silence. +</p> + +<p> +‘Well! (said he) what must we do, Aurelian? We must suffer, replied +Aurelian faintly. When immediately raising his Voice, he cry’d out, +‘Oh ye unequal Powers, why do ye urge us to desire what ye doom us to +forbear; give us a Will to chuse, then curb us with a Duty to restrain that +Choice! Cruel Father, Will nothing else suffice! Am I to be the Sacrifice to +expiate your Offences past; past ere I was born? Were I to lose my Life, +I’d gladly Seal your Reconcilement with my Blood. ‘But Oh my Soul +is free, you have no Title to my Immortal Being, that has Existence independent +of your Power; and must I lose my Love, the Extract of that Being, the Joy, +Light, Life, and Darling of my Soul? No, I’ll own my Flame, and plead my +Title too.—But hold, wretched Aurelian, hold, whither does thy Passion +hurry thee? Alas! the cruel fair Incognita Loves thee not! She knows not of thy +Love! If she did, what Merit hast thou to pretend?—Only +Love.—Excess of Love. And all the World has that. All that have seen her. +Yet I had only seen her once, and in that once I lov’d above the World; +nay, lov’d beyond my self, such vigorous Flame, so strong, so quick she +darted at my Breast; it must rebound, and by Reflection, warm her self. Ah! +welcome Thought, lovely deluding Fancy, hang still upon my Soul, let me but +think, that once she Loves and perish my Despair. +</p> + +<p> +Here a suddain stop gave a Period also to Hippolito’s Expectation, and he +hoped now that his Friend had given his Passion so free a vent, he might +recollect and bethink himself of what was convenient to be done; but Aurelia, +as if he had mustered up all his Spirits purely to acquit himself of that +passionate Harangue, stood mute and insensible like an Alarum Clock, that had +spent all its force in one violent Emotion. Hippolito shook him by the Arm to +rouze him from his Lethargy, when his Lacquey coming into the Room, out of +Breath, told him there was a Coach just stopp’d at the Door, but he did +not take time to who came in it. Aurelian concluded immediately it was his +Father in quest of him; and without saying any more to Hippolito, than that he +was Ruined if discovered, took his Sword and slipp’d down a back pair of +Stairs into the Garden, from whence he conveyed himself into the Street. +Hippolito had not bethought himself what to do, before he perceiv’d a +Lady come into the Chamber close veil’d, and make toward him. At the +first Appearance of a Woman, his Imagination flattered him with a Thought of +Leonora; but that was quickly over upon nearer Approach to the Lady, who had +much the Advantage in Stature of his Mistress. He very civilly accosted her, +and asked if he were the Person to whom the Honour of that Visit was intended. +She said, her Business was with Don Hippolito di Saviolina, to whom she had +Matter of Concern to import, and which required haste. He had like to have told +her, That he was the Man, but by good Chance reflecting upon his Friend’s +Adventure, who had taken his name, he made Answer, that he believed Don +Hippolito not far off, and if she had a Moments Patience he would enquire for +him. +</p> + +<p> +He went out, leaving the Lady in the Room, and made search all round the House +and Garden for Aurelian, but to no purpose. The Lady impatient of his long stay +took a Pen and Ink and some Paper which she found upon the Table, and had just +made an End of her Letter, when hearing a Noise of more than one coming up +Stairs, she concluded his Friend had found him, and that her Letter would be to +no purpose, so tore it in pieces, which she repented; when turning about, she +found her Mistake, and beheld Don Fabio and the Marquess of Viterbo just +entring at the Door. She gave a Shriek at the Surprize of their Appearance, +which much troubled the Old Gentlemen, and made them retire in Confusion for +putting a Gentlewoman into such a Fright. The Marquess thinking they had been +misinformed, or had mistaken the Lodgings, came forward again, and made an +Apology to the Lady for their Errour; but she making no reply, walk’d +directly by him down Stairs and went into her Coach, which hurried her away as +speedily as the Horses were able to draw. +</p> + +<p> +The Dons were at a loss what to think, when, Hippolito coming into the Room to +give the Lady an Account of his Errant, was no less astonished to find she was +departed, and had left Two Old Signiors in her stead. He knew Don Fabio’s +Face, for Aurelian had shewn him his Father at the Tilting; but being confident +he was not known to him, he ventur’d to ask him concerning a Lady whom +just now he had left in that Chamber. Don Fabio told him, she was just gone +down, and doubted they had been Guilty of a Mistake, in coming to enquire for a +Couple of Gentlemen whom they were informed were Lodged in that House; he +begg’d his Pardon if he had any Relation to that Lady, and desired to +know if he could give them any Account of the Persons they sought for. +Hippolito made answer, He was a Stranger in the Place, and only a Servant to +that Lady whom they had disturb’d, and whom he must go and seek out. And +in this Perplexity he left them, going again in Search of Aurelian, to inform +him of what had passed. +</p> + +<p> +The Old Gentlemen at last meeting with a Servant of the House, were directed to +Signior Claudio’s Chamber, where they were no sooner entered but Aurelian +came into the House. A Servant who had skulk’d for him by +Hippolito’s Order, followed him up into the Chamber, and told him who was +with Claudio then making Enquiry for him. He thought that to be no Place for +him, since Claudio must needs discover all the Truth to his Father; wherefore +he left Directions with the Servant, where Hippolito should meet him in the +Morning. As he was going out of the Room he espied the torn Paper, which the +Lady had thrown upon the Floor: The first piece he took up had Incognita +written upon it; the sight of which so Alarum’d him, he scarce knew what +he was about; but hearing a Noise of a Door opening over Head, with as much +Care as was consistent with the haste he was then in, he gathered up scattered +pieces of Paper, and betook himself to a Ramble. +</p> + +<p> +Coming by a Light which hung at the Corner of a Street, he join’d the +torn Papers and collected thus much, that Incognita had Written the Note, and +earnestly desired (if there were any reality in what he pretended to her) to +meet her at Twelve a Clock that Night at a Convent Gate; but unluckily the Bit +of Paper which should have mentioned what Convent, was broken off and lost. +</p> + +<p> +Here was a large Subject for Aurelian’s Passion, which he did not spare +to pour forth in Abundance of Curses on his Stars. So earnest was he in the +Contemplation of his Misfortunes, that he walk’d on unwittingly; till at +length Silence (and such as was only to be found in that part the Town, whither +his unguided Steps had carried him) surpriz’d his Attention. I say, a +profound Silence rouzed him from his Thought; and a clap of Thunder could have +done no more. +</p> + +<p> +Now because it is possible this at some time or other may happen to be read by +some Malicious or Ignorant Person, (no Reflection upon the present Reader) who +will not admit, or does not understand that Silence should make a Man start; +and have the same Effect, in provoking his Attention, with its opposite Noise; +I will illustrate this matter, to such a diminutive Critick, by a Parallel +Instance of Light; which though it does chiefly entertain the Eyes, and is +indeed the prime Object of the Sight, yet should it immediately cease, to have +a Man left in the Dark by a suddain deficiency of it, would make him stare with +his Eyes, and though he could not see, endeavour to look about him. Why just +thus did it fare with our Adventurer; who seeming to have wandred both into the +Dominions of Silence and of Night, began to have some tender for his own +Safety, and would willingly have groped his Way back again; when he heard a +Voice, as from a Person whose Breath had been stopp’d by some forcible +Oppression, and just then, by a violent Effort, was broke through the +Restraint.—‘Yet—Yet—(again reply’d the Voice, +still struggling for Air,) ‘Forbear—and I’ll forgive +what’s past—I have done nothing yet that needs a Pardon, (says +another) and what is to come, will admit of none. +</p> + +<p> +Here the Person who seemed to be the Oppressed, made several Attempts to speak, +but they were only inarticulate Sounds, being all interrupted and choaked in +their Passage. +</p> + +<p> +Aurelian was sufficiently astonish’d, and would have crept nearer to the +Place whence he guessed the Voice to come; but he was got among the Runes of an +Old Monastery, and could not stir so silently, but some loose Stones he met +with made a rumbling. The Noise alarm’d both Parties; and as it gave +Comfort to the one, it so Terrified the t’other, that he could not hinder +the Oppressed from calling for help. Aurelian fancy’d it was a +Woman’s Voice, and immediately drawing his Sword, demanded what was the +Matter; he was answered with the Appearance of a Man, who had opened a Dark +Lanthorn which he had by him, and came toward him with a Pistol in his Hand +ready cock’d. +</p> + +<p> +Aurelian seeing the irresistable advantage his Adversary had over him, would +fain have retired; and, by the greatest Providence in the World, going +backwards fell down over some loose Stones that lay in his Way, just in that +Instant of Time when the Villain fired his Pistol, who seeing him fall, +concluded he had Shot him. The Crys of the afflicted Person were redoubled at +the Tragical Sight, which made the Murderer, drawing a Poniard, to threaten +him, that the next Murmur should be his last. Aurelian, who was scarce assured +that he was unhurt, got softly up; and coming near enough to perceive the +Violence that was used to stop the Injured Man’s Mouth; (for now he saw +plainly it was a Man) cry’d out,—Turn, Villain, and look upon thy +Death.—The Fellow amazed at the Voice, turn’d about to have +snatch’d up the Lanthorn from the Ground; either to have given Light only +to himself, or to have put out the Candle, that he might have made his Escape; +but which of the Two he designed, no Body could tell but himself: and if the +Reader have a Curiosity to know, he must blame Aurelian; who thinking there +could be no foul play offered to such a Villain, ran him immediately through +the Heart, so that he drop’d down Dead at his Feet, without speaking a +Word. He would have seen who the Person was he had thus happily delivered, but +the Dead Body had fallen upon the Lanthorn, which put out the Candle: However +coming up toward him, he ask’d him how he did, and bid him be of good +Heart; he was answered with nothing but Prayers, Blessings and Thanks, called a +Thousand Deliverers, good Genius’s and Guardian Angels. And the Rescued +would certainly have gone upon his Knees to have worshipped him, had he not +been bound Hand and Foot; which Aurelian understanding, groped for the Knots, +and either untied them or cut them asunder; but ’tis more probable the +latter, because more expeditious. +</p> + +<p> +They took little heed what became of the Body which they left behind them, and +Aurelian was conducted from out the Ruins by the Hand of him he had delivered. +By a faint light issuing from the just rising Moon, he could discern that it +was a Youth; but coming into a more frequented part of the Town, where several +Lights were hung out, he was amaz’d at the extream Beauty which appeared +in his Face, though a little pale and disordered with his late fright. Aurelian +longed to hear the Story of so odd an adventure, and entreated his Charge to +tell it him by the way; but he desired him to forbear till they were come into +some House or other, where he might rest and recover his tired Spirits, for yet +he was so faint he was unable to look up. Aurelian thought these last words +were delivered in a Voice, whose accent was not new to him. That thought made +him look earnestly in the Youth’s Face, which he now was sure he had +somewhere seen before, and thereupon asked him if he had never been at Siena? +That Question made the young Gentleman look up, and something of a Joy appeared +in his Countenance, which yet he endeavoured to smother; so praying Aurelian to +conduct him to his Lodging, he promised him that as soon as they should come +thither, he would acquaint him with any thing he desired to know. Aurelian +would rather have gone any where else than to his own Lodging; but being so +very late he was at a loss, and so forced to be contented. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as they were come into his Chamber, and that Lights were brought them +and the Servant dismissed, the paleness which so visibly before had usurped the +sweet Countenance of the afflicted Youth vanished, and gave place to a more +lively Flood of Crimson, which with a modest heat glow’d freshly on his +Cheeks. Aurelian waited with a pleasing Admiration the discovery promised him, +when the Youth still struggling with his Resolution, with a timorous haste, +pulled off a Peruke which had concealed the most beautiful abundance of Hair +that ever graced one Female Head; those dishevelled spreading tresses, as at +first they made a discovery of, so at last they served for a veil to the modest +lovely blushes of the fair Incognita; for she it was and none other. But Oh! +the inexpressible, inconceivable joy and amazement of Aurelian! As soon as he +durst venture to think, he concluded it to be all Vision, and never doubted so +much of any thing in his Life as of his being then awake. But she taking him by +the Hand, and desiring him to sit down by her, partly convinced him of the +reality of her presence. +</p> + +<p> +‘This is the second time, Don Hippolito, (said she to him) ‘that I +have been here this Night. What the occasion was of my seeking you out, and how +by miracle you preserved me, would add too much to the surprize I perceive you +to be already in should I tell you: Nor will I make any further discovery, till +I know what censure you pass upon the confidence which I have put in you, and +the strange Circumstances in which you find me at this time. I am sensible they +are such, that I shall not blame your severest Conjectures; but I hope to +convince you, when you shall hear what I have to say in justification of my +Vertue. +</p> + +<p> +‘Justification! (cry’d Aurelian) what Infidel dares doubt it! Then +kneeling down, and taking her Hand, ‘Ah Madam (says he) would Heaven +would no other ways look upon, than I behold your Perfections—Wrong not +your Creature with a Thought, he can be guilty of that horrid Impiety as once +to doubt your Vertue—Heavens! (cry’d he, starting up) ‘am I +so really blessed to see you once again! May I trust my Sight?—Or does my +fancy now only more strongly work?—For still I did preserve your Image in +my Heart, and you were ever present to my dearest Thoughts.— +</p> + +<p> +‘Enough Hippolito, enough of Rapture (said she) you cannot much accuse me +of Ingratitude; for you see I have not been unmindful of you; but moderate your +Joy till I have told you my Condition, and if for my sake you are raised to +this Delight, it is not of a long continuance. +</p> + +<p> +At that (as Aurelian tells the Story) a Sigh diffused a mournful sweetness +through the Air, and liquid grief fell gently from her Eyes, triumphant sadness +sat upon her Brow, and even sorrow seem’d delighted with the Conquest he +had made. See what a change Aurelian felt! His Heart bled Tears, and trembled +in his Breast; Sighs struggling for a vent had choaked each others passage up: +His Floods of Joys were all supprest; cold doubts and fears had chill’d +’em with a sudden Frost, and he was troubled to excess; yet knew not why. +Well, the Learned say it was Sympathy; and I am always of the Opinion with the +Learned, if they speak first. +</p> + +<p> +After a World of Condoleance had passed between them, he prevailed with her to +tell him her Story. So having put all her Sighs into one great Sigh, she +discharged her self of ’em all at once, and formed the Relation you are +just about to Read. +</p> + +<p> +‘Having been in my Infancy Contracted to a Man I could never endure, and +now by my Parents being likely to be forced to Marry him, is in short, the +great occasion of my grief. I fansy’d (continued she) something so +Generous in your Countenance, and uncommon in your Behaviour, while you were +diverting your self, and rallying me with Expressions of Gallantry, at the +Ball, as induced me to hold Conference with you. I now freely confess to you, +out of design, That if things should happen as I then feared, and as now they +are come to pass, I might rely upon your assistance in a matter of Concern; and +in which I would sooner chuse to depend upon a generous Stranger, than any +Acquaintance I have. What Mirth and Freedom I then put on, were, I can assure +you, far distant from my Heart; but I did violence to my self out of +Complaisance to your Temper.—I knew you at the Tilting, and wished you +might come off as you did; though I do not doubt, but you would have had as +good Success had it been opposite to my Inclinations.—Not to detain you +by too tedious a Relation, every day my Friends urged me to the Match they had +agreed upon for me, before I was capable of Consenting; at last their +importunities grew to that degree, that I found I must either consent, which +would make me miserable, or be miserable by perpetually enduring to be baited +by my Father, Brother and other Relations. I resolved yesterday, on a suddain +to give firm Faith to the Opinion I had conceived of you; and accordingly came +in the Evening to request your assistance, in delivering me from my Tormentors, +by a safe and private conveyance of me to a Monastery about four Leagues hence, +where I have an Aunt who would receive me, and is the only Relation I have +averse to the Match. I was surprized at the appearance of some Company I did +not expect at your Lodgings; which made me in haste tear a Paper which I had +written to you with Directions where to find me, and get speedily away in my +Coach to an old Servant’s House, whom I acquainted with my purpose: By my +Order she provided me of this Habit which I now wear; I ventured to trust my +self with her Brother, and resolved to go under his Conduct to the Monastery; +he proved to be a Villain, and Pretending to take me a short and private way to +the place where he was to take up a Hackney Coach (for that which I came in was +broke some where or other with the haste it made to carry me from your Lodging) +led me into an old ruined Monastery, where it pleased Heaven, by what Accident +I know not, to direct you. I need not tell you how you saved my Life and my +Honour, by revenging me with the Death of my Perfidious Guide. This is the summ +of my present Condition, bating the apprehensions I am in of being taken by +some of my Relations, and forced to a thing so quite contrary to my +Inclinations. +</p> + +<p> +Aurelian was confounded at the Relation she had made, and began to fear his own +Estate to be more desperate than ever he had imagined. He made her a very +Passionate and Eloquent Speech in behalf of himself (much better than I intend +to insert here) and expressed a mighty concern that she should look upon his +ardent Affection to be only Rallery or Gallantry. He was very free of his Oaths +to confirm the Truth of what he pretended, nor I believe did she doubt it, or +at least was unwilling so to do: For I would Caution the Reader by the bye, not +to believe every word which she told him, nor that admirable sorrow which she +counterfeited to be accurately true. It was indeed truth so cunningly +intermingled with Fiction, that it required no less Wit and Presence of Mind +than she was endowed with so to acquit her self on the suddain. She had +entrusted her self indeed with a Fellow who proved a Villain, to conduct her to +a Monastery; but one which was in the Town, and where she intended only to lie +concealed for his sake; as the Reader shall understand ere long: For we have +another Discovery to make to him, if he have not found it out of himself +already. +</p> + +<p> +After Aurelian had said what he was able upon the Subject in hand, with a +mournful tone and dejected look, he demanded his Doom. She asked him if he +would endeavour to convey her to the Monastery she had told him of? ‘Your +commands, Madam, (replied he) ‘are Sacred to me; and were they to lay +down my Life I would obey them. With that he would have gone out of the Room, +to have given order for his Horses to be got ready immediately; but with a +Countenance so full of sorrow as moved Compassion in the tender hearted +Incognita. ‘Stay a little Don Hippolito (said she) I fear I shall not be +able to undergo the Fatigue of a Journey this Night.—Stay and give me +your Advice how I shall conceal my self if I continue to morrow in this Town. +Aurelian could have satisfied her she was not then in a place to avoid +discovery: But he must also have told her then the reason of it, viz. whom he +was, and who were in quest of him, which he did not think convenient to declare +till necessity should urge him; for he feared least her knowledge of those +designs which were in agitation between him and Juliana, might deter her more +from giving her consent. At last he resolved to try his utmost perswasions to +gain her, and told her accordingly, he was afraid she would be disturbed there +in the Morning, and he knew no other way (if she had not as great an aversion +for him as the Man whom she now endeavour’d to avoid) than by making him +happy to make her self secure. He demonstrated to her,—that the +disobligation to her Parents would be greater by going to a Monastery, since it +was only to avoid a choice which they had made for her, and which she could not +have so just a pretence to do till she had made one for her self. +</p> + +<p> +A World of other Arguments he used, which she contradicted as long as she was +able, or at least willing. At last she told him, she would consult her Pillow, +and in the Morning conclude what was fit to be done. He thought it convenient +to leave her to her rest, and having lock’d her up in his Room, went +himself to repose upon a Pallat by Signior Claudio. +</p> + +<p> +In the mean time, it may be convenient to enquire what became of Hippolito. He +had wandered much in pursuit of Aurelian, though Leonora equally took up his +Thoughts; He was reflecting upon the oddness and extravagance of his +Circumstances, the Continuation of which had doubtless created in him a great +uneasiness, when it was interrupted with the noise of opening the Gates of the +Convent of St. Lawrence, whither he was arrived sooner than he thought for, +being the place Aurelian had appointed by the Lacquey to meet him in. He +wondered to see the Gates opened at so unseasonable an hour, and went to +enquire the reason of it from them who were employ’d; but they proved to +be Novices, and made him signs to go in, where he might meet with some body +allow’d to answer him. He found the Religious Men all up, and Tapers +lighting every where: at last he follow’d a Friar who was going into the +Garden, and asking him the cause of these Preparations, he was answered, That +they were entreated to pray for the Soul of a Cavalier, who was just departing +or departed this Life, and whom upon farther talk with him, he found to be the +same Lorenzo so often mentioned. Don Mario, it seems Uncle to Lorenzo and +Father to Leonora, had a private Door out of the Garden belonging to his House +into that of the Convent, which Door this Father was now a going to open, that +he and his Family might come and offer up their Oraisons for the Soul of their +Kinsman. Hippolito having informed himself of as much as he could ask without +suspicion, took his leave of the Friar, not a little joyful at the Hopes he had +by such unexpected Means, of seeing his Beautiful Leonora: As soon as he was +got at convenient Distance from the Friar, (who ’tis like thought he had +return’d into the Convent to his Devotion) he turned back through a close +Walk which led him with a little Compass, to the same private Door, where just +before he had left the Friar, who now he saw was gone, and the Door open. +</p> + +<p> +He went into Don Mario’s Garden, and walk’d round with much Caution +and Circumspection; for the Moon was then about to rise, and had already +diffused a glimmering Light, sufficient to distinguish a Man from a Tree. By +Computation now (which is a very remarkable Circumstance) Hippolito entred this +Garden near upon the same Instant, when Aurelian wandred into the Old Monastery +and found his Incognita in Distress. He was pretty well acquainted with the +Platform, and Sight of the Garden; for he had formerly surveyed the Outside, +and knew what part to make to if he should be surpriz’d and driven to a +precipitate Escape. He took his Stand behind a well grown Bush of Myrtle, +which, should the Moon shine brighter than was required, had the Advantage to +be shaded by the Indulgent Boughs of an ancient Bay-Tree. He was delighted with +the Choice he had made, for he found a Hollow in the Myrtle, as if purposely +contriv’d for the Reception of one Person, who might undiscovered +perceive all about him. He looked upon it as a good Omen, that the Tree +Consecrated to Venus was so propitious to him in his Amorous Distress. The +Consideration of that, together with the Obligation he lay under to the Muses, +for sheltering him also with so large a Crown of Bays, had like to have set him +a Rhyming. +</p> + +<p> +He was, to tell the Truth, naturally addicted to Madrigal, and we should +undoubtedly have had a small desert of Numbers to have pick’d and +Criticiz’d upon, had he not been interrupted just upon his Delivery; nay, +after the Preliminary Sigh had made Way for his Utterance. But so was his +Fortune, Don Mario was coming towards the Door at that very nick of Time, where +he met with a Priest just out of Breath, who told him that Lorenzo was just +breathing his last, and desired to know if he would come and take his final +Leave before they were to administer the Extream Unction. Don Mario, who had +been at some Difference with his Nephew, now thought it his Duty to be +reconciled to him; so calling to Leonora, who was coming after him, he bid her +go to her Devotions in the Chappel, and told her where he was going. +</p> + +<p> +He went on with the Priest, while Hippolito saw Leonora come forward, only +accompanied by her Woman. She was in an undress, and by reason of a Melancholy +visible in her Face, more Careless than usual in her Attire, which he thought +added as much as was possible to the abundance of her Charms. He had not much +Time to Contemplate this Beauteous Vision, for she soon passed into the Garden +of the Convent, leaving him Confounded with Love, Admiration, Joy, Hope, Fear, +and all the Train of Passions, which seize upon Men in his Condition, all at +once. He was so teazed with this Variety of Torment, that he never missed the +Two Hours that had slipped away during his Automachy and Intestine Conflict. +Leonora’s Return settled his Spirits, at least united them, and he had +now no other Thought but how he should present himself before her. When she +calling her Woman, bid her bolt the Garden Door on the Inside, that she might +not be Surpriz’d by her Father, if he returned through the Convent, which +done, she ordered her to bring down her Lute, and leave her to her self in the +Garden. +</p> + +<p> +All this Hippolito saw and heard to his inexpressible Content, yet had he much +to do to smother his Joy, and hinder it from taking a Vent, which would have +ruined the only Opportunity of his Life. Leonora withdrew into an Arbour so +near him, that he could distinctly hear her if she Played or Sung: Having tuned +her Lute, with a Voice soft as the Breath of Angels, she flung to it this +following Air: +</p> + +<p class="center"> +I. +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +Ah! Whither, whither shall I fly,<br /> + A poor unhappy Maid;<br /> +To hopeless Love and Misery<br /> + By my own Heart betray’d?<br /> +Not by Alexis Eyes undone,<br /> + Nor by his Charming Faithless Tongue,<br /> +Or any Practis’d Art;<br /> + Such real Ills may hope a Cure,<br /> +But the sad Pains which I endure<br /> + Proceed from fansied Smart. +</p> + +<p class="center"> +II. +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +’Twas Fancy gave Alexis Charms,<br /> + Ere I beheld his Face:<br /> +Kind Fancy (then) could fold our Arms,<br /> + And form a soft Embrace.<br /> +But since I’ve seen the real Swain,<br /> + And try’d to fancy him again,<br /> +I’m by my Fancy taught,<br /> + Though ’tis a Bliss no Tongue can tell,<br /> +To have Alexis, yet ’tis Hell<br /> + To have him but in Thought. +</p> + +<p> +The Song ended grieved Hippolito that it was so soon ended; and in the Ecstacy +he was then rapt, I believe he would have been satisfied to have expired with +it. He could not help Flattering himself, (though at the same Time he checked +his own Vanity) that he was the Person meant in the Song. While he was +indulging which thought, to his happy Astonishment, he heard it encouraged by +these Words: +</p> + +<p> +‘Unhappy Leonora (said she) how is thy poor unwary Heart misled? Whither +am I come? The false deluding Lights of an imaginary Flame, have led me, a poor +benighted Victim, to a real Fire. I burn and am consumed with hopeless Love; +those Beams in whose soft temperate warmth I wanton’d heretofore, now +flash destruction to my Soul, my Treacherous greedy Eyes have suck’d the +glaring Light, they have united all its Rays, and, like a burning-Glass, +convey’d the pointed Meteor to my Heart—Ah! Aurelian, how quickly +hast thou Conquer’d, and how quickly must thou Forsake. Oh Happy (to me +unfortunately Happy) Juliana! I am to be the subject of thy Triumph—To +thee Aurelian comes laden with the Tribute of my Heart and Glories in the +Oblation of his broken Vows.—What then, is Aurelian False! False! alass, +I know not what I say; How can he be False, or True, or any Thing to me? What +Promises did he ere make or I receive? Sure I dream, or I am mad, and fansie it +to be Love; Foolish Girl, recal thy banish’d Reason.—Ah! would it +were no more, would I could rave, sure that would give me Ease, and rob me of +the Sense of Pain; at least, among my wandring Thoughts, I should at sometime +light upon Aurelian, and fansie him to be mine; kind Madness would flatter my +poor feeble Wishes, and sometimes tell me Aurelian is not lost—not +irrecoverably—not for ever lost. +</p> + +<p> +Hippolito could hear no more, he had not Room for half his Transport. When +Leonora perceived a Man coming toward her, she fell a trembling, and could not +speak. Hippolito approached with Reverence, as to a Sacred Shrine; when coming +near enough to see her Consternation, he fell upon his Knees. +</p> + +<p> +‘Behold, O Adored Leonora (said he) ‘your ravished Aurelian, behold +at your Feet the Happiest of Men, be not disturb’d at my Appearance, but +think that Heaven conducted me to hear my Bliss pronounced by that dear Mouth +alone, whose breath could fill me with new Life. +</p> + +<p> +Here he would have come nearer, but Leonora (scarce come to her self) was +getting up in haste to have gone away: he catch’d her Hand, and with all +the Endearments of Love and Transport pressed her stay; she was a long time in +great Confusion, at last, with many Blushes, she entreated him to let her go +where she might hide her Guilty Head, and not expose her shame before his Eyes, +since his Ears had been sufficient Witnesses of her Crime. He begg’d +pardon for his Treachery in over-hearing, and confessed it to be a Crime he had +now repeated. With a Thousand Submissions, Entreaties, Prayers, Praises, +Blessings, and passionate Expressions he wrought upon her to stay and hear him. +Here Hippolito made use of his Rhetorick, and it proved prevailing: +’Twere tedious to tell the many ingenious Arguments he used, with all her +Nice Distinctions and Objections. In short, he convinced her of his Passion, +represented to her the necessity they were under, of being speedy in their +Resolves: That his Father (for still he was Aurelian) would undoubtedly find +him in the Morning, and then it would be too late to Repent. She on the other +Hand, knew it was in vain to deny a Passion, which he had heard her so frankly +own; (and no doubt was very glad it was past and done;) besides apprehending +the danger of delay, and having some little Jealousies and Fears of what Effect +might be produced between the Commands of his Father and the Beauties of +Juliana; after some decent Denials, she consented to be Conducted by him +through the Garden into the Convent, where she would prevail with her Confessor +to Marry them. He was a scrupulous Old Father whom they had to deal withal, +insomuch that ere they had perswaded him, Don Mario was returned by the Way of +his own House, where missing his Daughter, and her Woman not being able to give +any farther Account of her, than that she left her in the Garden; he concluded +she was gone again to her Devotions, and indeed he found her in the Chappel +upon her Knees with Hippolito in her hand, receiving the Father’s +Benediction upon Conclusion of the Ceremony. +</p> + +<p> +It would have asked a very skilful Hand, to have depicted to the Life the Faces +of those Three Persons, at Don Mario’s Appearance. He that has seen some +admirable Piece of Transmutation by a Gorgon’s Head, may form to himself +the most probable Idea of the Prototype. The Old Gentleman was himself in a +sort of a Wood, to find his Daughter with a Young Fellow and a Priest, but as +yet he did not know the Worst, till Hippolito and Leonora came, and kneeling at +his Feet, begg’d his Forgiveness and Blessing as his Son and Daughter. +Don Mario, instead of that, fell into a most violent Passion, and would +undoubtedly have committed some extravagant Action, had he not been restrained, +more by the Sanctity of the Place, than the Perswasions of all the Religious, +who were now come about him. Leonora stirr’d not off her Knees all this +time, but continued begging of him that he would hear her. +</p> + +<p> +‘Ah! Ungrateful and Undutiful Wretch (cry’d he) ‘how hast +thou requited all my Care and Tenderness of thee? Now when I might have +expected some return of Comfort, to throw thy self away upon an unknown Person, +and, for ought I know, a Villain; to me I’m sure he is a Villain, who has +robb’d me of my Treasure, my Darling Joy, and all the future Happiness of +my Life prevented. Go—go, thou now-to-be-forgotten Leonora, go and enjoy +thy unprosperous Choice; you who wanted not a Father’s Counsel, cannot +need, or else will slight his Blessing. +</p> + +<p> +These last Words were spoken with so much Passion and feeling Concern, that +Leonora, moved with Excess of Grief, fainted at his Feet, just as she had +caught hold to Embrace his Knees. The Old Man would have shook her off, but +Compassion and Fatherly Affection came upon him in the midst of his Resolve, +and melted him into Tears, he Embraced his Daughter in his Arms, and wept over +her, while they endeavoured to restore her Senses. +</p> + +<p> +Hippolito was in such Concern he could not speak, but was busily employed in +rubbing and chafing her Temples; when she opening her Eyes laid hold of his +Arm, and cry’d out—Oh my Aurelian—how unhappy have you made +me! With that she had again like to have fainted away, but he took her in his +Arms, and begg’d Don Mario to have some pity on his Daughter, since by +his Severity she was reduced to that Condition. The Old Man hearing his +Daughter name Aurelian, was a little revived, and began to hope Things were in +a pretty good Condition; he was perswaded to comfort her, and having brought +her wholly to her self, was content to hear her Excuse, and in a little time +was so far wrought upon as to beg Hippolito’s Pardon for the Ill Opinion +he had conceived of him, and not long after gave his Consent. +</p> + +<p> +The Night was spent in this Conflict, and it was now clear Day, when Don Mario +Conducting his new Son and Daughter through the Garden, was met by some +Servants of the Marquess of Viterbo, who had been enquiring for Donna Leonora, +to know if Juliana had lately been with her; for that she was missing from her +Father’s House, and no conjectures could be made of what might become of +her. Don Mario and Leonora were surprized at the News, for he knew well enough +of the Match that was design’d for Juliana; and having enquired where the +Marquess was, it was told him, That he was gone with Don Fabio and Fabritio +toward Aurelian’s Lodgings. Don Mario having assured the Servants that +Juliana had not been there, dismissed them, and advised with his Son and +Daughter how they should undeceive the Marquess and Don Fabio in their +Expectations of Aurelian. Hippolito could oftentimes scarce forbear smiling at +the old Man’s Contrivances who was most deceived himself; he at length +advised them to go all down together to his Lodging, where he would present +himself before his Father, and ingenuously confess to him the truth, and he did +not question his approving of his Choice. +</p> + +<p> +This was agreed to, and the Coach made ready. While they were upon their way, +Hippolito pray’d heartily that his Friend Aurelian might be at the +Lodging, to satisfie Don Mario and Leonora of his Circumstances and Quality, +when he should be obliged to discover himself. His Petitions were granted; for +Don Fabio had beset the House long before his Son was up or Incognita awake. +</p> + +<p> +Upon the arrival of Don Mario and Hippolito, they heard a great Noise and +Hubbub above Stairs, which Don Mario concluded was occasioned by their not +finding Aurelian, whom he thought he could give the best account of: So that it +was not in Hippolito’s power to disswade him from going up before to +prepare his Father to receive and forgive him. While Hippolito and Leonora were +left in the Coach at the Door, he made himself known to her, and begg’d +her pardon a thousand times for continuing the deceit. She was under some +concern at first to find she was still mistaken; but his Behaviour, and the +Reasons he gave, soon reconciled him to her; his Person was altogether as +agreeable, his Estate and Quality not at all inferiour to Aurelian’s; in +the mean time, the true Aurelian who had seen his Father, begg’d leave of +him to withdraw for a moment; in which time he went into the Chamber where his +Incognita was dressing her self, by his design, in Woman’s Apparel, while +he was consulting with her how they should break the matter to his Father; it +happened that Don Mario came up Stairs where the Marquess and Don Fabio were; +they undoubtedly concluded him Mad, to hear him making Apologies and Excuses +for Aurelian, whom he told them if they would promise to forgive he would +present before them immediately. The Marquess asked him if his Daughter had +lain with Leonora that Night; he answered him with another question in behalf +of Aurelian. In short, they could not understand one another, but each thought +’tother beside himself. Don Mario was so concern’d that they would +not believe him, that he ran down Stairs and came to the Door out of Breath, +desiring Hippolito that he would come into the House quickly, for that he could +not perswade his Father but that he had already seen and spoke to him. +Hippolito by that understood that Aurelian was in the House; so taking Leonora +by the Hand, he followed Don Mario, who led him up into the Dining-Room, where +they found Aurelian upon his Knees, begging his Father to forgive him, that he +could not agree to the Choice he had made for him, since he had already +disposed of himself, and that before he understood the designs he had for him, +which was the reason that he had hitherto concealed himself. Don Fabio knew not +how to answer him, but look’d upon the Marquess, and the Marquess upon +him, as if the Cement had been cool’d which was to have united their +Families. +</p> + +<p> +All was silent, and Don Mario for his part took it to be all Conjuration; he +was coming forward to present Hippolito to them, when Aurelian spying his +Friend, started from his Knees and ran to embrace him—My dear Hippolito +(said he) what happy chance has brought you hither, just at my Necessity? +Hippolito pointed to Don Mario and Leonora, and told him upon what terms he +came. Don Mario was ready to run mad, hearing him called Hippolito, and went +again to examine his Daughter. While she was informing him of the truth, the +Marquess’s Servants returned with the melancholy News that his Daughter +was no where to be found. While the Marquess and Don Fabritio were wondering +at, and lamenting the Misfortune of her loss, Hippolito came towards Don Fabio +and interceded for his Son, since the Lady perhaps had withdrawn her self out +of an Aversion to the Match. Don Fabio, though very much incens’d, yet +forgot not the Respect due to Hippolito’s Quality; and by his perswasion +spoke to Aurelian, though with a stern Look and angry Voice, and asked him +where he had disposed the cause of his Disobedience, if he were worthy to see +her or no; Aurelian made answer, That he desired no more than for him to see +her; and he did not doubt a Consequence of his Approbation and +Forgiveness—Well (said Don Fabio) you are very conceited of your own +Discretion, let us see this Rarety. While Aurelian was gone in for Incognita, +the Marquess of Viterbo and Don Fabritio were taking their leaves in great +disorder for their loss and disappointment; but Don Fabio entreated their stay +a moment longer till the return of his Son. Aurelian led Incognita into the +Room veil’d, who seeing some Company there which he had not told her of, +would have gone back again. But Don Fabio came bluntly forwards, and ere she +was aware, lifted up her Veil and beheld the Fair Incognita, differing nothing +from Juliana, but in her Name. This discovery was so extreamly surprizing and +welcome, that either Joy or Amazement had tied up the Tongues of the whole +Company. Aurelian here was most at a loss, for he knew not of his Happiness; +and that which all along prevented Juliana’s confessing her self to him, +was her knowing Hippolito (for whom she took him) to be Aurelian’s +Friend, and she feared if he had known her, that he would never have consented +to have deprived him of her. Juliana was the first that spoke, falling upon her +Knees to her Father, who was not enough himself to take her up. Don Fabio ran +to her, and awakened the Marquess, who then embraced her, but could not yet +speak. Fabritio and Leonora strove who should first take her in their Arms; for +Aurelian he was out of his wits for Joy, and Juliana was not much behind him, +to see how happily their Loves and Duties were reconciled. Don Fabio embraced +his Son and forgave him. The Marquess and Fabritio gave Juliana into his hands, +he received the Blessing upon his Knees; all were over-joy’d, and Don +Mario not a little proud at the discovery of his Son-in-Law, whom Aurelian did +not fail to set forth with all the ardent Zeal and Eloquence of Friendship. +Juliana and Leonora had pleasant Discourse about their unknown and mistaken +Rivalship, and it was the Subject of a great deal of Mirth to hear Juliana +relate the several Contrivances which she had to avoid Aurelian for the sake of +Hippolito. +</p> + +<p> +Having diverted themselves with many Remarks upon the pleasing surprize, they +all thought it proper to attend upon the Great Duke that Morning at the Palace, +and to acquaint him with the Novelty of what had pass’d; while, by the +way, the two Young Couple entertained the Company with the Relation of several +Particulars of their Three Days Adventures. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div style='display:block;margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK INCOGNITA ***</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0;'>This file should be named 2363-h.htm or 2363-h.zip</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0;'>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in https://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/6/2363/</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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