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diff --git a/old/myten10.txt b/old/myten10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1ab03cd --- /dev/null +++ b/old/myten10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7568 @@ +Project Gutenberg's My Ten Years' Imprisonment, by Silvio Pellico + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + +*It must legally be the first thing seen when opening the book.* +In fact, our legal advisors said we can't even change margins. + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +This etext was prepared by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk, +from the 1886 Cassell & Co. edition. + + + + + +MY TEN YEARS' IMPRISONMENT + +by Silvio Pellico + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + + +Silvio Pellico was born at Saluzzo, in North Italy, in the year of +the fall of the Bastille, 1789. His health as a child was feeble, +his temper gentle, and he had the instincts of a poet. Before he +was ten years old he had written a tragedy on a theme taken from +Macpherson's Ossian. His chief delight as a boy was in acting plays +with other children, and he acquired from his father a strong +interest in the patriotic movements of the time. He fastened upon +French literature during a stay of some years at Lyons with a +relation of his mother's. Ugo Foscolo's Sepolcri revived his +patriotism, and in 1810, at the age of twenty-one, he returned to +Italy. He taught French in the Soldiers' Orphans' School at Milan. +At Milan he was admitted to the friendship of Vincenzo Monti, a poet +then touching his sixtieth year, and of the younger Ugo Foscolo, by +whose writings he had been powerfully stirred, and to whom he became +closely bound. Silvio Pellico wrote in classical form a tragedy, +Laodicea, and then, following the national or romantic school, for a +famous actress of that time, another tragedy, Francesca di Rimini, +which was received with great applause. + +After the dissolution of the kingdom of Italy, in April 1814, +Pellico became tutor to the two children of the Count Porro +Lambertenghi, at whose table he met writers of mark, from many +countries; Byron (whose Manfred he translated), Madame de Stael, +Schlegel, Manzoni, and others. In 1819 Silvio Pellico began +publishing Il Conciliatore, a journal purely literary, that was to +look through literature to the life that it expresses, and so help +towards the better future of his country. But the merciless +excisions of inoffensive passages by the Austrian censorship +destroyed the journal in a year. + +A secret political association had been formed in Italy of men of +all ranks who called themselves the Carbonari (charcoal burners), +and who sought the reform of government in Italy. In 1814 they had +planned a revolution in Naples, but there was no action until 1820. +After successful pressure on the King of the two Sicilies, the +forces of the Carbonari under General Pepe entered Naples on the +ninth of July, 1820, and King Ferdinand I. swore on the 13th of July +to observe the constitution which the Carbonari had proclaimed at +Nola and elsewhere during the preceding month. On the twenty-fifth +of August, the Austrian government decreed death to every member of +a secret society, and carcere duro e durissimo, severest pains of +imprisonment, to all who had neglected to oppose the progress of +Carbonarism. Many seizures were made, and on the 13th of October +the gentle editor of the Conciliatore, Silvio Pellico, was arrested +as a friend of the Carbonari, and taken to the prison of Santa +Margherita in Milan. + +In the same month of October, the Emperors of Austria and Russia, +and the Prince of Prussia met at Troppau to concert measures for +crushing the Carbonari. + +In January, 1821, they met Ferdinand I. at Laybach and then took +arms against Naples. Naples capitulated on the 20th of March, and +on the 24th of March, 1821, its Revolutionary council was closed. A +decree of April 10th condemned to death all persons who attended +meetings of the Carbonari, and the result was a great accession to +the strength of this secret society, which spread its branches over +Germany and France. + +On the 19th of February, 1821, Silvio Pellico was transferred to +imprisonment under the leads, on the isle of San Michele, Venice. +There he wrote two plays, and some poems. On the 21st of February, +1822, he and his friend Maroncelli were condemned to death; but, +their sentence being commuted to twenty years for Maroncelli, and +fifteen years for Pellico, of carcere duro, they entered their +underground prisons at Spielberg on the 10th of April, 1822. The +government refused to transmit Pellico's tragedies to his family, +lest, though harmless in themselves, the acting of them should bring +good-will to a state prisoner. At Spielberg he composed a third +tragedy, Leoniero da Dordona, though deprived of books, paper, and +pens, and preserved it in his memory. In 1828, a rumour of +Pellico's death in prison caused great excitement throughout Italy. +On the 17th of September, 1830, he was released, by the amnesty of +that year, and, avoiding politics thenceforth, devoted himself to +religion. The Marchesa Baroli, at Turin, provided for his +maintenance, by engaging him as her secretary and librarian. With +health made weaker by his sufferings, Silvio Pellico lived on to the +age of sixty-five, much honoured by his countrymen. Gioberti +dedicated a book to him as "The first of Italian Patriots." He died +at Turin on the 1st of February, 1854. + +Silvio Pellico's account of his imprisonment, Le Mie Prigioni, was +first published in Paris in 1833. It has been translated into many +languages, and is the work by which he will retain his place in +European literature. His other plays, besides the two first named, +were Eufemia di Messina; Iginia di Asti; Leoniero da Dordona, +already named as having been thought out at Spielberg; his Gismonda; +l'Erodiade; Ester d'Engaddi; Corradino; and a play upon Sir Thomas +More. He wrote also poems, Cantiche, of which the best are Eligi e +Valfrido and Egilde; and, in his last years, a religious manual on +the Duties of Men. + +H. M. + + + +AUTHOR'S PREFACE. + + + +Have I penned these memorials, let me ask myself, from any paltry +vanity, or desire to talk about that self? I hope this is not the +case, and forasmuch as one may be able to judge in one's own cause, +I think I was actuated by better views. These, briefly, were to +afford consolation to some unfortunate being, situated like myself, +by explaining the evils to which I was exposed, and those sources of +relief which I found were accessible, even when labouring under the +heaviest misfortune; to bear witness, moreover, that in the midst of +my acute and protracted torments, I never found humanity, in the +human instruments around me, so hopelessly wicked, so unworthy of +consideration, or so barren of noble minds in lowly station, as it +is customary to represent it; to engage, if possible, all the +generous and good-hearted to love and esteem each other, to become +incapable of hating any one; to feel irreconcilable hatred only +towards low, base falsehood; cowardice, perfidy, and every kind of +moral degradation. It is my object to impress on all that well- +known but too often forgotten truth, namely, that both religion and +philosophy require calmness of judgment combined with energy of +will, and that without such a union, there can be no real justice, +no dignity of character, and no sound principles of human action. + + + +MY TEN YEARS' IMPRISONMENT + + + +CHAPTER I. + + + +On Friday, the 15th of October, 1820, I was arrested at Milan, and +conveyed to the prison of Santa Margherita. The hour was three in +the afternoon. I underwent a long examination, which occupied the +whole of that and several subsequent days; but of this I shall say +nothing. Like some unfortunate lover, harshly dealt with by her he +adored, yet resolved to bear it with dignified silence, I leave la +Politica, such as SHE IS, and proceed to something else. + +At nine in the evening of that same unlucky Friday, the actuary +consigned me to the jailer, who conducted me to my appointed +residence. He there politely requested me to give up my watch, my +money, and everything in my pockets, which were to be restored to me +in due time; saying which he respectfully bade me good-night. + +"Stop, my dear sir," I observed, "I have not yet dined; let me have +something to eat." + +"Directly; the inn is close by, and you will find the wine good, +sir." + +"Wine I do not drink." + +At this announcement Signor Angiolino gave me a look of unfeigned +surprise; he imagined that I was jesting. "Masters of prisons," he +rejoined, "who keep shop, have a natural horror of an abstemious +captive." + +"That may be; I don't drink it." + +"I am sorry for you, sir; you will feel solitude twice as heavily." + +But perceiving that I was firm, he took his leave; and in half an +hour I had something to eat. I took a mouthful, swallowed a glass +of water, and found myself alone. My chamber was on the ground +floor, and overlooked the court-yard. Dungeons here, dungeons +there, to the right, to the left, above, below, and opposite, +everywhere met my eye. I leaned against the window, listened to the +passing and repassing of the jailers, and the wild song of a number +of the unhappy inmates. A century ago, I reflected, and this was a +monastery; little then thought the pious, penitent recluses that +their cells would now re-echo only to the sounds of blasphemy and +licentious song, instead of holy hymn and lamentation from woman's +lips; that it would become a dwelling for the wicked of every class- +-the most part destined to perpetual labour or to the gallows. And +in one century to come, what living being will be found in these +cells? Oh, mighty Time! unceasing mutability of things! Can he who +rightly views your power have reason for regret or despair when +Fortune withdraws her smile, when he is made captive, or the +scaffold presents itself to his eye? yesterday I thought myself one +of the happiest of men; to-day every pleasure, the least flower that +strewed my path, has disappeared. Liberty, social converse, the +face of my fellow-man, nay, hope itself hath fled. I feel it would +be folly to flatter myself; I shall not go hence, except to be +thrown into still more horrible receptacles of sorrow; perhaps, +bound, into the hands of the executioner. Well, well, the day after +my death it will be all one as if I had yielded my spirit in a +palace, and been conveyed to the tomb, accompanied with all the +pageantry of empty honours. + +It was thus, by reflecting on the sweeping speed of time, that I +bore up against passing misfortune. Alas, this did not prevent the +forms of my father, my mother, two brothers, two sisters, and one +other family I had learned to love as if it were my own, from all +whom I was, doubtless, for ever cut off, from crossing my mind, and +rendering all my philosophical reasoning of no avail. I was unable +to resist the thought, and I wept even as a child. + + + +CHAPTER II. + + + +Three months previous to this time I had gone to Turin, where, after +several years of separation, I saw my parents, one of my brothers, +and two sisters. We had always been an attached family; no son had +ever been more deeply indebted to a father and a mother than I; I +remember I was affected at beholding a greater alteration in their +looks, the progress of age, than I had expected. I indulged a +secret wish to part from them no more, and soothe the pillow of +departing age by the grateful cares of a beloved son. How it vexed +me, too, I remember, during the few brief days I passed with them, +to be compelled by other duties to spend so much of the day from +home, and the society of those I had such reason to love and to +revere; yes, and I remember now what my mother said one day, with an +expression of sorrow, as I went out--"Ah! our Silvio has not come to +Turin to see US!" The morning of my departure for Milan was a truly +painful one. My poor father accompanied me about a mile on my way; +and, on leaving me, I more than once turned to look at him, and, +weeping, kissed the ring my mother had just given me; nor did I ever +before quit my family with a feeling of such painful presentiment. +I am not superstitious; but I was astonished at my own weakness, and +I more than once exclaimed in a tone of terror, "Good God! whence +comes this strange anxiety and alarm?" and, with a sort of inward +vision, my mind seemed to behold the approach of some great +calamity. Even yet in prison I retain the impression of that sudden +dread and parting anguish, and can recall each word and every look +of my distressed parents. The tender reproach of my mother, "Ah! +Silvio has not come to Turin to see US!" seemed to hang like a +weight upon my soul. I regretted a thousand instances in which I +might have shown myself more grateful and agreeable to them; I did +not even tell them how much I loved; all that I owed to them. I was +never to see them more, and yet I turned my eyes with so much like +indifference from their dear and venerable features! Why, why was I +so chary of giving expression to what I felt (would they could have +read it in my looks), to all my gratitude and love? In utter +solitude, thoughts like these pierced me to the soul. + +I rose, shut the window, and sat some hours, in the idea that it +would be in vain to seek repose. At length I threw myself on my +pallet, and excessive weariness brought me sleep. + + + +CHAPTER III. + + + +To awake the first night in a prison is a horrible thing. Is it +possible, I murmured, trying to collect my thoughts, is it possible +I am here? Is not all that passed a dream? Did they really seize +me yesterday? Was it I whom they examined from morning till night, +who am doomed to the same process day after day, and who wept so +bitterly last night when I thought of my dear parents? Slumber, the +unbroken silence, and rest had, in restoring my mental powers, added +incalculably to the capability of reflecting, and, consequently, of +grief. There was nothing to distract my attention; my fancy grew +busy with absent forms, and pictured, to my eye the pain and terror +of my father and mother, and of all dear to me, on first hearing the +tidings of my arrest. + +At this moment, said I, they are sleeping in peace; or perhaps, +anxiety for me may keep them watching, yet little anticipating the +fate to which I am here consigned. Happy for them, were it the will +of God, that they should cease to exist ere they hear of this +horrible misfortune. Who will give them strength to bear it? Some +inward voice seemed to whisper me, He whom the afflicted look up to, +love and acknowledge in their hearts; who enabled a mother to follow +her son to the mount of Golgotha, and to stand under His cross. He, +the friend of the unhappy, the friend of man. + +Strange this should be the first time I truly felt the power of +religion in my heart; and to filial love did I owe this consolation. +Though not ill-disposed, I had hitherto been little impressed with +its truth, and had not well adhered to it. All common-place +objections I estimated at their just value, yet there were many +doubts and sophisms which had shaken my faith. It was long, indeed, +since they had ceased to trouble my belief in the existence of the +Deity; and persuaded of this, it followed necessarily, as part of +His eternal justice, that there must be another life for man who +suffers so unjustly here. Hence, I argued, the sovereign reason in +man for aspiring to the possession of that second life; and hence, +too, a worship founded on the love of God, and of his neighbour, and +an unceasing impulse to dignify his nature by generous sacrifices. +I had already made myself familiar with this doctrine, and I now +repeated, "And what else is Christianity but this constant ambition +to elevate and dignify our nature?" and I was astonished, when I +reflected how pure, how philosophical, and how invulnerable the +essence of Christianity manifested itself, that there could come an +epoch when philosophy dared to assert, "From this time forth I will +stand instead of a religion like this." And in what manner--by +inculcating vice? Certainly not. By teaching virtue? Why that +will be to teach us to love God and our neighbour; and that is +precisely what Christianity has already done, on far higher and +purer motives. Yet, notwithstanding such had, for years, been my +opinion, I had failed to draw the conclusion, Then be a Christian! +No longer let corruption and abuses, the work of man, deter you; no +longer make stumbling-blocks of little points of doctrine, since the +principal point, made thus irresistibly clear, is to love God and +your neighbour. + +In prison I finally determined to admit this conclusion, and I +admitted it. The fear, indeed, of appearing to others more +religious than I had before been, and to yield more to misfortune +than to conviction, made me sometimes hesitate; but feeling that I +had done no wrong, I felt no debasement, and cared nothing to +encounter the possible reproaches I had not deserved, resolving +henceforward to declare myself openly a Christian. + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + + +I adhered firmly to this resolution as time advanced; but the +consideration of it was begun the first night of my captivity. +Towards morning the excess of my grief had grown calmer, and I was +even astonished at the change. On recalling the idea of my parents +and others whom I loved, I ceased to despair of their strength of +mind, and the recollection of those virtues which I knew they had +long possessed gave me real consolation. Why had I before felt such +great dismay on thinking of them, and now so much confidence in +their strength of mind? Was this happy change miraculous, or the +natural effect of my renewed belief in God? What avails the +distinction, while the genuine sublime benefits of religion remain +the same. + +At midnight two secondini (the under jailers are so termed) had paid +me a visit, and found me in a very ill mood; in the morning they +returned, and were surprised to see me so calm, and even cheerful. + +"Last night, sir, you had the face of a basilisk," said Tirola; "now +you are quite another thing; I rejoice at it, if, indeed, it be a +sign, forgive me the expression, that you are not a scoundrel. Your +scoundrels (for I am an old hand at the trade, and my observations +are worth something) are always more enraged the second day after +their arrest than the first. Do you want some snuff?" + +"I do not take it, but will not refuse your offer. If I have not a +gorgon-face this morning, it must surely be a proof of my utter +insensibility, or easy belief of soon regaining my freedom." + +"I should doubt that, even though you were not in durance for state +matters. At this time of day they are not so easily got over as you +might think; you are not so raw as to imagine such a thing. Pardon +me, but you will know more by and by." + +"Tell me, how come you to have so pleasant a look, living only, as +you do, among the unfortunate?" + +"Why, sir, you will attribute it to indifference to others' +sufferings; of a truth, I know not how it is; yet, I assure you, it +often gives me pain to see the prisoners weep. Truly, I sometimes +pretend to be merry to bring a smile upon their faces." + +"A thought has just struck me, my friend, which I never had before; +it is, that a jailer may be made of very congenial clay." + +"Well, the trade has nothing to do with that, sir. Beyond that huge +vault you see there, without the court-yard, is another court, and +other prisons, all prepared for women. They are, sir, women of a +certain class; yet are there some angels among them, as to a good +heart. And if you were in my place, sir--" + +"I?" and I laughed out heartily. + +Tirola was quite disconcerted, and said no more. Perhaps he meant +to imply that had I been a secondino, it would have been difficult +not to become attached to some one or other of these unfortunates. + +He now inquired what I wished to take for breakfast, left me, and +soon returned with my coffee. I looked hard at him, with a sort of +malicious smile, as much as to say, "Would you carry me a bit of a +note to an unhappy friend--to my friend Piero?" {1} He understood +it, and answered with another: "No sir; and if you do not take heed +how you ask any of my comrades, they will betray you." + +Whether or not we understood each other, it is certain I was ten +times upon the point of asking him for a sheet of paper, &c.; but +there was a something in his eye which seemed to warn me not to +confide in any one about me, and still less to others than himself. + + + +CHAPTER V. + + + +Had Tirola, with his expression of good-nature, possessed a less +roguish look, had there been something a little more dignified in +his aspect, I should have tried to make him my ambassador; for +perhaps a brief communication, if in time, might prevent my friend +committing some fatal error, perhaps save him, poor fellow; besides +several others, including myself: and too much was already known. +Patience! it was fated to be thus. + +I was here recalled to be examined anew. The process continued +through the day, and was again and again repeated, allowing me only +a brief interval during dinner. While this lasted, the time seemed +to pass rapidly; the excitement of mind produced by the endless +series of questions put to me, and by going over them at dinner and +at night, digesting all that had been asked and replied to, +reflecting on what was likely to come, kept me in a state of +incessant activity. At the end of the first week I had to endure a +most vexatious affair. My poor friend Piero, eager as myself to +have some communication, sent me a note, not by one of the jailers, +but by an unfortunate prisoner who assisted them. He was an old man +from sixty to seventy, and condemned to I know not how long a period +of captivity. With a pin I had by me I pricked my finger, and +scrawled with my blood a few lines in reply, which I committed to +the same messenger. He was unluckily suspected, caught with the +note upon him, and from the horrible cries that were soon heard, I +conjectured that he was severely bastinadoed. At all events I never +saw him more. + +On my next examination I was greatly irritated to see my note +presented to me (luckily containing nothing but a simple +salutation), traced in my blood. I was asked how I had contrived to +draw the blood; was next deprived of my pin, and a great laugh was +raised at the idea and detection of the attempt. Ah, I did not +laugh, for the image of the poor old messenger rose before my eyes. +I would gladly have undergone any punishment to spare the old man. +I could not repress my tears when those piercing cries fell upon my +ear. Vainly did I inquire of the jailers respecting his fate. They +shook their heads, observing, "He has paid dearly for it, he will +never do such like things again; he has a little more rest now." +Nor would they speak more fully. Most probably they spoke thus on +account of his having died under, or in consequence of, the +punishment he had suffered; yet one day I thought I caught a glimpse +of him at the further end of the court-yard, carrying a bundle of +wood on his shoulders. I felt a beating of the heart as if I had +suddenly recognised a brother. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + + +When I ceased to be persecuted with examinations, and had no longer +anything to fill up my time, I felt bitterly the increasing weight +of solitude. I had permission to retain a bible, and my Dante; the +governor also placed his library at my disposal, consisting of some +romances of Scuderi, Piazzi, and worse books still; but my mind was +too deeply agitated to apply to any kind of reading whatever. Every +day, indeed, I committed a canto of Dante to memory, an exercise so +merely mechanical, that I thought more of my own affairs than the +lines during their acquisition. The same sort of abstraction +attended my perusal of other things, except, occasionally, a few +passages of scripture. I had always felt attached to this divine +production, even when I had not believed myself one of its avowed +followers. I now studied it with far greater respect than before; +yet my mind was often almost involuntarily bent upon other matters; +and I knew not what I read. By degrees I surmounted this +difficulty, and was able to reflect upon its great truths with +higher relish than I had ever before done. This, in me, did not +give rise to the least tendency to moroseness or superstition, +nothing being more apt than misdirected devotion to weaken and +distort the mind. With the love of God and mankind, it inspired me +also with a veneration for justice, and an abhorrence of wickedness, +along with a desire of pardoning the wicked. Christianity, instead +of militating against anything good, which I had derived from +Philosophy, strengthened it by the aid of logical deductions, at +once more powerful and profound. + +Reading one day that it was necessary to pray without ceasing, and +that prayer did not consist in many words uttered after the manner +of the Pharisees, but in making every word and action accord with +the will of God, I determined to commence with earnestness, to pray +in the spirit with unceasing effort: in other words, to permit no +one thought which should not be inspired by a wish to conform my +whole life to the decrees of God. + +The forms I adopted were simple and few; not from contempt of them +(I think them very salutary, and calculated to excite attention), +but from the circumstance of my being unable to go through them at +length, without becoming so far abstracted as to make me forget the +solemn duty in which I am engaged. This habitual observance of +prayer, and the reflection that God is omnipresent as well as +omnipotent in His power to save, began ere long to deprive solitude +of its horrors, and I often repeated, "Have I not the best society +man can have?" and from this period I grew more cheerful, I even +sang and whistled in the new joy of my heart. And why lament my +captivity? Might not a sudden fever have carried me off? and would +my friends then have grieved less over my fate than now? and cannot +God sustain them even as He could under a more trying dispensation? +And often did I offer up my prayers and fervent hopes that my dear +parents might feel, as I myself felt, resigned to my lot; but tears +frequently mingled with sweet recollections of home. With all this, +my faith in God remained undisturbed, and I was not disappointed. + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + + +To live at liberty is doubtless much better than living in a prison; +but, even here, the reflection that God is present with us, that +worldly joys are brief and fleeting, and that true happiness is to +be sought in the conscience, not in external objects, can give a +real zest to life. In less than one month I had made up my mind, I +will not say perfectly, but in a tolerable degree, as to the part I +should adopt. I saw that, being incapable of the mean action of +obtaining impunity by procuring the destruction of others, the only +prospect that lay before me was the scaffold, or long protracted +captivity. It was necessary that I should prepare myself. I will +live, I said to myself, so long as I shall be permitted, and when +they take my life, I will do as the unfortunate have done before me; +when arrived at the last moment, I can die. I endeavoured, as much +as possible, not to complain, and to obtain every possible enjoyment +of mind within my reach. The most customary was that of recalling +the many advantages which had thrown a charm round my previous life; +the best of fathers, of mothers, excellent brothers and sisters, +many friends, a good education, and a taste for letters. Should I +now refuse to be grateful to God for all these benefits, because He +had pleased to visit me with misfortune? Sometimes, indeed, in +recalling past scenes to mind, I was affected even to tears; but I +soon recovered my courage and cheerfulness of heart. + +At the commencement of my captivity I was fortunate enough to meet +with a friend. It was neither the governor, nor any of his under- +jailers, nor any of the lords of the process-chamber. Who then?--a +poor deaf and dumb boy, five or six years old, the offspring of +thieves, who had paid the penalty of the law. This wretched little +orphan was supported by the police, with several other boys in the +same condition of life. They all dwelt in a room opposite my own, +and were only permitted to go out at certain hours to breathe a +little air in the yard. Little deaf and dumb used to come under my +window, smiled, and made his obeisance to me. I threw him a piece +of bread; he took it, and gave a leap of joy, then ran to his +companions, divided it, and returned to eat his own share under the +window. The others gave me a wistful look from a distance, but +ventured no nearer, while the deaf and dumb boy expressed a sympathy +for me; not, I found, affected, out of mere selfishness. Sometimes +he was at a loss what to do with the bread I gave him, and made +signs that he had eaten enough, as also his companions. When he saw +one of the under-jailers going into my room, he would give him what +he had got from me, in order to restore it to me. Yet he continued +to haunt my window, and seemed rejoiced whenever I deigned to notice +him. One day the jailer permitted him to enter my prison, when he +instantly ran to embrace my knees, actually uttering a cry of joy. +I took him up in my arms, and he threw his little hands about my +neck, and lavished on me the tenderest caresses. How much affection +in his smile and manner! how eagerly I longed to have him to +educate, raise him from his abject condition, and snatch him, +perhaps, from utter ruin. I never even learnt his name; he did not +himself know that he had one. He seemed always happy, and I never +saw him weep except once, and that was on being beaten, I know not +why, by the jailer. Strange that he should be thus happy in a +receptacle of so much pain and sorrow; yet he was light-hearted as +the son of a grandee. From him I learnt, at least, that the mind +need not depend on situation, but may be rendered independent of +external things. Govern the imagination, and we shall be well, +wheresoever we happen to be placed. A day is soon over, and if at +night we can retire to rest without actual pain and hunger, it +little matters whether it be within the walls of a prison, or of a +kind of building which they call a palace. Good reasoning this; but +how are we to contrive so to govern the imagination? I began to +try, and sometimes I thought I had succeeded to a miracle; but at +others the enchantress triumphed, and I was unexpectedly astonished +to find tears starting into my eyes. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + + +I am so far fortunate, I often said, that they have given me a +dungeon on the ground floor, near the court, where that dear boy +comes within a few steps of me, to converse in our own mute +language. We made immense progress in it; we expressed a thousand +various feelings I had no idea we could do, by the natural +expressions of the eye, the gesture, and the whole countenance. +Wonderful human intelligence! How graceful were his motions! how +beautiful his smile! how quickly he corrected whatever expression I +saw of his that seemed to displease me! How well he understands I +love him, when he plays with any of his companions! Standing only +at my window to observe him, it seemed as if I possessed a kind of +influence over his mind, favourable to his education. By dint of +repeating the mutual exercise of signs, we should be enabled to +perfect the communication of our ideas. The more instruction he +gets, the more gentle and kind he becomes, the more he will be +attached to me. To him I shall be the genius of reason and of good; +he will learn to confide his sorrows to me, his pleasures, all he +feels and wishes; I will console, elevate, and direct him in his +whole conduct. It may be that this my lot may be protracted from +month to month, even till I grow grey in my captivity. Perhaps this +little child may continue to grow under my eye, and become one in +the service of this large family of pain, and grief, and calamity. +With such a disposition as he has already shown, what would become +of him? Alas; he would at most be made only a good under-keeper, or +fill some similar place. Yet I shall surely have conferred on him +some benefit if I can succeed in giving him a desire to do kind +offices to the good and to himself, and to nourish sentiments of +habitual benevolence. This soliloquy was very natural in my +situation; I was always fond of children, and the office of an +instructor appeared to me a sublime duty. For a few years I had +acted in that capacity with Giacomo and Giulio Porro, two young men +of noble promise, whom I loved, and shall continue to love as if +they were my own sons. Often while in prison were my thoughts +busied with them; and how it grieved me not to be enabled to +complete their education. I sincerely prayed that they might meet +with a new master, who would be as much attached to them as I had +been. + +At times I could not help exclaiming to myself, What a strange +burlesque is all this! instead of two noble youths, rich in all that +nature and fortune can endow them with, here I have a pupil, poor +little fellow! deaf, dumb, a castaway; the son of a robber, who at +most can aspire only to the rank of an under-jailer, and which, in a +little less softened phraseology, would mean to say a sbirro. {2} +This reflection confused and disquieted me; yet hardly did I hear +the strillo {3} of my little dummy than I felt my heart grow warm +again, just as a father when he hears the voice of a son. I lost +all anxiety about his mean estate. It is no fault of his if he be +lopped of Nature's fairest proportions, and was born the son of a +robber. A humane, generous heart, in an age of innocence, is always +respectable. I looked on him, therefore, from day to day with +increased affection, and was more than ever desirous of cultivating +his good qualities, and his growing intelligence. Nay, perhaps we +might both live to get out of prison, when I would establish him in +the college for the deaf and dumb, and thus open for him a path more +fortunate and pleasing than to play the part of a shirro. Whilst +thus pleasingly engaged in meditating his future welfare, two of the +under-jailers one day walked into my cell. + +"You must change your quarters, sir!" + +"What mean you by that?" + +"We have orders to remove you into another chamber." + +"Why so?" + +"Some other great bird has been caged, and this being the better +apartment--you understand." + +"Oh, yes! it is the first resting-place for the newly arrived." + +They conveyed me to the opposite side of the court, where I could no +longer converse with my little deaf and dumb friend, and was far +removed from the ground floor. In walking across, I beheld the poor +boy sitting on the ground, overcome with grief and astonishment, for +he knew he had lost me. Ere I quite disappeared, he ran towards me; +my conductors tried to drive him away, but he reached me, and I +caught him in my arms, and returned his caresses with expressions of +tenderness I sought not to conceal. I tore myself from him, and +entered my new abode. + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + + +It was a dark and gloomy place; instead of glass it had pasteboard +for the windows; the walls were rendered more repulsive by being +hung with some wretched attempts at painting, and when free from +this lugubrious colour, were covered with inscriptions. These last +gave the name and country of many an unhappy inmate, with the date +of the fatal day of their captivity. Some consisted of lamentations +on the perfidy of false friends, denouncing their own folly, or +women, or the judge who condemned them. Among a few were brief +sketches of the victims' lives; still fewer embraced moral maxims. +I found the following words of Pascal: "Let those who attack +religion learn first what religion is. Could it boast of commanding +a direct view of the Deity, without veil or mystery, it would be to +attack that religion to say, 'that there is nothing seen in the +world which displays Him with such clear evidence.' But since it +rather asserts that man is involved in darkness, far from God, who +is hidden from human knowledge, insomuch as to give Himself the name +in scripture of 'Deus absconditus,' what advantage can the enemies +of religion derive when, neglecting, as they profess to do, the +science of truth, they complain that the truth is not made apparent +to them?" Lower down was written (the words of the same author), +"It is not here a question of some trivial interest relating to a +stranger; it applies to ourselves, and to all we possess. The +immortality of the soul is a question of that deep and momentous +importance to all, as to imply an utter loss of reason to rest +totally indifferent as to the truth or the fallacy of the +proposition." Another inscription was to this effect: "I bless the +hour of my imprisonment; it has taught me to know the ingratitude of +man, my own frailty, and the goodness of God." Close to these words +again appeared the proud and desperate imprecations of one who +signed himself an Atheist, and who launched his impieties against +the Deity, as if he had forgotten that he had just before said there +was no God. Then followed another column, reviling the cowardly +fools, as they were termed, whom captivity had converted into +fanatics. I one day pointed out these strange impieties to one of +the jailers, and inquired who had written them? "I am glad I have +found this," was the reply, "there are so many of them, and I have +so little time to look for them;" and he took his knife, and began +to erase it as fast as he could. + +"Why do you do that?" I inquired of him. + +"Because the poor devil who wrote it was condemned to death for a +cold-blooded murder; he repented, and made us promise to do him this +kindness." + +"Heaven pardon him!" I exclaimed; "what was it he did?" + +"Why, as he found he could not kill his enemy, he revenged himself +by slaying the man's son, one of the finest boys you ever saw." + +I was horror-struck. Could ferocity of disposition proceed to such +lengths? and could a monster, capable of such a deed, hold the +insulting language of a man superior to all human weaknesses? to +murder the innocent, and a child! + + + +CHAPTER X. + + + +In my new prison, black and filthy to an extreme, I sadly missed the +society of my little dumb friend. I stood for hours in anxious, +weary mood, at the window which looked over a gallery, on the other +side of which could be seen the extremity of the court-yard, and the +window of my former cell. Who had succeeded me there? I could +discern his figure, as he paced quickly to and fro, apparently in +violent agitation. Two or three days subsequently, I perceived that +he had got writing materials, and remained busied at his little +table the whole of the day. At length I recognised him. He came +forth accompanied by his jailer; he was going to be examined, when I +saw he was no other than Melchiorre Gioja. {4} It went to my heart: +"You, too, noble, excellent man, have not escaped!" Yet he was more +fortunate than I. After a few months' captivity, he regained his +liberty. To behold any really estimable being always does me good; +it affords me pleasant matter for reflection, and for esteem--both +of great advantage. I could have laid down my life to save such a +man from captivity; yet merely to see him was some consolation to +me. After regarding him intently, some time, to ascertain if he +were tranquil or agitated, I offered up a heart-felt prayer for his +deliverance; I felt my spirits revived, a greater flow of ideas, and +greater satisfaction with myself. Such an incident as this has a +charm for utter solitude, of which you can form no idea without +experiencing it. A poor dumb boy had before supplied me with this +real enjoyment, and I now derived it from a distant view of a man of +distinguished merit. + +Perhaps some one of the jailers had informed him where I was. One +morning, on opening his window, he waved his handkerchief in token +of salutation, and I replied in the same manner. I need not +describe the pleasure I felt; it appeared as if we were no longer +separated; and we discoursed in the silent intercourse of the +spirit, which, when every other medium is cut off, in the least +look, gesture, or signal of any kind, can make itself comprehended +and felt. + +It was with no small pleasure I anticipated a continuation of this +friendly communication. Day after day, however, went on, and I was +never more gratified by the appearance of the same favourite +signals. Yet I frequently saw my friend at his window; I waved my +handkerchief, but in vain; he answered it no more. I was now +informed by our jailers, that Gioja had been strictly prohibited +from exciting my notice, or replying to it in any manner. +Notwithstanding, he still continued to look at me, and I at him, and +in this way, we conversed upon a great variety of subjects, which +helped to keep us alive. + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + + +Along the same gallery, upon a level with my prison, I saw other +prisoners passing and repassing the whole day to the place of +examination. They were, for the chief part, of lowly condition, but +occasionally one or two of better rank. All, however, attracted my +attention, brief as was the sight of them, and I truly +compassionated them. So sorrowful a spectacle for some time filled +me with grief, but by degrees I became habituated to it, and at last +it rather relieved than added to the horror of my solitude. A +number of women, also, who had been arrested, passed by. There was +a way from the gallery, through a large vault, leading to another +court, and in that part were placed the female prisoners, and others +labouring under disease. A single wall, and very slight, separated +my dwelling from that of some of the women. Sometimes I was almost +deafened with their songs, at others with their bursts of maddened +mirth. Late at evening, when the din of day had ceased, I could +hear them conversing, and, had I wished, I could easily have joined +with them. Was it timidity, pride, or prudence which restrained me +from all communication with the unfortunate and degraded of their +sex? Perhaps it partook of all. Woman, when she is what she ought +to be, is for me a creature so admirable, so sublime, the mere +seeing, hearing, and speaking to her, enriches my mind with such +noble fantasies; but rendered vile and despicable, she disturbs, she +afflicts, she deprives my heart, as it were, of all its poetry and +its love. Spite of this, there were among those feminine voices, +some so very sweet that, there is no use in denying it, they were +dear to me. One in particular surpassed the rest; I heard it more +seldom, and it uttered nothing unworthy of its fascinating tone. +She sung little and mostly kept repeating these two pathetic lines:- + + +Chi rende alla meschina +La sua felicita? + +Ah, who will give the lost one +Her vanished dream of bliss? + + +At other times, she would sing from the litany. Her companions +joined with her; but still I could discern the voice of Maddalene +from all others, which seemed only to unite for the purpose of +robbing me of it. Sometimes, too, when her companions were +recounting to her their various misfortunes, I could hear her +pitying them; could catch even her very sighs, while she invariably +strove to console them: "Courage, courage, my poor dear," she one +day said, "God is very good, and He will not abandon us." + +How could I do otherwise than imagine she was beautiful, more +unfortunate than guilty, naturally virtuous, and capable of +reformation? Who would blame me because I was affected with what +she said, listened to her with respect, and offered up my prayers +for her with more than usual earnestness of heart. Innocence is +sacred, and repentance ought to be equally respected. Did the most +perfect of men, the Divinity on earth, refuse to cast a pitying eye +on weak, sinful women; to respect their fear and confusion, and rank +them among the minds he delighted to consort with and to honour? By +what law, then, do we act, when we treat with so much contempt women +fallen into ignominy? + +While thus reasoning, I was frequently tempted to raise my voice and +speak, as a brother in misfortune, to poor Maddalene. I had often +even got out the first syllable; and how strange! I felt my heart +beat like an enamoured youth of fifteen; I who had reached thirty- +one; and it seemed as if I should never be able to pronounce the +name, till I cried out almost in a rage, "Mad! Mad!" yes, mad +enough, thought I. + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + + +Thus ended my romance with that poor unhappy one; yet it did not +fail to produce me many sweet sensations during several weeks. +Often, when steeped in melancholy, would her sweet calm voice +breathe consolation to my spirit; when, dwelling on the meanness and +ingratitude of mankind, I became irritated, and hated the world, the +voice of Maddalene gently led me back to feelings of compassion and +indulgence. + +How I wish, poor, unknown, kind-hearted repentant one, that no heavy +punishment may befall thee. And whatever thou shalt suffer, may it +well avail thee, re-dignify thy nature, and teach thee to live and +die to thy Saviour and thy Lord. Mayest thou meet compassion and +respect from all around thee, as thou didst from me a stranger to +thee. Mayest thou teach all who see thee thy gentle lesson of +patience, sweetness, the love of virtue, and faith in God, with +which thou didst inspire him who loved without having beheld thee. +Perhaps I erred in thinking thee beautiful, but, sure I am, thou +didst wear the beauty of the soul. Thy conversation, though spoken +amidst grossness and corruption of every kind, was ever chaste and +graceful; whilst others imprecated, thou didst bless; when eager in +contention, thy sweet voice still pacified, like oil upon the +troubled waters. If any noble mind hath read thy worth, and +snatched thee from an evil career; hath assisted thee with delicacy, +and wiped the tears from thy eyes, may every reward heaven can give +be his portion, that of his children, and of his children's +children! + +Next to mine was another prison occupied by several men. I also +heard THEIR conversation. One seemed of superior authority, not so +much probably from any difference of rank, as owing to greater +eloquence and boldness. He played, what may musically be termed, +the first fiddle. He stormed himself, yet put to silence those who +presumed to quarrel by his imperious voice. He dictated the tone of +the society, and after some feeble efforts to throw off his +authority they submitted, and gave the reins into his hands. + +There was not a single one of those unhappy men who had a touch of +that in him to soften the harshness of prison hours, to express one +kindly sentiment, one emanation of religion, or of love. The chief +of these neighbours of mine saluted me, and I replied. He asked me +how I contrived to pass such a cursed dull life? I answered, that +it was melancholy, to be sure; but no life was a cursed one to me, +and that to our last hour, it was best to do all to procure oneself +the pleasure of thinking and of loving. + +"Explain, sir, explain what you mean!" + +I explained, but was not understood. After many ingenious attempts, +I determined to clear it up in the form of example, and had the +courage to bring forward the extremely singular and moving effect +produced upon me by the voice of Maddalene; when the magisterial +head of the prison burst into a violent fit of laughter. "What is +all that, what is that?" cried his companions. He then repeated my +words with an air of burlesque; peals of laughter followed, and I +there stood, in their eyes, the picture of a convicted blockhead. + +As it is in prison, so it is in the world. Those who make it their +wisdom to go into passions, to complain, to defy, to abuse, think +that to pity, to love, to console yourself with gentle and beautiful +thoughts and images, in accord with humanity and its great Author, +is all mere folly. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + + +I let them laugh and said not a word; they hit at me again two or +three times, but I was mute. "He will come no more near the +window," said one, "he will hear nothing but the sighs of Maddalene; +we have offended him with laughing." At length, the chief imposed +silence upon the whole party, all amusing themselves at my expense. +"Silence, beasts as you are; devil a bit you know what you are +talking about. Our neighbour is none so long eared an animal as you +imagine. You do not possess the power of reflection, no not you. I +grin and joke; but afterwards I reflect. Every low-born clown can +stamp and roar, as we do here. Grant a little more real +cheerfulness, a spark more of charity, a bit more faith in the +blessing of heaven;--what do you imagine that all this would be a +sign of?" "Now, that I also reflect," replied one, "I fancy it +would be a sign of being a little less of a brute." + +"Bravo!" cried his leader, in a most stentorian howl! "now I begin +to have some hope of you." + +I was not overproud at being thus rated a LITTLE LESS OF A BRUTE +than the rest; yet I felt a sort of pleasure that these wretched men +had come to some agreement as to the importance of cultivating, in +some degree, more benevolent sentiments. + +I again approached the window, the chief called me, and I answered, +hoping that I might now moralise with him in my own way. I was +deceived; vulgar minds dislike serious reasoning; if some noble +truth start up, they applaud for a moment, but the next withdraw +their notice, or scruple not to attempt to shine by questioning, or +aiming to place it in some ludicrous point of view. + +I was next asked if I were imprisoned for debt? + +"Perhaps you are paying the penalty of a false oath, then?" + +"No, it is quite a different thing." + +"An affair of love, most likely, I guess?" + +"No." + +"You have killed a man, mayhap?" + +"No." + +"It's for carbonarism, then?" + +"Exactly so." + +"And who are these carbonari?" + +"I know so little of them, I cannot tell you." + +Here a jailer interrupted us in great anger; and after commenting on +the gross improprieties committed by my neighbours, he turned +towards me, not with the gravity of a sbirro, but the air of a +master: "For shame, sir, for shame! to think of talking to men of +this stamp! do you know, sir, that they are all robbers?" + +I reddened up, and then more deeply for having shown I blushed, and +methought that to deign to converse with the unhappy of however +lowly rank, was rather a mark of goodness than a fault. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + + +Next morning I went to my window to look for Melchiorre Gioja; but +conversed no more with the robbers. I replied to their salutation, +and added, that I had been forbidden to hold conversation. The +secretary who had presided at my examinations, told me with an air +of mystery, I was about to receive a visit. After a little further +preparation, he acquainted me that it was my father; and so saying, +bade me follow him. I did so, in a state of great agitation, +assuming at the same time an appearance of perfect calmness in order +not to distress my unhappy parent. Upon first hearing of my arrest, +he had been led to suppose it was for some trifling affair, and that +I should soon be set at liberty. Finding his mistake, however, he +had now come to solicit the Austrian government on my account. +Here, too, he deluded himself, for he never imagined I could have +been rash enough to expose myself to the penalty of the laws, and +the cheerful tone in which I now spoke persuaded him that there was +nothing very serious in the business. + +The few words that were permitted to pass between us gave me +indescribable pain; the more so from the restraint I had placed upon +my feelings. It was yet more difficult at the moment of parting. +In the existing state of things, as regarded Italy, I felt convinced +that Austria would make some fearful examples, and that I should be +condemned either to death or long protracted imprisonment. It was +my object to conceal this from my father and to flatter his hopes at +a moment when I was inquiring for a mother, brother, and sisters, +whom I never expected to behold more. Though I knew it to be +impossible, I even calmly requested of him that he would come and +see me again, while my heart was wrung with the bitter conflict of +my feelings. He took his leave, filled with the same agreeable +delusion, and I painfully retraced my steps back into my dungeon. I +thought that solitude would now be a relief to me; that to weep +would somewhat ease my burdened heart? yet, strange to say, I could +not shed a tear. The extreme wretchedness of feeling this inability +even to shed tears excites, under some of the heaviest calamities, +is the severest trial of all, and I have often experienced it. + +An acute fever, attended by severe pains in my head, followed this +interview. I could not take any nourishment; and I often said, how +happy it would be for me, were it indeed to prove mortal. Foolish +and cowardly wish! heaven refused to hear my prayer, and I now feel +grateful that it did. Though a stern teacher, adversity fortifies +the mind, and renders man what he seems to have been intended for; +at least, a good man, a being capable of struggling with difficulty +and danger; presenting an object not unworthy, even in the eyes of +the old Romans, of the approbation of the gods. + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + + +Two days afterwards I again saw my father. I had rested well the +previous night, and was free from fever; before him I preserved the +same calm and even cheerful deportment, so that no one could have +suspected I had recently suffered, and still continued to suffer so +much. "I am in hopes," observed my father, "that within a very few +days we shall see you at Turin. Your mother has got your old room +in readiness, and we are all expecting you to come. Pressing +affairs now call me away, but lose no time, I entreat you, in +preparing to rejoin us once more." His kind and affecting +expressions added to my grief. Compassion and filial piety, not +unmingled with a species of remorse, induced me to feign assent; yet +afterwards I reflected how much more worthy it had been, both of my +father and myself, to have frankly told him that most probably, we +should never see each other again, at least in this world. Let us +take farewell like men, without a murmur and without a tear, and let +me receive the benediction of a father before I die. As regarded +myself, I should wish to have adopted language like that; but when I +gazed on his aged and venerable features, and his grey hairs, +something seemed to whisper me, that it would be too much for the +affectionate old man to bear; and the words died in my heart. Good +God! I thought, should he know the extent of the EVIL, he might, +perhaps, run distracted, such is his extreme attachment to me: he +might fall at my feet, or even expire before my eyes. No! I could +not tell him the truth, nor so much as prepare him for it; we shed +not a tear, and he took his departure in the same pleasing delusion +as before. On returning into my dungeon I was seized in the same +manner, and with still more aggravated suffering, as I had been +after the last interview; and, as then, my anguish found no relief +from tears. + +I had nothing now to do but resign myself to all the horrors of long +captivity, and to the sentence of death. But to prepare myself to +bear the idea of the immense load of grief that must fall on every +dear member of my family, on learning my lot, was beyond my power. +It haunted me like a spirit, and to fly from it I threw myself on my +knees, and in a passion of devotion uttered aloud the following +prayer:- "My God! from thy hand I will accept all--for me all: but +deign most wonderfully to strengthen the hearts of those to whom I +was so very dear! Grant thou that I may cease to be such to them +now; and that not the life of the least of them may be shortened by +their care for me, even by a single day!" + +Strange! wonderful power of prayer! for several hours my mind was +raised to a contemplation of the Deity, and my confidence in His +goodness proportionately increased; I meditated also on the dignity +of the human mind when, freed from selfishness, it exerts itself to +will only that which is the will of eternal wisdom. This can be +done, and it is man's duty to do it. Reason, which is the voice of +the Deity, teaches us that it is right to submit to every sacrifice +for the sake of virtue. And how could the sacrifice which we owe to +virtue be completed, if in the most trying afflictions we struggle +against the will of Him who is the source of all virtue? When death +on the scaffold, or any other species of martyrdom becomes +inevitable, it is a proof of wretched degradation, or ignorance, not +to be able to approach it with blessing upon our lips. Nor is it +only necessary we should submit to death, but to the affliction +which we know those most dear to us must suffer on our account. All +it is lawful for us to ask is, that God will temper such affliction, +and that he will direct us all, for such a prayer is always sure to +be accepted. + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + + +For a period of some days I continued in the same state of mind; a +sort of calm sorrow, full of peace, affection, and religious +thoughts. I seemed to have overcome every weakness, and as if I +were no longer capable of suffering new anxiety. Fond delusion! it +is man's duty to aim at reaching as near to perfection as possible, +though he can never attain it here. What now disturbed me was the +sight of an unhappy friend, my good Piero, who passed along the +gallery within a few yards of me, while I stood at my window. They +were removing him from his cell into the prison destined for +criminals. He was hurried by so swiftly that I had barely time to +recognise him, and to receive and return his salutation. + +Poor young man! in the flower of his age, with a genius of high +promise, of frank, upright, and most affectionate disposition, born +with a keen zest of the pleasures of existence, to be at once +precipitated into a dungeon, without the remotest hope of escaping +the severest penalty of the laws. So great was my compassion for +him, and my regret at being unable to afford him the slightest +consolation, that it was long before I could recover my composure of +mind. I knew how tenderly he was attached to every member of his +numerous family, how deeply interested in promoting their happiness, +and how devotedly his affection was returned. I was sensible what +must be the affliction of each and all under so heavy a calamity. +Strange, that though I had just reconciled myself to the idea in my +own case, a sort of phrensy seized my mind when I depicted the +scene; and it continued so long that I began to despair of mastering +it. + +Dreadful as this was, it was still but an illusion. Ye afflicted +ones, who believe yourselves victims of some irresistible, heart- +rending, and increasing grief, suffer a little while with patience, +and you will be undeceived. Neither perfect peace, nor utter +wretchedness can be of long continuance here below. Recollect this +truth, that you may not become unduly elevated in prosperity, and +despicable under the trials which assuredly await you. A sense of +weariness and apathy succeeded the terrible excitement I had +undergone. But indifference itself is transitory, and I had some +fear lest I should continue to suffer without relief under these +wretched extremes of feeling. Terrified at the prospect of such a +future, I had recourse once more to the only Being from whom I could +hope to receive strength to bear it, and devoutly bent down in +prayer. I beseeched the Father of mercies to befriend my poor +deserted Piero, even as myself, and to support his family no less +than my own. By constant repetition of prayers like these, I became +perfectly calm and resigned. + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + + +It was then I reflected upon my previous violence; I was angry at my +own weakness and folly, and sought means of remedying them. I had +recourse to the following expedient. Every morning, after I had +finished my devotions, I set myself diligently to work to recall to +mind every possible occurrence of a trying and painful kind, such as +a final parting from my dearest friends and the approach of the +executioner. I did this not only in order to inure my nerves to +bear sudden or dreadful incidents, too surely my future portion, but +that I might not again be taken unawares. At first this melancholy +task was insupportable, but I persevered; and in a short time became +reconciled to it. + +In the spring of 1821 Count Luigi Porro {5} obtained permission to +see me. Our warm friendship, the eagerness to communicate our +mutual feelings, and the restraint imposed by the presence of an +imperial secretary, with the brief time allowed us, the +presentiments I indulged, and our efforts to appear calm, all led me +to expect that I should be thrown into a state of fearful +excitement, worse than I had yet suffered. It was not so; after +taking his leave I remained calm; such to me proved the signal +efficacy of guarding against the assault of sudden and violent +emotions. The task I set myself to acquire, constant calmness of +mind, arose less from a desire to relieve my unhappiness than from a +persuasion how undignified, unworthy, and injurious, was a temper +opposite to this, I mean a continued state of excitement and +anxiety. An excited mind ceases to reason; carried away by a +resistless torrent of wild ideas, it forms for itself a sort of mad +logic, full of anger and malignity; it is in a state at once as +absolutely unphilosophical as it is unchristian. + +If I were a divine I should often insist upon the necessity of +correcting irritability and inquietude of character; none can be +truly good without that be effected. How nobly pacific, both with +regard to himself and others, was He whom we are all bound to +imitate. There is no elevation of mind, no justice without +moderation in principles and ideas, without a pervading spirit which +inclines us rather to smile at, than fall into a passion with, the +events of this little life. Anger is never productive of any good, +except in the extremely rare case of being employed to humble the +wicked, and to terrify them from pursuing the path of crime, even as +the usurers were driven by an angry Saviour, from polluting his holy +Temple. Violence and excitement, perhaps, differing altogether from +what I felt, are no less blamable. Mine was the mania of despair +and affliction: I felt a disposition, while suffering under its +horrors, to hate and to curse mankind. Several individuals, in +particular, appeared to my imagination depicted in the most +revolting colours. It is a sort of moral epidemic, I believe, +springing from vanity and selfishness; for when a man despises and +detests his fellow-creatures, he necessarily assumes that he is much +better than the rest of the world. The doctrine of such men amounts +to this:- "Let us admire only one another, if we turn the rest of +mankind into a mere mob, we shall appear like demi-gods on earth." +It is a curious fact that living in a state of hostility and rage +actually affords pleasure; it seems as if people thought there was a +species of heroism in it. If, unfortunately, the object of our +wrath happens to die, we lose no time in finding some one to fill +the vacant place. Whom shall I attack next, whom shall I hate? Ah! +is that the villain I was looking out for? What a prize! Now my +friends, at him, give him no quarter. Such is the world, and, +without uttering a libel, I may add that it is not what it ought to +be. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + + +It showed no great malignity, however, to complain of the horrible +place in which they had incarcerated me, but fortunately another +room became vacant, and I was agreeably surprised on being informed +that I was to have it. Yet strangely enough, I reflected with +regret that I was about to leave the vicinity of Maddalene. Instead +of feeling rejoiced, I mourned over it with almost childish feeling. +I had always attached myself to some object, even from motives +comparatively slight. On leaving my horrible abode, I cast back a +glance at the heavy wall against which I had so often supported +myself, while listening as closely as possible to the gentle voice +of the repentant girl. I felt a desire to hear, if only for the +last time, those two pathetic lines, - + + +Chi rende alla meschina +La sua felicita? + + +Vain hope! here was another separation in the short period of my +unfortunate life. But I will not go into any further details, lest +the world should laugh at me, though it would be hypocrisy in me to +affect to conceal that, for several days after, I felt melancholy at +this imaginary parting. + +While going out of my dungeon I also made a farewell signal to two +of the robbers, who had been my neighbours, and who were then +standing at their window. Their chief also got notice of my +departure, ran to the window, and repeatedly saluted me. He began +likewise to sing the little air, Chi rende alla meschina; and was +this, thought I, merely to ridicule me? No doubt that forty out of +fifty would say decidedly, "It was!" In spite, however, of being +outvoted, I incline to the opinion that the GOOD ROBBER meant it +kindly; and, as such I received it, and gave him a look of thanks. +He saw it, and thrust his arm through the bars, and waved his cap, +nodding kindly to me as I turned to go down the stairs. + +Upon reaching the yard below, I was further consoled by a sight of +the little deaf and dumb boy. He saw me, and instantly ran towards +me with a look of unfeigned delight. The wife of the jailer, +however, Heaven knows why, caught hold of the little fellow, and +rudely thrusting him back, drove him into the house. I was really +vexed; and yet the resolute little efforts he made even then to +reach me, gave me indescribable pleasure at the moment, so pleasing +it is to find that one is really loved. This was a day full of +great adventures for ME; a few steps further I passed the window of +my old prison, now the abode of Gioja: "How are you, Melchiorre?" I +exclaimed as I went by. He raised his head, and getting as near me +as it was POSSIBLE, cried out, "How do you do, Silvio?" They would +not let me stop a single moment; I passed through the great gate, +ascended a flight of stairs, which brought us to a large, well-swept +room, exactly over that occupied by Gioja. My bed was brought after +me, and I was then left to myself by my conductors. My first object +was to examine the walls; I met with several inscriptions, some +written with charcoal, others in pencil, and a few incised with some +sharp point. I remember there were some very pleasing verses in +French, and I am sorry I forgot to commit them to mind. They were +signed "The duke of Normandy." I tried to sing them, adapting to +them, as well as I could, the favourite air of my poor Maddalene. +What was my surprise to hear a voice, close to me, reply in the same +words, sung to another air. When he had finished, I cried out, +"Bravo!" and he saluted me with great respect, inquiring if I were a +Frenchman. + +"No; an Italian, and my name is Silvio Pellico." + +"The author of Francesca da Rimini?" {6} + +"The same." + +Here he made me a fine compliment, following it with the condolences +usual on such occasions, upon hearing I had been committed to +prison. He then inquired of what part of Italy I was a native. +"Piedmont," was the reply; "I am from Saluzzo." Here I was treated +to another compliment, on the character and genius of the +Piedmontese, in particular, the celebrated men of Saluzzo, at the +head of whom he ranked Bodoni. {7} All this was said in an easy +refined tone, which showed the man of the world, and one who had +received a good education. + +"Now, may I be permitted," said I, "to inquire who you are, sir?" + +"I heard you singing one of my little songs," was the reply. + +"What! the two beautiful stanzas upon the wall are yours!" + +"They are, sir." + +"You are, therefore,--" + +"The unfortunate duke of Normandy." + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + + +The jailer at that moment passed under our windows, and ordered us +to be silent. + +What can he mean by the unfortunate duke of Normandy? thought I, +musing to myself. Ah! is not that the title said to be assumed by +the son of Louis XVI.? but that unhappy child is indisputably no +more. Then my neighbour must be one of those unlucky adventurers +who have undertaken to bring him to life again. Not a few had +already taken upon themselves to personate this Louis XVII., and +were proved to be impostors; how is my new acquaintance entitled to +greater credit for his pains? + +Although I tried to give him the advantage of a doubt, I felt an +insurmountable incredulity upon the subject, which was not +subsequently removed. At the same time, I determined not to mortify +the unhappy man, whatever sort of absurdity he might please to +hazard before my face. + +A few minutes afterwards he began again to sing, and we soon renewed +our conversation. In answer to my inquiry, "What is your real +name?" he replied, "I am no other than Louis XVII." And he then +launched into very severe invectives against his uncle, Louis +XVIII., the usurper of his just and natural rights. + +"But why," said I, "did you not prefer your claims at the period of +the restoration?" + +"I was unable, from extreme illness, to quit the city of Bologna. +The moment I was better I hastened to Paris; I presented myself to +the allied monarchs, but the work was done. The good Prince of +Conde knew, and received me with open arms, but his friendship +availed me not. One evening, passing through a lonely street, I was +suddenly attacked by assassins, and escaped with difficulty. After +wandering through Normandy, I returned into Italy, and stopped some +time at Modena. Thence I wrote to the allied powers, in particular +to the Emperor Alexander, who replied to my letter with expressions +of the greatest kindness. I did not then despair of obtaining +justice, or, at all events, if my rights were to be sacrificed, of +being allowed a decent provision, becoming a prince. But I was +arrested, and handed over to the Austrian government. During eight +months I have been here buried alive, and God knows when I shall +regain my freedom." + +I begged him to give me a brief sketch of his life. He told me very +minutely what I already knew relating to Louis XVII. and the cruel +Simon, and of the infamous calumnies that wretch was induced to +utter respecting the unfortunate queen, &c. Finally he said, that +while in prison, some persons came with an idiot boy of the name of +Mathurin, who was substituted for him, while he himself was carried +off. A coach and four was in readiness; one of the horses was +merely a wooden-machine, in the interior of which he was concealed. +Fortunately, they reached the confines, and the General (he gave me +the name, which has escaped me) who effected his release, educated +him for some time with the attention of a father, and subsequently +sent, or accompanied him, to America. There the young king, without +a sceptre, had room to indulge his wandering disposition; he was +half famished in the forests; became at length a soldier, and +resided some time, in good credit, at the court of the Brazils. +There, too, he was pursued and persecuted, till compelled to make +his escape. He returned to Europe towards the close of Napoleon's +career, was kept a close prisoner at Naples by Murat; and, at last, +when he was liberated, and in full preparation to reclaim the throne +of France, he was seized with that unlucky illness at Bologna, +during which Louis XVIII. was permitted to assume his nephew's +crown. + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + + +All this he related with an air of remarkable frankness and truth. +Although not justified in believing him, I nevertheless was +astonished at his knowledge of the most minute facts connected with +the revolution. He spoke with much natural fluency, and his +conversation abounded with a variety of curious anecdotes. There +was something also of the soldier in his expression, without showing +any want of that sort of elegance resulting from an intercourse with +the best society. + +"Will it be permitted me," I inquired, "to converse with you on +equal terms, without making use of any titles?" + +"That is what I myself wish you to do," was the reply. "I have at +least reaped one advantage from adversity; I have learnt to smile at +all these vanities. I assure you that I value myself more upon +being a man, than having been born a prince." + +We were in the habit of conversing together both night and morning, +for a considerable time; and, in spite of what I considered the +comic part of his character, he appeared to be of a good +disposition, frank, affable, and interested in the virtue and +happiness of mankind. More than once I was on the point of saying, +"Pardon me; I wish I could believe you were Louis XVII., but I +frankly confess I cannot prevail on myself to believe it; be equally +sincere, I entreat you, and renounce this singular fiction of +yours." I had even prepared to introduce the subject with an +edifying discourse upon the vanity of all imposture, even of such +untruths as may appear in themselves harmless. + +I put off my purpose from day to day; I partly expected that we +should grow still more friendly and confidential, but I had never +the heart really to try the experiment upon his feelings. When I +reflect upon this want of resolution, I sometimes attempt to +reconcile myself to it on the ground of proper urbanity, +unwillingness to give offence, and other reasons of the kind. Still +these excuses are far from satisfying me; I cannot disguise that I +ought not to have permitted my dislike to preaching him a sermon to +stand in the way of speaking my real sentiments. To affect to give +credit to imposture of any kind is miserable weakness, such as I +think I should not, even in similar circumstances, exhibit again. +At the same time, it must be confessed that, preface it as you will, +it is a harsh thing to say to any one, "I don't believe you!" He +will naturally resent it; it would deprive us of his friendship or +regard: nay it would, perhaps, make him hate us. Yet it is better +to run every risk than to sanction an untruth. Possibly, the man +capable of it, upon finding that his imposture is known, will +himself admire our sincerity, and afterwards be induced to reflect +in a manner that may produce the best results. + +The under-jailers were unanimously of opinion that he was really +Louis XVII., and having already seen so many strange changes of +fortune, they were not without hopes that he would some day ascend +the throne of France, and remember the good treatment and attentions +he had met with. With the exception of assisting in his escape, +they made it their object to comply with all his wishes. It was by +such means I had the honour of forming an acquaintance with this +grand personage. He was of the middle height, between forty and +forty-five years of age, rather inclined to corpulency, and had +features strikingly like those of the Bourbons. It is very probable +that this accidental resemblance may have led him to assume the +character he did, and play so melancholy a part in it. + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + + +There is one other instance of unworthy deference to private +opinion, of which I must accuse myself. My neighbour was not an +Atheist, he rather liked to converse on religious topics, as if he +justly appreciated the importance of the subject, and was no +stranger to its discussion. Still, he indulged a number of +unreasonable prejudices against Christianity, which he regarded less +in its real nature than its abuses. The superficial philosophy +which preceded the French revolution had dazzled him. He had formed +an idea that religious worship might be offered up with greater +purity than as it had been dictated by the religion of the +Evangelists. Without any intimate acquaintance with the writings of +Condillac and Tracy, he venerated them as the most profound +thinkers, and really thought that the last had carried the branch of +metaphysics to the highest degree of perfection. + +I may fairly say that MY philosophical studies had been better +directed; I was aware of the weakness of the experimental doctrine, +and I knew the gross and shameless errors in point of criticism, +which influenced the age of Voltaire in libelling Christianity. I +had also read Guenee, and other able exposers of such false +criticism. I felt a conviction that, by no logical reasoning, could +the being of a God be granted, and the Bible rejected, and I +conceived it a vulgar degradation to fall in with the stream of +antichristian opinions, and to want elevation of intellect to +apprehend how the doctrine of Catholicism in its true character, is +religiously simple and ennobling. Yet I had the meanness to bow to +human opinion out of deference and respect. The wit and sarcasms of +my neighbour seemed to confound me, while I could not disguise from +myself that they were idle and empty as the air. I dissimulated, I +hesitated to announce my own belief, reflecting how far it were +seasonable thus to contradict my companion, and persuading myself +that it would be useless, and that I was perfectly justified in +remaining silent. What vile pusillanimity! why thus respect the +presumptuous power of popular errors and opinions, resting upon no +foundation. True it is that an ill-timed zeal is always indiscreet, +and calculated to irritate rather than convert; but to avow with +frankness and modesty what we regard as an important truth, to do it +even when we have reason to conclude it will not be palatable, and +to meet willingly any ridicule or sarcasm which may be launched +against it; this I maintain to be an actual duty. A noble avowal of +this kind, moreover, may always be made, without pretending to +assume, uncalled for, anything of the missionary character. + +It is, I repeat, a duty, not to keep back an important truth at any +period; for though there may be little hope of it being immediately +acknowledged; it may tend to prepare the minds of others, and in due +time, doubtless, produce a better and more impartial judgment, and a +consequent triumph of truth. + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + + + +I continued in the same apartment during a month and some days. On +the night of February the 18th, 1821, I was roused from sleep by a +loud noise of chains and keys; several men entered with a lantern, +and the first idea that struck me was, that they were come to cut my +throat. While gazing at them in strange perplexity, one of the +figures advanced towards me with a polite air; it was Count B- , {8} +who requested I would dress myself as speedily as possible to set +out. + +I was surprised at this announcement, and even indulged a hope that +they were sent to conduct me to the confines of Piedmont. Was it +likely the storm which hung over me would thus early be dispersed? +should I again enjoy that liberty so dearly prized, be restored to +my beloved parents, and see my brothers and sisters? + +I was allowed short time to indulge these flattering hopes. The +moment I had thrown on my clothes, I followed my conductors without +having an opportunity of bidding farewell to my royal neighbour. +Yet I thought I heard him call my name, and regretted it was out of +my power to stop and reply. "Where are we going?" I inquired of the +Count, as we got into a coach, attended by an officer of the guard. +"I cannot inform you till we shall be a mile on the other side the +city of Milan." I was aware the coach was not going in the +direction of the Vercelline gate; and my hopes suddenly vanished. I +was silent; it was a beautiful moonlight night; I beheld the same +well-known paths I had traversed for pleasure so many years before. +The houses, the churches, and every object renewed a thousand +pleasing recollections. I saw the Corsia of Porta Orientale, I saw +the public gardens, where I had so often rambled with Foscolo, {9} +Monti, {10} Lodovico di Breme, {11} Pietro Borsieri, {12} Count +Porro, and his sons, with many other delightful companions, +conversing in all the glow of life and hope. How I felt my +friendship for these noble men revive with double force when I +thought of having parted from them for the last time, disappearing +as they had done, one by one, so rapidly from my view. When we had +gone a little way beyond the gate, I pulled my hat over my eyes, and +indulged these sad retrospections unobserved. + +After having gone about a mile, I addressed myself to Count B-. "I +presume we are on the road to Verona." "Yes, further," was the +reply; "we are for Venice, where it is my duty to hand you over to a +special commission there appointed." + +We travelled post, stopped nowhere, and on the 20th of February +arrived at my destination. The September of the year preceding, +just one month previous to my arrest, I had been at Venice, and had +met a large and delightful party at dinner, in the Hotel della Luna. +Strangely enough, I was now conducted by the Count and the officer +to the very inn where we had spent that evening in social mirth. + +One of the waiters started on seeing me, perceiving that, though my +conductors had assumed the dress of domestics, I was no other than a +prisoner in their hands. I was gratified at this recognition, being +persuaded that the man would mention my arrival there to more than +one. + +We dined, and I was then conducted to the palace of the Doge, where +the tribunals are now held. I passed under the well-known porticoes +of the Procuratie, and by the Florian Hotel, where I had enjoyed so +many pleasant evenings the last autumn; but I did not happen to meet +a single acquaintance. We went across the piazzetta, and there it +struck me that the September before, I had met a poor mendicant, who +addressed me in these singular words:- + +"I see, sir, you are a stranger, but I cannot make out why you, sir, +and all other strangers, should so much admire this place. To me it +is a place of misfortune, and I never pass it when I can avoid it." + +"What, did you here meet with some disaster?" + +"I did, sir; a horrible one, sir; and not only I. God protect you +from it, God protect you!" And he took himself off in haste. + +At this moment it was impossible for me to forget the words of the +poor beggarman. He was present there, too, the next year, when I +ascended the scaffold, whence I heard read to me the sentence of +death, and that it had been commuted for fifteen years hard +imprisonment. Assuredly, if I had been inclined ever so little to +superstition, I should have thought much of the mendicant, +predicting to me with so much energy, as he did, and insisting that +this was a place of misfortune. As it is, I have merely noted it +down for a curious incident. We ascended the palace; Count B- spoke +to the judges, then, handing me over to the jailer, after embracing +me with much emotion, he bade me farewell. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + + + +I followed the jailer in silence. After turning through a number of +passages, and several large rooms, we arrived at a small staircase, +which brought us under the Piombi, those notorious state prisons, +dating from the time of the Venetian republic. + +There the jailer first registered my name, and then locked me up in +the room appointed for me. The chambers called I Piombi consist of +the upper portion of the Doge's palace, and are covered throughout +with lead. + +My room had a large window with enormous bars, and commanded a view +of the roof (also of lead), and the church, of St. Mark. Beyond the +church I could discern the end of the Piazza in the distance, with +an immense number of cupolas and belfries on all sides. St. Mark's +gigantic Campanile was separated from me only by the length of the +church, and I could hear persons speaking from the top of it when +they talked at all loud. To the left of the church was to be seen a +portion of the grand court of the palace, and one of the chief +entrances. There is a public well in that part of the court, and +people were continually in the habit of going thither to draw water. +From the lofty site of my prison they appeared to me about the size +of little children, and I could not at all hear their conversation, +except when they called out very loud. Indeed, I found myself much +more solitary than I had been in the Milanese prisons. + +During several days the anxiety I suffered from the criminal trial +appointed by the special commission, made me rather melancholy, and +it was increased, doubtless, by that painful feeling of deeper +solitude. + +I was here, moreover, further removed from my family, of whom I +heard no more. The new faces that appeared wore a gloom at once +strange and appalling. Report had greatly exaggerated the struggle +of the Milanese and the rest of Italy to recover their independence; +it was doubted if I were not one of the most desperate promoters of +that mad enterprise. I found that my name, as a writer, was not +wholly unknown to my jailer, to his wife, and even his daughter, +besides two sons, and the under-jailers, all of whom, by their +manner, seemed to have an idea that a writer of tragedies was little +better than a kind of magician. They looked grave and distant, yet +as if eager to learn more of me, had they dared to waive the +ceremony of their iron office. + +In a few days I grew accustomed to their looks, or rather, I think, +they found I was not so great a necromancer as to escape through the +lead roofs, and, consequently, assumed a more conciliating +demeanour. The wife had most of the character that marks the true +jailer; she was dry and hard, all bone, without a particle of heart, +about forty, and incapable of feeling, except it were a savage sort +of instinct for her offspring. She used to bring me my coffee, +morning and afternoon, and my water at dinner. She was generally +accompanied by her daughter, a girl of about fifteen, not very +pretty, but with mild, compassionating looks, and her two sons, from +ten to thirteen years of age. They always went back with their +mother, but there was a gentle look and a smile of love for me upon +their young faces as she closed the door, my only company when they +were gone. The jailer never came near me, except to conduct me +before the special commission, that terrible ordeal for what are +termed crimes of state. + +The under-jailers, occupied with the prisons of the police, situated +on a lower floor, where there were numbers of robbers, seldom came +near me. One of these assistants was an old man, more than seventy, +but still able to discharge his laborious duties, and to run up and +down the steps to the different prisons; another was a young man +about twenty-five, more bent upon giving an account of his love +affairs than eager to devote himself to his office. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + + + +I had now to confront the terrors of a state trial. What was my +dread of implicating others by my answers! What difficulty to +contend against so many strange accusations, so many suspicions of +all kinds! How impossible, almost, not to become implicated by +these incessant examinations, by daily new arrests, and the +imprudence of other parties, perhaps not known to you, yet belonging +to the same movement! I have decided not to speak on politics; and +I must suppress every detail connected with the state trials. I +shall merely observe that, after being subjected for successive +hours to the harassing process, I retired in a frame of mind so +excited, and so enraged, that I should assuredly have taken my own +life, had not the voice of religion, and the recollection of my +parents restrained my hand. I lost the tranquillity of mind I had +acquired at Milan; during many days, I despaired of regaining it, +and I cannot even allude to this interval without feelings of +horror. It was vain to attempt it, I could not pray; I questioned +the justice of God; I cursed mankind, and all the world, revolving +in my mind all the possible sophisms and satires I could think of, +respecting the hollowness and vanity of virtue. The disappointed +and the exasperated are always ingenious in finding accusations +against their fellow-creatures, and even the Creator himself. Anger +is of a more universal and injurious tendency than is generally +supposed. As we cannot rage and storm from morning till night, and +as the most ferocious animal has necessarily its intervals of +repose, these intervals in man are greatly influenced by the immoral +character of the conduct which may have preceded them. He appears +to be at peace, indeed, but it is an irreligious, malignant peace; a +savage sardonic smile, destitute of all charity or dignity; a love +of confusion, intoxication, and sarcasm. + +In this state I was accustomed to sing--anything but hymns--with a +kind of mad, ferocious joy. I spoke to all who approached my +dungeon, jeering and bitter things; and I tried to look upon the +whole creation through the medium of that commonplace wisdom, the +wisdom of the cynics. This degrading period, on which I hate to +reflect, lasted happily only for six or seven days, during which my +Bible had become covered with dust. One of the jailer's boys, +thinking to please me, as he cast his eye upon it, observed, "Since +you left off reading that great, ugly book, you don't seem half so +melancholy, sir." "Do you think so?" said I. Taking the Bible in +my hands, I wiped off the dust, and opening it hastily, my eyes fell +upon the following words: --"And he said unto his disciples, it must +needs be that offences come; but woe unto him by whom they come; for +better had it been for him that a millstone were hanged about his +neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of +these little ones." + +I was affected upon reading this passage, and I felt ashamed when I +thought that this little boy had perceived, from the dust with which +it was covered, that I no longer read my Bible, and had even +supposed that I had acquired a better temper by want of attention to +my religious duties, and become less wretched by forgetting my God. +"You little graceless fellow," I exclaimed, though reproaching him +in a gentle tone, and grieved at having afforded him a subject of +scandal; "this is not a great, ugly book, and for the few days that +I have left off reading it, I find myself much worse. If your +mother would let you stay with me a little while, you would see that +I know how to get rid of my ill-humour. If you knew how hard it was +to be in good humour, when left so long alone, and when you hear me +singing and talking like a madman, you would not call this a great +ugly book." + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + + + +The boy left me, and I felt a sort of pleasure at having taken the +Bible again in my hands, more especially at having owned I had been +worse for having neglected it. It seemed as if I had made atonement +to a generous friend whom I had unjustly offended, but had now +become reconciled to. Yes! I had even forgotten my God! I +exclaimed, and perverted my better nature. Could I have been led to +believe that the vile mockery of the cynic was applicable to one in +my forlorn and desperate situation? + +I felt an indescribable emotion on asking myself this question; I +placed the Bible upon a chair, and, falling on my knees, I burst +into tears of remorse: I who ever found it so difficult to shed +even a tear. These tears were far more delightful to me than any +physical enjoyment I had ever felt. I felt I was restored to God, I +loved him, I repented of having outraged religion by degrading +myself; and I made a vow never, never more to forget, to separate +myself from, my God. + +How truly a sincere return to faith, and love, and hope, consoles +and elevates the mind. I read and continued to weep for upwards of +an hour. I rose with renewed confidence that God had not abandoned +me, but had forgiven my every fault and folly. It was then that my +misfortunes, the horrors of my continued examinations, and the +probable death which awaited me, appeared of little account. I +rejoiced in suffering, since I was thus afforded an occasion to +perform some duty, and that, by submitting with a resigned mind, I +was obeying my Divine Master. I was enabled, thanks be to Heaven, +to read my Bible. I no longer estimated it by the wretched, +critical subterfuges of a Voltaire, heaping ridicule upon mere +expressions, in themselves neither false nor ridiculous, except to +gross ignorance or malice, which cannot penetrate their meaning. I +became clearly convinced how indisputably it was the code of +sanctity, and hence of truth itself; how really unphilosophical it +was to take offence at a few little imperfections of style, not less +absurd than the vanity of one who despises everything that wears not +the gloss of elegant forms; what still greater absurdity to imagine +that such a collection of books, so long held in religious +veneration, should not possess an authentic origin, boasting, as +they do, such a vast superiority over the Koran, and the old +theology of the Indies. + +Many, doubtless, abused its excellence, many wished to turn it into +a code of injustice, and a sanction of all their bad passions. But +the triumphant answer to these is, that every thing is liable to +abuse; and when did the abuse of the most precious and best of +things lead us to the conclusion that they were in their own nature +bad? Our Saviour himself declared it; the whole law and the +Prophets, the entire body of these sacred books, all inculcate the +same precept to love God and mankind. And must not such writings +embrace the truth--truth adapted to all times and ages? must they +not ever constitute the living word of the Holy Spirit? + +Whilst I made these reflections, I renewed my intention of +identifying with religion all my thoughts concerning human affairs, +all my opinions upon the progress of civilisation, my philanthropy, +love of my country, in short, all the passions of my mind. + +The few days in which I remained subjected to the cynic doctrine, +did me a deal of harm. I long felt its effects, and had great +difficulty to remove them. Whenever man yields in the least to the +temptation of undignifying his intellect, to view the works of God +through the infernal medium of scorn, to abandon the beneficent +exercise of prayer, the injury which he inflicts upon his natural +reason prepares him to fall again with but little struggle. For a +period of several weeks I was almost daily assaulted with strong, +bitter tendencies to doubt and disbelief; and it called for the +whole power of my mind to free myself from their grasp. + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + + + +When these mental struggles had ceased, and I had again become +habituated to reverence the Deity in all my thoughts and feelings, I +for some time enjoyed the most unbroken serenity and peace. The +examinations to which I was every two or three days subjected by the +special commission, however tormenting, produced no lasting anxiety, +as before. I succeeded in this arduous position, in discharging all +which integrity and friendship required of me, and left the rest to +the will of God. I now, too, resumed my utmost efforts to guard +against the effects of any sudden surprise, every emotion and +passion, and every imaginable misfortune; a kind of preparation for +future trials of the greatest utility. + +My solitude, meantime, grew more oppressive. Two sons of the +jailer, whom I had been in the habit of seeing at brief intervals, +were sent to school, and I saw them no more. The mother and the +sister, who had been accustomed, along with them, to speak to me, +never came near me, except to bring my coffee. About the mother I +cared very little; but the daughter, though rather plain, had +something so pleasing and gentle, both in her words and looks, that +I greatly felt the loss of them. Whenever she brought the coffee, +and said, "It was I who made it," I always thought it excellent: +but when she observed, "This is my mother's making," it lost all its +relish. + +Being almost deprived of human society, I one day made acquaintance +with some ants upon my window; I fed them; they went away, and ere +long the placed was thronged with these little insects, as if come +by invitation. A spider, too, had weaved a noble edifice upon my +walls, and I often gave him a feast of gnats or flies, which were +extremely annoying to me, and which he liked much better than I did. +I got quite accustomed to the sight of him; he would run over my +bed, and come and take the precious morsels out of my hand. Would +to heaven these had been the only insects which visited my abode. +It was still summer, and the gnats had begun to multiply to a +prodigious and alarming extent. The previous winter had been +remarkably mild, and after the prevalence of the March winds +followed extreme heat. It is impossible to convey an idea of the +insufferable oppression of the air in the place I occupied. Opposed +directly to a noontide sun, under a leaden roof, and with a window +looking on the roof of St. Mark, casting a tremendous reflection of +the heat, I was nearly suffocated. I had never conceived an idea of +a punishment so intolerable: add to which the clouds of gnats, +which, spite of my utmost efforts, covered every article of +furniture in the room, till even the walls and ceiling seemed alive +with them; and I had some apprehension of being devoured alive. +Their bites, moreover, were extremely painful, and when thus +punctured from morning till night, only to undergo the same +operation from day to day, and engaged the whole time in killing and +slaying, some idea may be formed of the state both of my body and my +mind. + +I felt the full force of such a scourge, yet was unable to obtain a +change of dungeon, till at length I was tempted to rid myself of my +life, and had strong fears of running distracted. But, thanks be to +God, these thoughts were not of long duration, and religion +continued to sustain me. It taught me that man was born to suffer, +and to suffer with courage: it taught me to experience a sort of +pleasure in my troubles, to resist and to vanquish in the battle +appointed me by Heaven. The more unhappy, I said to myself, my life +may become, the less will I yield to my fate, even though I should +be condemned in the morning of my life to the scaffold. Perhaps, +without these preliminary and chastening trials, I might have met +death in an unworthy manner. Do I know, moreover, that I possess +those virtues and qualities which deserve prosperity; where and what +are they? Then, seriously examining into my past conduct, I found +too little good on which to pride myself; the chief part was a +tissue of vanity, idolatry, and the mere exterior of virtue. +Unworthy, therefore, as I am, let me suffer! If it be intended that +men and gnats should destroy me, unjustly or otherwise, acknowledge +in them the instruments of a divine justice, and be silent. + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + + + +Does man stand in need of compulsion before he can be brought to +humble himself with sincerity? to look upon himself as a sinner? Is +it not too true that we in general dissipate our youth in vanity, +and, instead of employing all our faculties in the acquisition of +what is good, make them the instruments of our degradation? There +are, doubtless, exceptions, but I confess they cannot apply to a +wretched individual like myself. There is no merit in thus being +dissatisfied with myself; when we see a lamp which emits more smoke +than flame, it requires no great sincerity to say that it does not +burn as it ought to do. + +Yes, without any degradation, without any scruples of hypocrisy, and +viewing myself with perfect tranquillity of mind, I perceived that I +had merited the chastisement of my God. An internal monitor told me +that such chastisements were, for one fault or other, amply merited; +they assisted in winning me back to Him who is perfect, and whom +every human being, as far as their limited powers will admit, are +bound to imitate. By what right, while constrained to condemn +myself for innumerable offences and forgetfulness towards God, could +I complain, because some men appeared to me despicable, and others +wicked? What if I were deprived of all worldly advantages, and was +doomed to linger in prison, or to die a violent death? I sought to +impress upon my mind reflections like these, at once just and +applicable; and this done, I found it was necessary to be +consistent, and that it could be effected in no other manner than by +sanctifying the upright judgments of the Almighty, by loving them, +and eradicating every wish at all opposed to them. The better to +persevere in my intention, I determined, in future, carefully to +revolve in my mind all my opinions, by committing them to writing. +The difficulty was that the Commission, while permitting me to have +the use of ink and paper, counted out the leaves, with an express +prohibition that I should not destroy a single one, and reserving +the power of examining in what manner I had employed them. To +supply the want of paper, I had recourse to the simple stratagem of +smoothing with a piece of glass a rude table which I had, and upon +this I daily wrote my long meditations respecting the duties of +mankind, and especially of those which applied to myself. It is no +exaggeration to say that the hours so employed were sometimes +delightful to me, notwithstanding the difficulty of breathing I +experienced from the excessive heat, to say nothing of the bitterly +painful wounds, small though they were, of those poisonous gnats. +To defend myself from the countless numbers of these tormentors, I +was compelled, in the midst of suffocation, to wrap my head and my +legs in thick cloth, and not only write with gloves on, but to +bandage my wrist to prevent the intruders creeping up my sleeves. + +Meditations like mine assumed somewhat of a biographical character. +I made out an account of all the good and the evil which had grown +up with me from my earliest youth, discussing them within myself, +attempting to resolve every doubt, and arranging, to the best of my +power, the various kinds of knowledge I had acquired, and my ideas +upon every subject. When the whole surface of the table was covered +with my lucubrations, I perused and re-perused them, meditated on +what I had already meditated, and, at length, resolved (however +unwillingly) to scratch out all I had done with the glass, in order +to have a clean superficies upon which to recommence my operations. + +From that time I continued the narrative of my experience of good +and evil, always relieved by digressions of every kind, by some +analysis of this or that point, whether in metaphysics, morals, +politics, or religion; and when the whole was complete, I again +began to read, and re-read, and lastly, to scratch out. Being +anxious to avoid every chance of interruption, or of impediment, to +my repeating with the greatest possible freedom the facts I had +recorded, and my opinions upon them, I took care to transpose and +abbreviate the words in such a manner as to run no risk from the +most inquisitorial visit. No search, however, was made, and no one +was aware that I was spending my miserable prison-hours to so good a +purpose. Whenever I heard the jailer or other person open the door +I covered my little table with a cloth, and placed upon it the ink- +stand, with the LAWFUL quantity of state paper by its side. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + + + +Still I did not wholly neglect the paper put into my hands, and +sometimes even devoted an entire day or night to writing. But here +I only treated of literary matters. I composed at that time the +Ester d'Engaddi, the Iginia d'Asti, and the Cantichi, entitled, +Tanereda Rosilde, Eligi and Valafrido, Adello, besides several +sketches of tragedies, and other productions, in the list of which +was a poem upon the Lombard League, and another upon Christopher +Columbus. + +As it was not always so easy an affair to get a reinforcement of +paper, I was in the habit of committing my rough draughts to my +table, or the wrapping-paper in which I received fruit and other +articles. At times I would give away my dinner to the under-jailer, +telling him that I had no appetite, and then requesting from him the +favour of a sheet of paper. This was, however, only in certain +exigencies, when my little table was full of writing, and I had not +yet determined on clearing it away. I was often very hungry, and +though the jailer had money of mine in his possession, I did not ask +him to bring me anything to eat, partly lest he should suspect I had +given away my dinner, and partly that the under-jailer might not +find out that I had said the thing which was not when I assured him +of my loss of appetite. In the evening I regaled myself with some +strong coffee, and I entreated that it might be made by the little +sioa, Zanze. {13} This was the jailer's daughter, who, if she could +escape the lynx-eye of her sour mamma, was good enough to make it +exceedingly good; so good, indeed, that, what with the emptiness of +my stomach, it produced a kind of convulsion, which kept me awake +the whole of the night. + +In this state of gentle inebriation, I felt my intellectual +faculties strangely invigorated; wrote poetry, philosophized, and +prayed till morning with feelings of real pleasure. I then became +completely exhausted, threw myself upon my bed, and, spite of the +gnats that were continually sucking my blood, I slept an hour or two +in profound rest. + +I can hardly describe the peculiar and pleasing exaltation of mind +which continued for nights together, and I left no means untried to +secure the same means of continuing it. With this view I still +refused to touch a mouthful of dinner, even when I was in no want of +paper, merely in order to obtain my magic beverage for the evening. + +How fortunate I thought myself when I succeeded; not unfrequently +the coffee was not made by the gentle Angiola; and it was always +vile stuff from her mother's hands. In this last case, I was sadly +put out of humour, for instead of the electrical effect on my +nerves, it made me wretched, weak, and hungry; I threw myself down +to sleep, but was unable to close an eye. Upon these occasions I +complained bitterly to Angiola, the jailer's daughter, and one day, +as if she had been in fault, I scolded her so sharply that the poor +girl began to weep, sobbing out, "Indeed, sir, I never deceived +anybody, and yet everybody calls me a deceitful little mix." + +"Everybody! Oh then, I see I am not the only one driven to +distraction by your vile slops." + +"I do not mean to say that, sir. Ah, if you only knew; if I dared +to tell you all that my poor, wretched heart--" + +"Well, don't cry so! What is all this ado? I beg your pardon, you +see, if I scolded you. Indeed, I believe you would not, you could +not, make me such vile stuff as this." + +"Dear me! I am not crying about that, sir." + +"You are not!" and I felt my self-love not a little mortified, +though I forced a smile. "Are you crying, then, because I scolded +you, and yet not about the coffee?" + +"Yes, indeed, sir?" + +"Ah! then who called you a little deceitful one before?" + +"HE did, sir." + +"HE did; and who is HE?" + +"My lover, sir;" and she hid her face in her little hands. + +Afterwards she ingenuously intrusted to my keeping, and I could not +well betray her, a little serio-comic sort of pastoral romance, +which really interested me. + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + + + +From that day forth, I know not why, I became the adviser and +confidant of this young girl, who returned and conversed with me for +hours. She at first said, "You are so good, sir, that I feel just +the same when I am here as if I were your own daughter." + +"That is a very poor compliment," replied I, dropping her hand; "I +am hardly yet thirty-two, and you look upon me as if I were an old +father." + +"No, no, not so; I mean as a brother, to be sure;" and she insisted +upon taking hold of my hand with an air of the most innocent +confidence and affection. + +I am glad, thought I to myself, that you are no beauty; else, alas, +this innocent sort of fooling might chance to disconcert me; at +other times I thought it is lucky, too, she is so young, there could +never be any danger of becoming attached to girls of her years. At +other times, however, I felt a little uneasy, thinking I was +mistaken in having pronounced her rather plain, whereas her whole +shape and features were by no means wanting in proportion or +expression. If she were not quite so pale, I said, and her face +free from those marks, she might really pass for a beauty. It is +impossible, in fact, not to find some charm in the presence and in +the looks and voice of a young girl full of vivacity and affection. +I had taken not the least pains to acquire her good-will; yet was I +as dear to either as a father or a brother, whichever title I +preferred. And why? Only because she had read Francesca da Rimini +and Eufemio, and my poems, she said, had made her weep so often; +then, besides, I was a solitary prisoner, WITHOUT HAVING, as she +observed, either robbed or murdered anybody. + +In short, when I had become attached to poor Maddalene, without once +seeing her, how was it likely that I could remain indifferent to the +sisterly assiduity and attentions, to the thousand pleasing little +compliments, and to the most delicious cups of coffee of this young +Venice girl, my gentle little jailer? {14} I should be trying to +impose on myself, were I to attribute to my own prudence the fact of +my not having fallen in love with Angiola. I did not do so, simply +from the circumstance of her having already a lover of her own +choosing, to whom she was desperately, unalterably attached. Heaven +help me! if it had not been thus I should have found myself in a +very CRITICAL position, indeed, for an author, with so little to +keep alive his attention. The sentiment I felt for her was not, +then, what is called love. I wished to see her happy, and that she +might be united to the lover of her choice; I was not jealous, nor +had I the remotest idea she could ever select me as the object of +her regard. Still, when I heard my prison-door open, my heart began +to beat in the hope it was my Angiola; and if she appeared not, I +experienced a peculiar kind of vexation; when she really came my +heart throbbed yet more violently, from a feeling of pure joy. Her +parents, who had begun to entertain a good opinion of me, and were +aware of her passionate regard for another, offered no opposition to +the visits she thus made me, permitting her almost invariably to +bring me my coffee in a morning, and not unfrequently in the +evening. + +There was altogether a simplicity and an affectionateness in her +every word, look, and gesture, which were really captivating. She +would say, "I am excessively attached to another, and yet I take +such delight in being near you! When I am not in HIS company, I +like being nowhere so well as here." (Here was another compliment.) + +"And don't you know why?" inquired I. + +"I do not." + +"I will tell you, then. It is because I permit you to talk about +your lover." + +"That is a good guess; yet still I think it is a good deal because I +esteem you so very much!" + +Poor girl! along with this pretty frankness she had that blessed sin +of taking me always by the hand, and pressing it with all her heart, +not perceiving that she at once pleased and disconcerted me by her +affectionate manner. Thanks be to Heaven, that I can always recall +this excellent little girl to mind without the least tinge of +remorse. + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + + + +The following portion of my narrative would assuredly have been more +interesting had the gentle Angiola fallen in love with me, or if I +had at least run half mad to enliven my solitude. There was, +however, another sentiment, that of simple benevolence, no less dear +to me, which united our hearts in one. And if, at any moment, I +felt there was the least risk of its changing its nature in my vain, +weak heart, it produced only sincere regret. + +Once, certainly, having my doubts that this would happen, and +finding her, to my sorrow, a hundred times more beautiful than I had +at first imagined; feeling too so very melancholy when she was +absent, so joyous when near, I took upon myself to play the +UNAMIABLE, in the idea that this would remove all danger by making +her leave off the same affectionate and familiar manner. This +innocent stratagem was tried in vain; the poor girl was so patient, +so full of compassion for me. She would look at me in silence, with +her elbow resting upon the window, and say, after a long pause, "I +see, sir, you are tired of my company, yet _I_ would stay here the +whole day if I could, merely to keep the hours from hanging so heavy +upon you. This ill-humour of yours is the natural effect of your +long solitude; if you were able to chat awhile, you would be quite +well again. If you don't like to talk, I will talk for you." + +"About your lover, eh?" + +"No, no; not always about him; I can talk of many things." + +She then began to give me some extracts from the household annals, +dwelling upon the sharp temper of her mother, her good-natured +father, and the monkey-tricks of her little brothers; and she told +all this with a simple grace and innocent frankness not a little +alluring. Yet I was pretty near the truth; for, without being aware +of it, she uniformly concluded with the one favourite theme: her +ill-starred love. Still I went on acting the part of the UNAMIABLE, +in the hope that she would take a spite against me. But whether +from inadvertency or design, she would not take the hint, and I was +at last fairly compelled to give up by sitting down contented to let +her have her way, smiling, sympathising with, and thanking her for +the sweet patience with which she had so long borne with me. + +I no longer indulged the ungracious idea of spiting her against me, +and, by degrees, all my other fears were allayed. Assuredly I had +not been smitten; I long examined into the nature of my scruples, +wrote down my reflections upon the subject, and derived no little +advantage from the process. + +Man often terrifies himself with mere bugbears of the mind. If we +would learn not to fear them, we have only to examine them a little +more nearly and attentively. What harm, then, if I looked forward +to her visits to me with a tender anxiety, if I appreciated their +sweetness, if it did me good to be compassioned by her, and to +interchange all our thoughts and feelings, unsullied, I will say, as +those of childhood. Even her most affectionate looks, and smiles, +and pressures of the hand, while they agitated me, produced a +feeling of salutary respect mingled with compassion. One evening, I +remember, when suffering under a sad misfortune, the poor girl threw +her arms round my neck, and wept as if her heart would break. She +had not the least idea of impropriety; no daughter could embrace a +father with more perfect innocence and unsuspecting affection. I +could not, however, reflect upon that embrace without feeling +somewhat agitated. It often recurred to my imagination, and I could +then think of no other subject. On another occasion, when she thus +threw herself upon my confidence, I was really obliged to +disentangle myself from her dear arms, ere I once pressed her to my +bosom, or gave her a single kiss, while I stammered out, "I pray +you, now, sweet Angiola, do not embrace me ever again; it is not +quite proper." She fixed her eyes upon me for a moment, then cast +them down, while a blush suffused her ingenuous countenance; and I +am sure it was the first time that she read in my mind even the +possibility of any weakness of mine in reference to her. Still she +did not cease to continue her visits upon the same friendly footing, +with a little mere reserve and respect, such as I wished it to be; +and I was grateful to her for it. + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + + + +I am unable to form an estimate of the evils which afflict others; +but, as respects myself, I am bound to confess that, after close +examination, I found that no sufferings had been appointed me, +except to some wise end, and for my own advantage. It was thus even +with the excessive heat which oppressed, and the gnats which +tormented me. Often have I reflected that but for this continual +suffering I might not have successfully resisted the temptation of +falling in love, situated as I was, and with one whose extremely +affectionate and ardent feelings would have made it difficult always +to preserve it within respectful limits. If I had sometimes reason +to tremble, how should I have been enabled to regulate my vain +imagination in an atmosphere somewhat inspiring, and open to the +breathings of joy. + +Considering the imprudence of Angiola's parents, who reposed such +confidence in me, the imprudence of the poor girl herself, who had +not an idea of giving rise to any culpable affection on my part, and +considering, too, the little steadfastness of my virtue, there can +be little doubt but the suffocating heat of my great oven, and the +cruel warfare of the gnats, were effectual safeguards to us both. + +Such a reflection reconciled me somewhat to these scourges; and I +then asked myself, Would you consent to become free, and to take +possession of some handsome apartment, filled with flowers and fresh +air, on condition of never more seeing this affectionate being? I +will own the truth; I had not courage to reply to this simple +question. + +When you really feel interested about any one, it is indescribable +what mere trifles are capable of conferring pleasure. A single +word, a smile, a tear, a Venetian turn of expression, her eagerness +in protecting me from my enemies, the gnats, all inspired me with a +childish delight that lasted the whole day. What most gratified me +was to see that her own sufferings seemed to be relieved by +conversing with me, that my compassion consoled her, that my advice +influenced her, and that her heart was susceptible of the warmest +devotion when treating of virtue and its great Author. + +When we had sometimes discussed the subject of religion, she would +observe, "I find that I can now pray with more willingness and more +faith than I did." At other times, suddenly breaking off some +frivolous topic, she took the Bible, opened it, pressed her lips to +it, and then begged of me to translate some passages, and give my +comments. She added, "I could wish that every time you happen to +recur to this passage you should call to mind that I have kissed and +kissed it again." + +It was not always, indeed, that her kisses fell so appropriately, +more especially if she happened to open at the spiritual songs. +Then, in order to spare her blushes, I took advantage of her want of +acquaintance with the Latin, and gave a turn to the expressions +which, without detracting from the sacredness of the Bible, might +serve to respect her innocence. On such occasions I never once +permitted myself to smile; at the same time I was not a little +perplexed, when, not rightly comprehending my new version, she +entreated of me to translate the whole, word for word, and would by +no means let me shy the question by turning her attention to +something else. + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + + + +Nothing is durable here below! Poor Angiola fell sick; and on one +of the first days when she felt indisposed, she came to see me, +complaining bitterly of pains in her head. She wept, too, and would +not explain the cause of her grief. She only murmured something +that looked like reproaches of her lover. "He is a villain!" she +said; "but God forgive him, as I do!" + +I left no means untried to obtain her confidence, but it was the +first time I was quite unable to ascertain why she distressed +herself to such an excess. "I will return tomorrow morning," she +said, one evening on parting from me; "I will, indeed." But the +next morning came, and my coffee was brought by her mother; the +next, and the next, by the under-jailers; and Angiola continued +grievously ill. The under-jailers, also, brought me very unpleasant +tidings relating to the love-affair; tidings, in short, which made +me deeply sympathize with her sufferings. A case of seduction! +But, perhaps, it was the tale of calumny. Alas! I but too well +believed it, and I was affected at it more than I can express; +though I still like to flatter myself that it was false. After +upwards of a month's illness, the poor girl was taken into the +country, and I saw her no more. + +It is astonishing how deeply I felt this deprivation, and how much +more horrible my solitude now appeared. Still more bitter was the +reflection that she, who had so tenderly fed, and watched, and +visited me in my sad prison, supplying every want and wish within +her power, was herself a prey to sorrow and misfortune. Alas! I +could make her no return; yet, surely she will feel aware how truly +I sympathize with her; that there is no effort I would not make to +afford her comfort and relief, and that I shall never cease to offer +up my prayers for her, and to bless her for her goodness to a +wretched prisoner. + +Though her visits had been too brief, they were enough to break upon +the horrid monotony of my solitude. By suggesting and comparing our +ideas, I obtained new views and feelings, exercised some of the best +and sweetest affections, gave a zest to life, and even threw a sort +of lustre round my misfortunes. + +Suddenly the vision fled, and my dungeon became to me really like a +living tomb. A strange sadness for many days quite oppressed me. I +could not even write: it was a dark, quiet, nameless feeling, in no +way partaking of the violence and irritation which I had before +experienced. Was it that I had become more inured to adversity, +more philosophical, more of a Christian? Or was it really that the +extremely enervating heat of my dungeon had so prostrated my powers +that I could no longer feel the pangs of excessive grief. Ah, no! +for I can well recollect that I then felt it to my inmost soul; and, +perhaps, more intensely from the want both of will and power to give +vent to it by agitation, maledictions, and cries. The fact is, I +believe, that I had been severely schooled by my past sufferings, +and was resigned to the will of God. I had so often maintained that +it was a mark of cowardice to complain, that, at length, I succeeded +in restraining my passion, when on the point of breaking out, and +felt vexed that I had permitted it to obtain any ascendancy over me. + +My mental faculties were strengthened by the habit of writing down +my thoughts; I got rid of all my vanity, and reduced the chief part +of my reasonings to the following conclusions: There is a God: +THEREFORE unerring justice; THEREFORE all that happens is ordained +to the best end; consequently, the sufferings of man on earth are +inflicted for the good of man. + +Thus, my acquaintance with Angiola had proved beneficial, by +soothing and conciliating my feelings. Her good opinion of me had +urged me to the fulfilment of many duties, especially of that of +proving one's self superior to the shocks of fortune, and of +suffering in patience. By exerting myself to persevere for about a +month, I was enabled to feel perfectly resigned. + +Angiola had beheld me two or three times in a downright passion; +once, as I have stated, on account of her having brought me bad +coffee, and a second time as follows:- + +Every two or three weeks the jailer had brought me a letter from +some of my family. It was previously submitted to the Commission, +and most roughly handled, as was too evident by the number of +ERASURES in the blackest ink which appeared throughout. One day, +however, instead of merely striking out a few passages, they drew +the black line over the entire letter, with the exception of the +words, "My DEAREST SILVIO," at the beginning, and the parting +salutation at the close, "ALL UNITE IN KINDEST LOVE TO YOU." + +This act threw me into such an uncontrollable fit of passion, that, +in presence of the gentle Angiola, I broke out into violent shouts +of rage, and cursed I know not whom. The poor girl pitied me from +her heart; but, at the same time, reminded me of the strange +inconsistency of my principles. I saw she had reason on her side, +and I ceased from uttering my maledictions. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + + + +One of the under-jailers one day entered my prison with a mysterious +look, and said, "Sometime, I believe, that Siora Zanze (Angiola) . . +. was used to bring you your coffee . . . She stopped a good while +to converse with you, and I was afraid the cunning one would worm +out all your secrets, sir." + +"Not one," I replied, in great anger; "or if I had any, I should not +be such a fool as to tell them in that way. Go on." + +"Beg pardon, sir; far from me to call you by such a name . . . But I +never trusted to that Siora Zanze. And now, sir, as you have no +longer any one to keep you company . . . I trust I--" + +"What, what! explain yourself at once!" + +"Swear first that you will not betray me." + +"Well, well; I could do that with a safe conscience. I never +betrayed any one." + +"Do you say really you will swear?" + +"Yes; I swear not to betray you. But what a wretch to doubt it; for +any one capable of betraying you will not scruple to violate an +oath." + +He took a letter from his coat-lining, and gave it me with a +trembling hand, beseeching I would destroy it the moment I had read +it. + +"Stop," I cried, opening it; "I will read and destroy it while you +are here." + +"But, sir, you must answer it, and I cannot stop now. Do it at your +leisure. Only take heed, when you hear any one coming, you will +know if it be I by my singing, pretty loudly, the tune, Sognai mi +gera un gato. You need, then, fear nothing, and may keep the letter +quietly in your pocket. But should you not hear this song, set it +down for a mark that it cannot be me, or that some one is with me. +Then, in a moment, out with it, don't trust to any concealment, in +case of a search; out with it, tear it into a thousand bits, and +throw it through the window." + +"Depend upon me; I see you are prudent, I will be so too." + +"Yet you called me a stupid wretch." + +"You do right to reproach me," I replied, shaking him by the hand, +"and I beg your pardon." He went away, and I began to read + +"I am (and here followed the name) one of your admirers: I have all +your Francesca da Rimini by heart. They arrested me for--(and here +he gave the reason with the date)--and I would give, I know not how +many pounds of my blood to have the pleasure of being with you, or +at least in a dungeon near yours, in order that we might converse +together. Since I heard from Tremerello, so we shall call our +confidant, that you, sir, were a prisoner, and the cause of your +arrest, I have longed to tell you how deeply I lament your +misfortune, and that no one can feel greater attachment to you than +myself. Have you any objection to accept the offer I make, namely, +that we should try to lighten the burden of our solitude by writing +to each other. I pledge you my honour, that not a being shall ever +hear of our correspondence from me, and am persuaded that I may +count upon the same secresy on your part, if you adopt my plan. +Meantime, that you may form some idea, I will give you an abstract +from my life."--(It followed.) + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + + + +The reader, however deficient in the imaginative organ, may easily +conceive the electric effect of such a letter upon the nerves of a +poor prisoner, not of the most savage disposition, but possessing an +affectionate and gregarious turn of mind. I felt already an +affection for the unknown; I pitied his misfortunes, and was +grateful for the kind expressions he made use of. "Yes," exclaimed +I, "your generous purpose shall be effected. I wish my letters may +afford you consolation equal to that which I shall derive from +yours." + +I re-perused his letter with almost boyish delight, and blessed the +writer; there was not an expression which did not exhibit evidence +of a clear and noble mind. + +The sun was setting, it was my hour of prayer; I felt the presence +of God; how sincere was my gratitude for his providing me with new +means of exercising the faculties of my mind. How it revived my +recollection of all the invaluable blessings he had bestowed upon +me! + +I stood before the window, with my arms between the bars, and my +hands folded; the church of St. Mark lay below me, an immense flock +of pigeons, free as the air, were flying about, were cooing and +billing, or busied in constructing their nests upon the leaden roof; +the heavens in their magnificence were before me; I surveyed all +that part of Venice visible from my prison; a distant murmur of +human voices broke sweetly on my ear. From this vast unhappy +prison-house did I hold communion with Him, whose eyes alone beheld +me; to Him I recommended my father, my mother, and, individually, +all those most dear to me, and it appeared as if I heard Him reply, +"Confide in my goodness," and I exclaimed, "Thy goodness assures +me." + +I concluded my prayer with much emotion, greatly comforted, and +little caring for the bites of the gnats, which had been joyfully +feasting upon me. The same evening, my mind, after such exaltation, +beginning to grow calmer, I found the torment from the gnats +becoming insufferable, and while engaged in wrapping up my hands and +face, a vulgar and malignant idea all at once entered my mind, which +horrified me, and which I vainly attempted to banish. + +Tremerello had insinuated a vile suspicion respecting Angiola; that, +in short, she was a spy upon my secret opinions! She! that noble- +hearted creature, who knew nothing of politics, and wished to know +nothing of them! + +It was impossible for me to suspect her; but have I, said I, the +same certainty respecting Tremerello? Suppose that rogue should be +the bribed instrument of secret informers; suppose the letter had +been fabricated by WHO KNOWS WHOM, to induce me to make important +disclosures to my new friend. Perhaps his pretended prison does not +exist; or if so, he may be a traitor, eager to worm out secrets in +order to make his own terms; perhaps he is a man of honour, and +Tremerello himself the traitor who aims at our destruction in order +to gain an additional salary. + +Oh, horrible thought, yet too natural to the unhappy prisoner, +everywhere in fear of enmity and fraud! + +Such suspicions tormented and degraded me. I did not entertain them +as regarded Angiola a single moment. Yet, from what Tremerello had +said, a kind of doubt clung to me as to the conduct of those who had +permitted her to come into my apartment. Had they, either from +their own zeal, or by superior authority, given her the office of +spy? in that case, how ill had she discharged such an office! + +But what was I to do respecting the letter of the unknown? Should I +adopt the severe, repulsive counsel of fear which we call prudence? +Shall I return the letter to Tremerello, and tell him, I do not wish +to run any risk. Yet suppose there should be no treason; and the +unknown be a truly worthy character, deserving that I should venture +something, if only to relieve the horrors of his solitude? Coward +as I am, standing on the brink of death, the fatal decree ready to +strike me at any moment, yet to refuse to perform a simple act of +love! Reply to him I must and will. Grant that it be discovered, +no one can fairly be accused of writing the letter, though poor +Tremerello would assuredly meet with the severest chastisement. Is +not this consideration of itself sufficient to decide me against +undertaking any clandestine correspondence? Is it not my absolute +duty to decline it? + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + + + +I was agitated the whole evening; I never closed my eyes that night, +and amidst so many conflicting doubts, I knew not on what to +resolve. + +I sprung from my bed before dawn, I mounted upon the window-place, +and offered up my prayers. In trying circumstances it is necessary +to appeal with confidence to God, to heed his inspirations, and to +adhere to them. + +This I did, and after long prayer, I went down, shook off the gnats, +took the bitten gloves in my hands, and came to the determination to +explain my apprehensions to Tremerello and warn him of the great +danger to which he himself was exposed by bearing letters; to +renounce the plan if he wavered, and to accept it if its terrors did +not deter him. I walked about till I heard the words of the song:- +Segnai mi gera un gato, E ti me carezzevi. It was Tremerello +bringing me my coffee. I acquainted him with my scruples and spared +nothing to excite his fears. I found him staunch in his desire to +SERVE, as he said, TWO SUCH COMPLETE GENTLEMEN. This was strangely +at variance with the sheep's face he wore, and the name we had just +given him. {15} Well, I was as firm on my part. + +"I shall leave you my wine," said I, "see to find me the paper; I +want to carry on this correspondence; and, rely on it, if any one +comes without the warning song, I shall make an end of every +suspicious article." + +"Here is a sheet of paper ready for you; I will give you more +whenever you please, and am perfectly satisfied of your prudence." + +I longed to take my coffee; Tremerello left me, and I sat down to +write. Did I do right? was the motive really approved by God? Was +it not rather the triumph of my natural courage, of my preference of +that which pleased me, instead of obeying the call for painful +sacrifices. Mingled with this was a proud complacency, in return +for the esteem expressed towards me by the unknown, and a fear of +appearing cowardly, if I were to adhere to silence and decline a +correspondence, every way so fraught with peril. How was I to +resolve these doubts? I explained them frankly to my fellow- +prisoner in replying to him, stating it nevertheless, as my opinion, +that if anything were undertaken from good motives, and without the +least repugnance of conscience, there could be no fear of blame. I +advised him at the same time to reflect seriously upon the subject, +and to express clearly with what degree of tranquillity, or of +anxiety, he was prepared to engage, in it. Moreover, if, upon +reconsideration, he considered the plan as too dangerous, we ought +to have firmness enough to renounce the satisfaction we promised +ourselves in such a correspondence, and rest satisfied with the +acquaintance we had formed, the mutual pleasure we had already +derived, and the unalterable goodwill we felt towards each other, +which resulted from it. I filled four pages with my explanations, +and expressions of the warmest friendship; I briefly alluded to the +subject of my imprisonment; I spoke of my family with enthusiastic +love, as well as of some of my friends, and attempted to draw a full +picture of my mind and character. + +In the evening I sent the letter. I had not slept during the +preceding night; I was completely exhausted, and I soon fell into a +profound sleep, from which I awoke on the ensuing morning, refreshed +and comparatively happy. I was in hourly expectation of receiving +my new friend's answer, and I felt at once anxious and pleased at +the idea. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. + + + +The answer was brought with my coffee. I welcomed Tremerello, and, +embracing him, exclaimed, "May God reward you for this goodness!" +My suspicions had fled, because they were hateful to me; and +because, making a point of never speaking imprudently upon politics, +they appeared equally useless; and because, with all my admiration +for the genius of Tacitus, I had never much faith in the justice of +TACITISING as he does, and of looking upon every object on the dark +side. Giuliano (as the writer signed himself), began his letter +with the usual compliments, and informed me that he felt not the +least anxiety in entering upon the correspondence. He rallied me +upon my hesitation; occasionally assumed a tone of irony; and then +more seriously declared that it had given him no little pain to +observe in me "a certain scrupulous wavering, and a subtilty of +conscience, which, however Christian-like, was little in accordance +with true philosophy." "I shall continue to esteem you," he added, +"though we should not agree upon that point; for I am bound, in all +sincerity, to inform you, that I have no religion, that I abhor all +creeds, and that I assume from a feeling of modesty the name of +Julian, from the circumstance of that good emperor having been so +decided an enemy of the Christians, though, in fact, I go much +further than he ever did. The sceptred Julian believed in God, and +had his own little superstitions. I have none; I believe not in a +God, but refer all virtue to the love of truth, and the hatred of +such as do not please me." There was no reasoning in what he said. +He inveighed bitterly against Christianity, made an idol of worldly +honour and virtue; and in a half serious and jocular vein took on +himself to pronounce the Emperor Julian's eulogium for his apostasy, +and his philanthropic efforts to eradicate all traces of the gospel +from the face of the earth. + +Apprehending that he had thus given too severe a shock to my +opinions, he then asked my pardon, attempting to excuse himself upon +the ground of PERFECT SINCERITY. Reiterating his extreme wish to +enter into more friendly relations with me, he then bade me +farewell. + +In a postscript he added:- "I have no sort of scruples, except a +fear of not having made myself sufficiently understood. I ought not +to conceal that to me the Christian language which you employ, +appears a mere mask to conceal your real opinions. I wish it may be +so; and in this case, throw off your cloak, as I have set you an +example." + +I cannot describe the effect this letter had upon me. I had opened +it full of hope and ardour. Suddenly an icy hand seemed to chill +the life-blood of my heart. That sarcasm on my conscientiousness +hurt me extremely. I repented having formed any acquaintance with +such a man, I who so much detest the doctrine of the cynics, who +consider it so wholly unphilosophical, and the most injurious in its +tendency: I who despise all kind of arrogance as it deserves. + +Having read the last word it contained, I took the letter in both my +hands, and tearing it directly down the middle, I held up a half in +each like an executioner, employed in exposing it to public scorn. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. + + + +I kept my eye fixed on the fragments, meditating for a moment upon +the inconstancy and fallacy of human things I had just before +eagerly desired to obtain, that which I now tore with disdain. I +had hoped to have found a companion in misfortune, and how I should +have valued his friendship! Now I gave him all kinds of hard names, +insolent, arrogant, atheist, and self-condemned. + +I repeated the same operation, dividing the wretched members of the +guilty letter again and again, till happening to cast my eye on a +piece remaining in my hand, expressing some better sentiment, I +changed my intention, and collecting together the disjecta membra, +ingeniously pieced them with the view of reading it once more. I +sat down, placed them on my great Bible, and examined the whole. I +then got up, walked about, read, and thought, "If I do not answer," +said I, "he will think he has terrified me at the mere appearance of +such a philosophical hero, a very Hercules in his own estimation. +Let us show him, with all due courtesy, that we fear not to confront +him and his vicious doctrines, any more than to brave the risk of a +correspondence, more dangerous to others than to ourselves. I will +teach him that true courage does not consist in ridiculing +CONSCIENCE, and that real dignity does not consist in arrogance and +pride. He shall be taught the reasonableness of Christianity, and +the nothingness of disbelief. Moreover, if this mock Julian start +opinions so directly opposite to my own, if he spare not the most +biting sarcasm, if he attack me thus uncourteously; is it not all a +proof that he can be no spy? Yet, might not this be a mere +stratagem, to draw me into a discussion by wounding my self-love? +Yet no! I am unjust--I smart under his bitter irreligious jests, +and conclude at once that he must be the most infamous of men. Base +suspicion, which I have so often decried in others! he may be what +he appears--a presumptuous infidel, but not a spy. Have I even a +right to call by the name of INSOLENCE, what he considers SINCERITY. +Is this, I continued, thy humility, oh, hypocrite? If any one +presume to maintain his own opinions, and to question your faith, he +is forthwith to be met with contempt and abuse. Is not this worse +in a Christian, than the bold sincerity of the unbeliever? Yes, and +perhaps he only requires one ray of Divine grace, to employ his +noble energetic love of truth in the cause of true religion, with +far greater success than yourself. Were it not, then, more becoming +in me to pray for, than to irritate him? Who knows, but while +employed in destroying his letter with every mark of ignominy, he +might be reading mine with expressions of kindness and affection; +never dreaming I should fly into such a mighty passion at his plain +and bold sincerity. Is he not the better of the two, to love and +esteem me while declaring he is no Christian; than I who exclaim, I +am a Christian, and I detest you. It is difficult to obtain a +knowledge of a man during a long intercourse, yet I would condemn +him on the evidence of a single letter. He may, perhaps, be unhappy +in his atheism, and wish to hear all my arguments to enable him the +better to arrive at the truth. Perhaps, too, I may be called to +effect so beneficent a work, the humble instrument of a gracious +God. Oh, that it may indeed be so, I will not shrink from the +task." + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. + + + +I sat down to write to Julian, and was cautious not to let one +irritating word proceed from my pen. I took in good part his +reflection upon my fastidiousness of conscience; I even joked about +it, telling him he perhaps gave me too much credit for it, and ought +to suspend his good opinion till he knew me better. I praised his +sincerity, assuring him that he would find me equal to him in this +respect, and that as a proof of it, I had determined to defend +Christianity, "Well persuaded," I added, "that as I shall readily +give free scope to your opinions, you will be prepared to give me +the same advantage." + +I then boldly entered upon my task, arguing my way by degrees, and +analysing with impartiality the essence of Christianity; the worship +of God free from superstitions, the brotherhood of mankind, +aspiration after virtue, humility without baseness, dignity without +pride, as exemplified in our Divine Saviour! what more +philosophical, and more truly grand? + +It was next my object to demonstrate, "that this divine wisdom had +more or less displayed itself to all those who by the light of +reason had sought after the truth, though not generally diffused +till the arrival of its great Author upon the earth. He had proved +his heavenly mission by effecting the most wonderful and glorious +results, by human means the most mean and humble. What the greatest +philosophers had in vain attempted, the overthrow of idolatry, and +the universal preaching of love and brotherhood, was achieved by a +few untutored missionaries. From that era was first dated the +emancipation of slaves, no less from bondage of limbs than of mind, +until by degrees a civilisation without slavery became apparent, a +state of society believed to be utterly impracticable by the ancient +philosophers. A review of history from the appearance of Christ to +the present age, would finally demonstrate that the religion he +established had invariably been found adapted to all possible grades +in civilised society. For this reason, the assertion that the +gospel was no longer in accordance with the continued progress of +civilisation, could not for a moment be maintained." + +I wrote in as small characters as I could, and at great length, but +I could not embrace all which I had ready prepared upon the subject. +I re-examined the whole carefully. There was not one revengeful, +injurious, or even repulsive word. Benevolence, toleration, and +forbearance, were the only weapons I employed against ridicule and +sarcasm of every kind; they were also employed after mature +deliberation, and dictated from the heart. + +I despatched the letter, and in no little anxiety waited the arrival +of the next morning, in hopes of a speedy reply. + +Tremerello came, and observed; "The gentleman, sir, was not able to +write, but entreats of you to continue the joke." + +"The joke!" I exclaimed. "No, he could not have said that! you must +have mistaken him." + +Tremerello shrugged up his shoulders: "I suppose I must, if you say +so." + +"But did it really seem as if he had said a joke?" + +"As plainly as I now hear the sound of St. Mark's clock;" (the +Campanone was just then heard.) I drank my coffee and was silent. + +"But tell me; did he read the whole of the letter?" + +"I think he did; for he laughed like a madman, and then squeezing +your letter into a ball, he began to throw it about, till reminding +him that he must not forget to destroy it, he did so immediately." + +"That is very well." + +I then put my coffee cup into Tremerello's hands, observing that it +was plain the coffee had been made by the Siora Bettina. + +"What! is it so bad?" + +"Quite vile!" + +"Well! I made it myself; and I can assure you that I made it +strong; there were no dregs." + +"True; it may be, my mouth is out of taste." + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. + + + +I walked about the whole morning in a rage. "What an abandoned +wretch is this Julian! what, call my letter a joke! play at ball +with it, reply not a single line! But all your infidels are alike! +They dare not stand the test of argument; they know their weakness, +and try to turn it off with a jest. Full of vanity and boasting, +they venture not to examine even themselves. They philosophers, +indeed! worthy disciples of Democritus; who DID nothing but laugh, +and WAS nothing but a buffoon. I am rightly served, however, for +beginning a correspondence like this; and still more for writing a +second time." + +At dinner, Tremerello took up my wine, poured it into a flask, and +put it into his pocket, observing: "I see that you are in want of +paper;" and he gave me some. He retired, and the moment I cast my +eye on the paper, I felt tempted to sit down and write to Julian a +sharp lecture on his intolerable turpitude and presumption, and so +take leave of him. But again, I repented of my own violence, and +uncharitableness, and finally resolved to write another letter in a +better spirit as I had done before. + +I did so, and despatched it without delay. The next morning I +received a few lines, simply expressive of the writer's thanks; but +without a single jest, or the least invitation to continue the +correspondence. Such a billet displeased me; nevertheless I +determined to persevere. Six long letters were the result, for each +of which I received a few laconic lines of thanks, with some +declamation against his enemies, followed by a joke on the abuse he +had heaped upon them, asserting that it was extremely natural the +strong should oppress the weak, and regretting that he was not in +the list of the former. He then related some of his love affairs, +and observed that they exercised no little sway over his disturbed +imagination. + +In reply to my last on the subject of Christianity, he said he had +prepared a long letter; for which I looked out in vain, though he +wrote to me every day on other topics--chiefly a tissue of obscenity +and folly. + +I reminded him of his promise that he would answer all my arguments, +and recommended him to weigh well the reasonings with which I had +supplied him before he attempted to write. He replied to this +somewhat in a rage, assuming the airs of a philosopher, a man of +firmness, a man who stood in no want of brains to distinguish "a +hawk from a hand-saw." {16} He then resumed his jocular vein, and +began to enlarge upon his experiences in life, and especially some +very scandalous love adventures. + + + +CHAPTER XL. + + + +I bore all this patiently, to give him no handle for accusing me of +bigotry or intolerance, and in the hope that after the fever of +erotic buffoonery and folly had subsided, he might have some lucid +intervals, and listen to common sense. Meantime I gave him +expressly to understand that I disapproved of his want of respect +towards women, his free and profane expressions, and pitied those +unhappy ones, who, he informed me, had been his victims. + +He pretended to care little about my disapprobation, and repeated: +"spite of your fine strictures upon immorality, I know well you are +amused with the account of my adventures. All men are as fond of +pleasure as I am, but they have not the frankness to talk of it +without cloaking it from the eyes of the world; I will go on till +you are quite enchanted, and confess yourself compelled in VERY +CONSCIENCE to applaud me." So he went on from week to week, I +bearing with him, partly out of curiosity and partly in the +expectation he would fall upon some better topic; and I can fairly +say that this species of tolerance, did me no little harm. I began +to lose my respect for pure and noble truths, my thoughts became +confused, and my mind disturbed. To converse with men of degraded +minds is in itself degrading, at least if you possess not virtue +very superior to mine. "This is a proper punishment," said I, "for +my presumption; this it is to assume the office of a missionary +without its sacredness of character." + +One day I determined to write to him as follows:- " I have hitherto +attempted to turn your attention to other subjects, and you +persevere in sending me accounts of yourself which no way please me. +For the sake of variety, let us correspond a little respecting +worthier matters; if not, give the hand of fellowship, and let us +have done." + +The two ensuing days I received no answer, and I was glad of it. +"Oh, blessed solitude;" often I exclaimed, "how far holier and +better art thou than harsh and undignified association with the +living. Away with the empty and impious vanities, the base actions, +the low despicable conversations of such a world. I have studied it +enough; let me turn to my communion with God; to the calm, dear +recollections of my family and my true friends. I will read my +Bible oftener than I have done, I will again write down my thoughts, +will try to raise and improve them, and taste the pleasure of a +sorrow at least innocent; a thousand fold to be preferred to vulgar +and wicked imaginations." + +Whenever Tremerello now entered my room he was in the habit of +saying, "I have got no answer yet." + +"It is all right," was my reply. + +About the third day from this, he said, with a serious look, "Signor +N. N. is rather indisposed." + +"What is the matter with him?" + +"He does not say, but he has taken to his bed, neither eats nor +drinks, and is sadly out of humour." + +I was touched; he was suffering and had no one to console him. + +"I will write him a few lines," exclaimed I. + +"I will take them this evening, then," said Tremerello, and he went +out. + +I was a little perplexed on sitting down to my table: "Am I right +in resuming this correspondence? was I not, just now, praising +solitude as a treasure newly found? what inconsistency is this! Ah! +but he neither eats nor drinks, and I fear must be very ill. Is it, +then, a moment to abandon him? My last letter was severe, and may +perhaps have caused him pain. Perhaps, in spite of our different +ways of thinking, he wished not to end our correspondence. Yes, he +has thought my letter more caustic than I meant it to be, and taken +it in the light of an absolute and contemptuous dismission. + + + +CHAPTER XLI. + + + +I sat down and wrote as follows:- + +"I hear that you are not well, and am extremely sorry for it. I +wish I were with you, and enabled to assist you as a friend. I hope +your illness is the sole cause why you have not written to me during +the last three days. Did you take offence at my little strictures +the other day? Believe me they were dictated by no ill will or +spleen, but with the single object of drawing your attention to more +serious subjects. Should it be irksome for you to write, send me an +exact account, by word, how you find yourself. You shall hear from +me every day, and I will try to say something to amuse you, and to +show you that I really wish you well." + +Imagine my unfeigned surprise when I received an answer, couched in +these terms: + +"I renounce your friendship: if you are at a loss how to estimate +mine, I return the compliment in its full force. I am not a man to +put up with injurious treatment; I am not one, who, once rejected, +will be ordered to return." + +"Because you heard I was unwell, you approach me with a hypocritical +air, in the idea that illness will break down my spirit, and make me +listen to your sermons . . . " + +In this way he rambled on, reproaching and despising me in the most +revolting terms he could find, and turning every thing I had said +into ridicule and burlesque. He assured me that he knew how to live +and die with consistency; that is to say, with the utmost hatred and +contempt for all philosophical creeds differing from his own. I was +dismayed! + +"A pretty conversion I have made of it!" I exclaimed; "yet God is my +witness that my motives were pure. I have done nothing to merit an +attack like this. But patience! I am once more undeceived. I am +not called upon to do more." + +In a few days I became less angry, and conceived that all this +bitterness might have resulted from some excitement which might pass +away. Probably he repents, yet scorns to confess he was in the +wrong. In such a state of mind, it might be generous of me to write +to him once more. It cost my self-love something, but I did it. To +humble one's self for a good purpose is not degrading, with whatever +degree of unjust contempt it may be returned. + +I received a reply less violent, but not less insulting. The +implacable patient declared that he admired what he called my +evangelical moderation. "Now, therefore," he continued, "let us +resume our correspondence, but let us speak out. We do not like +each other, but we will write, each for his own amusement, setting +everything down which may come into our heads. You will tell me +your seraphic visions and revelations, and I will treat you with my +profane adventures; you again will run into ecstasies upon the +dignity of man, yea, and of woman; I into an ingenuous narrative of +my various profanations; I hoping to make a convert of you, and you +of me. + +"Give me an answer should you approve these conditions." + +I replied, "Yours is not a compact, but a jest. I was full of good- +will towards you. My conscience does not constrain me to do more +than to wish you every happiness both as regards this and another +life." + +Thus ended my secret connexion with that strange man. But who +knows; he was perhaps more exasperated by ill fortune, delirium, or +despair, than really bad at heart. + + + +CHAPTER XLII. + + + +I once more learnt to value solitude, and my days tracked each other +without any distinction or mark of change. + +The summer was over; it was towards the close of September, and the +heat grew less oppressive; October came. I congratulated myself now +on occupying a chamber well adapted for winter. One morning, +however, the jailer made his appearance, with an order to change my +prison. + +"And where am I to go?" + +"Only a few steps, into a fresher chamber." + +"But why not think of it when I was dying of suffocation; when the +air was filled with gnats, and my bed with bugs?" + +"The order did not come before." + +"Patience! let us be gone!" + +Notwithstanding I had suffered so greatly in this prison, it gave me +pain to leave it; not simply because it would have been best for the +winter season, but for many other reasons. There I had the ants to +attract my attention, which I had fed and looked upon, I may almost +say, with paternal care. Within the last few days, however, my +friend the spider, and my great ally in my war with the gnats, had, +for some reason or other, chosen to emigrate; at least he did not +come as usual. "Yet perhaps," said I, "he may remember me, and come +back, but he will find my prison empty, or occupied by some other +guest--no friend perhaps to spiders--and thus meet with an awkward +reception. His fine woven house, and his gnat-feasts will all be +put an end to." + +Again, my gloomy abode had been embellished by the presence of +Angiola, so good, so gentle and compassionate. There she used to +sit, and try every means she could devise to amuse me, even dropping +crumbs of bread for my little visitors, the ants; and there I heard +her sobs, and saw the tears fall thick and fast, as she spoke of her +cruel lover. + +The place I was removed to was under the leaden prisons, (I Piombi) +open to the north and west, with two windows, one on each side; an +abode exposed to perpetual cold and even icy chill during the +severest months. The window to the west was the largest, that to +the north was high and narrow, and situated above my bed. + +I first looked out at this last, and found that it commanded a view +of the Palace of the Patriarch. Other prisons were near mine, in a +narrow wing to the right, and in a projection of the building right +opposite. Here were two prisons, one above the other. The lower +had an enormous window, through which I could see a man, very richly +drest, pacing to and fro. It was the Signor Caporale di Cesena. He +perceived me, made a signal, and we pronounced each other's names. + +I next looked out at my other window. I put the little table upon +my bed, and a chair upon my table; I climbed up and found myself on +a level with part of the palace roof; and beyond this was to be seen +a fine view of the city and the lake. + +I paused to admire it; and though I heard some one open the door, I +did not move. It was the jailer; and perceiving that I had +clambered up, he got it into his head I was making an attempt to +escape, forgetting, in his alarm, that I was not a mouse to creep +through all those narrow bars. In a moment he sprung upon the bed, +spite of a violent sciatica which had nearly bent him double, and +catching me by the legs, he began to call out, "thieves and murder!" + +"But don't you see," I exclaimed, "you thoughtless man, that I +cannot conjure myself through these horrible bars? Surely you know +I got up here out of mere curiosity." + +"Oh, yes, I see, I apprehend, sir; but quick, sir, jump down, sir; +these are all temptations of the devil to make you think of it! come +down, sir, pray." + +I lost no time in my descent, and laughed. + + + +CHAPTER XLIII. + + + +At the windows of the side prisons I recognised six other prisoners, +all there on account of politics. Just then, as I was composing my +mind to perfect solitude, I found myself comparatively in a little +world of human beings around me. The change was, at first, irksome +to me, such complete seclusion having rendered me almost unsociable, +add to which, the disagreeable termination of my correspondence with +Julian. Still, the little conversation I was enabled to carry on, +partly by signs, with my new fellow-prisoners, was of advantage by +diverting my attention. I breathed not a word respecting my +correspondence with Julian; it was a point of honour between us, and +in bringing it forward here, I was fully aware that in the immense +number of unhappy men with which these prisons were thronged, it +would be impossible to ascertain who was the assumed Julian. + +To the interest derived from seeing my fellow-captives was added +another of a yet more delightful kind. I could perceive from my +large window, beyond the projection of prisons, situated right +before me, a surface of roofs; decorated with cupolas, campanili, +towers, and chimneys, which gradually faded in a distant view of sea +and sky. In the house nearest to me, a wing of the Patriarchal +palace, lived an excellent family, who had a claim to my gratitude, +for expressing, by their salutations, the interest which they took +in my fate. A sign, a word of kindness to the unhappy, is really +charity of no trivial kind. From one of the windows I saw a little +boy, nine or ten years old, stretching out his hands towards me, and +I heard him call out, "Mamma, mamma, they have placed somebody up +there in the Piombi. Oh, you poor prisoner, who are you?" + +"I am Silvio Pellico," was the reply. + +Another older boy now ran to the same window, and cried out, "Are +you Silvio Pellico?" + +"Yes; and tell me your names, dear boys." + +"My name is Antonio S-, and my brother's is Joseph." + +He then turned round, and, speaking to some one within, "What else +ought I to ask him?" A lady, whom I conjecture to have been their +mother, then half concealed, suggested some pretty words to them, +which they repeated, and for which I thanked them with all my heart. +These sort of communications were a small matter, yet it required to +be cautious how we indulged in them, lest we should attract the +notice of the jailer. Morning, noon, and night, they were a source +of the greatest consolation; the little boys were constantly in the +habit of bidding me good night, before the windows were closed, and +the lights brought in, "Good night, Silvio," and often it was +repeated by the good lady, in a more subdued voice, "Good night, +Silvio, have courage!" + +When engaged at their meals they would say, "How we wish we could +give you any of this good coffee and milk. Pray remember, the first +day they let you out, to come and see us. Mamma and we will give +you plenty of good things, {17} and as many kisses as you like." + + + +CHAPTER XLIV. + + + +The month of October brought round one of the most disagreeable +anniversaries in my life. I was arrested on the 13th of that month +in the preceding year. Other recollections of the same period, also +pained me. That day two years, a highly valued and excellent man +whom I truly honoured, was drowned in the Ticino. Three years +before, a young person, Odoardo Briche, {18} whom I loved as if he +had been my own son, had accidentally killed himself with a musket. +Earlier in my youth another severe affliction had befallen me in the +same month. + +Though not superstitious, the remembrance of so many unhappy +occurrences at the same period of the year, inspired a feeling of +extreme sorrow. While conversing at the window with the children, +and with my fellow prisoners, I assumed an air of mirth, but hardly +had I re-entered my cave than an irresistible feeling of melancholy +weighed down every faculty of my mind. In vain I attempted to +engage in some literary composition; I was involuntarily impelled to +write upon other topics. I thought of my family, and wrote letters +after letters, in which I poured forth all my burdened spirit, all I +had felt and enjoyed of home, in far happier days, surrounded by +brothers, sisters, and friends who had always loved me. The desire +of seeing them, and long compulsory separation, led me to speak on a +variety of little things, and reveal a thousand thoughts of +gratitude and tenderness, which would not otherwise have occurred to +my mind. + +In the same way I took a review of my former life, diverting my +attention by recalling past incidents, and dwelling upon those +happier periods now for ever fled. Often, when the picture I had +thus drawn, and sat contemplating for hours, suddenly vanished from +my sight, and left me conscious only of the fearful present, and +more threatening future, the pen fell from my hand; I recoiled with +horror; the contrast was more than I could bear. These were +terrific moments; I had already felt them, but never with such +intense susceptibility as then. It was agony. This I attributed to +extreme excitement of the passions, occasioned by expressing them in +the form of letters, addressed to persons to whom I was so tenderly +attached. + +I turned to other subjects, I determined to change the form of +expressing my ideas, but could not. In whatever way I began, it +always ended in a letter teeming with affection and with grief. + +"What," I exclaimed, "am I no more master of my own will? Is this +strange necessity of doing that which I object to, a distortion of +my brain? At first I could have accounted for it; but after being +inured to this solitude, reconciled, and supported by religious +reflections; how have I become the slave of these blind impulses, +these wanderings of heart and mind? let me apply to other matters!" +I then endeavoured to pray; or to weary my attention by hard study +of the German. Alas! I commenced and found myself actually engaged +in writing a letter! + + + +CHAPTER XLV. + + + +Such a state of mind was a real disease, or I know not if it may be +called a kind of somnambulism. Without doubt it was the effect of +extreme lassitude, occasioned by continual thought and watchfulness. + +It gained upon me. I grew feverish and sleepless. I left off +coffee, but the disease was not removed. It appeared to me as if I +were two persons, one of them eagerly bent upon writing letters, the +other upon doing something else. "At least," said I, "you shall +write them in German if you do; and we shall learn a little of the +language. Methought HE then set to work, and wrote volumes of bad +German, and he certainly brought me rapidly forward in the study of +it. Towards morning, my mind being wholly exhausted, I fell into a +heavy stupor, during which all those most dear to me haunted my +dreams. I thought that my father and mother were weeping over me; I +heard their lamentations, and suddenly I started out of my sleep +sobbing and affrighted. Sometimes, during short, disturbed +slumbers, I heard my mother's voice, as if consoling others, with +whom she came into my prison, and she addressed me in the most +affectionate language upon the duty of resignation, and then, when I +was rejoiced to see her courage, and that of others, suddenly she +appeared to burst into tears, and all wept. I can convey no idea of +the species of agony which I at these times felt. + +To escape from this misery, I no longer went to bed. I sat down to +read by the light of my lamp, but I could comprehend nothing, and +soon I found that I was even unable to think. I next tried to copy +something, but still copied something different from what I was +writing, always recurring to the subject of my afflictions. If I +retired to rest, it was worse; I could lie in no position; I became +convulsed, and was constrained to rise. In case I slept, the same +visions reappeared, and made me suffer much more than I did by +keeping awake. My prayers, too, were feeble and ineffectual; and, +at length, I could simply invoke the name of the Deity; of the Being +who had assumed a human form, and was acquainted with grief. I was +afraid to sleep; my prayers seemed to bring me no relief; my +imagination became excited, and, even when awake, I heard strange +noises close to me, sometimes sighs and groans, at others mingled +with sounds of stifled laughter. I was never superstitious, but +these apparently real and unaccountable sights and sounds led me to +doubt, and I then firmly believed that I was the victim of some +unknown and malignant beings. Frequently I took my light, and made +a search for those mockers and persecutors of my waking and sleeping +hours. At last they began to pull me by my clothes, threw my books +upon the ground, blew out my lamp, and even, as it seemed, conveyed +me into another dungeon. I would then start to my feet, look and +examine all round me, and ask myself if I were really mad. The +actual world, and that of my imagination, were no longer +distinguishable, I knew not whether what I saw and felt was a +delusion or truth. In this horrible state I could only repeat one +prayer, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" + + + +CHAPTER XLVI. + + + +One morning early, I threw myself upon my pallet, having first +placed my handkerchief, as usual, under my pillow. Shortly after, +falling asleep, I suddenly woke, and found myself in a state of +suffocation; my persecutors were strangling me, and, on putting my +hand to my throat, I actually found my own handkerchief, all +knotted, tied round my neck. I could have sworn I had never made +those knots; yet I must have done this in my delirium; but as it was +then impossible to believe it, I lived in continual expectation of +being strangled. The recollection is still horrible. They left me +at dawn of day; and, resuming my courage, I no longer felt the least +apprehension, and even imagined it would be impossible they should +again return. Yet no sooner did the night set in, than I was again +haunted by them in all their horrors; being made sensible of their +gradual approach by cold shiverings, the loss of all power, with a +species of fascination which riveted both the eye and the mind. In +fact, the more weak and wretched I felt, at night, the greater were +my efforts during the day to appear cheerful in conversing with my +companions, with the two boys at the palace, and with my jailers. +No one to hear my jokes, would have imagined it possible that I was +suffering under the disease I did. I thought to encourage myself by +this forced merriment, but the spectral visions which I laughed at +by day became fearful realities in the hours of darkness. + +Had I dared, I should have petitioned the commission to change my +apartment, but the fear of ridicule, in case I should be asked my +reasons, restrained me. No reasonings, no studies, or pursuits, and +even no prayers, were longer of avail, and the idea of being wholly +abandoned by heaven, took possession of my mind. + +All those wicked sophisms against a just Providence, which, while in +possession of reason, had appeared to me so vain and impious, now +recurred with redoubled power, in the form of irresistible +arguments. I struggled mightily against this last and greatest evil +I had yet borne, and in the lapse of a few days the temptation fled. +Still I refused to acknowledge the truth and beauty of religion; I +quoted the assertions of the most violent atheists, and those which +Julian had so recently dwelt upon: "Religion serves only to +enfeeble the mind," was one of these, and I actually presumed that +by renouncing my God I should acquire greater fortitude. Insane +idea! I denied God, yet knew not how to deny those invisible +malevolent beings, that appeared to encompass me, and feast upon my +sufferings. + +What shall I call this martyrdom? is it enough to say that it was a +disease? or was it a divine chastisement for my pride, to teach me +that without a special illumination I might become as great an +unbeliever as Julian, and still more absurd. However this may be, +it pleased God to deliver me from such evil, when I least expected +it. One morning, after taking my coffee, I was seized with violent +sickness, attended with colic. I imagined that I had been poisoned. +After excessive vomiting, I burst into a strong perspiration and +retired to bed. About mid-day I fell asleep, and continued in a +quiet slumber till evening. I awoke in great surprise at this +unexpected repose, and, thinking I should not sleep again, I got up. +On rising I said, "I shall now have more fortitude to resist my +accustomed terrors." But they returned no more. I was in +ecstasies; I threw myself upon my knees in the fulness of my heart, +and again prayed to my God in spirit and in truth, beseeching pardon +for having denied, during many days, His holy name. It was almost +too much for my newly reviving strength, and while even yet upon my +knees, supporting my head against a chair, I fell into a profound +sleep in that very position. + +Some hours afterwards, as I conjectured, I seemed in part to awake, +but no sooner had I stretched my weary limbs upon my rude couch than +I slept till the dawn of day. The same disposition to somnolency +continued through the day, and the next night, I rested as soundly +as before. What was the sort of crisis that had thus taken place? +I know not; but I was perfectly restored. + + + +CHAPTER XLVII. + + + +The sickness of the stomach which I had so long laboured under now +ceased, the pains of the head also left me, and I felt an +extraordinary appetite. My digestion was good, and I gained +strength. Wonderful providence! that deprived me of my health to +humble my mind, and again restored it when the moment was at hand +that I should require it all, that I might not sink under the weight +of my sentence. + +On the 24th of November, one of our companions, Dr. Foresti, was +taken from the Piombi, and transported no one knew whither. The +jailer, his wife, and the assistants, were alike alarmed, and not +one of them ventured to throw the least light upon this mysterious +affair. + +"And why should you persist," said Tremerello, "in wishing to know, +when nothing good is to be heard? I have told you too much--too +much already." + +"Then what is the use of trying to hide it? I know it too well. He +is condemned to death." + +"Who? . . . he . . . Doctor Foresti?" + +Tremerello hesitated, but the love of gossip was not the least of +his virtues. + +"Don't say, then," he resumed, "that I am a babbler; I never wished +to say a word about these matters; so, remember, it is you who +compel me." + +"Yes, yes, I do compel you; but courage! tell me every thing you +know respecting the poor Doctor?" + +"Ah, Sir! they have made him cross the Bridge of Sighs! he lies in +the dungeons of the condemned; sentence of death has been announced +to him and two others." + +"And will it be executed? When? Oh, unhappy man! and what are the +others' names?" + +"I know no more. The sentences have not been published. It is +reported in Venice that they will be commuted. I trust in God they +may, at least, as regards the good Doctor. Do you know, I am as +fond of that noble fellow, pardon the expression, as if he were my +own brother." + +He seemed moved, and walked away. Imagine the agitation I suffered +throughout the whole of that day, and indeed long after, as there +were no means of ascertaining anything further respecting the fate +of these unfortunate men. + +A month elapsed, and at length the sentences connected with the +first trial were published. Nine were condemned to death, +GRACIOUSLY exchanged for hard imprisonment, some for twenty, and +others for fifteen years in the fortress of Spielberg, near the city +of Brunn, in Moravia; while those for ten years and under were to be +sent to the fortress of Lubiana. + +Were we authorised to conclude, from this commutation of sentence in +regard to those first condemned, that the parties subject to the +second trial would likewise be spared? Was the indulgence to be +confined only to the former, on account of their having been +arrested previous to the publication of the edicts against secret +societies; the full vengeance of the law being reserved for +subsequent offenders? + +Well, I exclaimed, we shall not long be kept in suspense; I am at +least grateful to Heaven for being allowed time to prepare myself in +a becoming manner for the final scene. + + + +CHAPTER XLVIII. + + + +It was now my only consideration how to die like a Christian, and +with proper fortitude. I felt, indeed, a strong temptation to avoid +the scaffold by committing suicide, but overcame it. What merit is +there in refusing to die by the hand of the executioner, and yet to +fall by one's own? To save one's honour? But is it not childish to +suppose that there can be more honour in cheating the executioner, +than in not doing this, when it is clear that we must die. Even had +I not been a Christian, upon serious reflection, suicide would have +appeared to me both ridiculous and useless, if not criminal in a +high degree. + +"If the term of life be expired," continued I, "am I not fortunate +in being permitted to collect my thoughts and purify my conscience +with penitence and prayer becoming a man in affliction. In popular +estimation, the being led to the scaffold is the worst part of +death; in the opinion of the wise, is not this far preferable to the +thousand deaths which daily occur by disease, attended by general +prostration of intellect, without power to raise the thoughts from +the lowest state of physical exhaustion." + +I felt the justice of this reasoning, and lost all feeling of +anxiety or terror at the idea of a public execution. I reflected +deeply on the sacraments calculated to support me under such an +appalling trial, and I felt disposed to receive them in a right +spirit. Should I have been enabled, had I really been conducted to +the scaffold, to preserve the same elevation of mind, the same +forgiveness of my enemies, the same readiness to lay down my life at +the will of God, as I then felt? Alas, how inconsistent is man! +when most firm and pious, how liable is he to fall suddenly into +weakness and crime! Is it likely I should have died worthily? God +only knows; I dare not think well enough of myself to assert it. + +The probable approach of death so riveted my imagination, that not +only did it seem possible but as if marked by an infallible +presentiment. I no longer indulged a hope of avoiding it, and at +every sound of footsteps and keys, or the opening of my door, I was +in the habit of exclaiming: "Courage! Perhaps I am going to +receive sentence. Let me hear it with calm dignity, and bless the +name of the Lord." + +I considered in what terms I should last address my family, each of +my brothers, and each of my sisters, and by revolving in my mind +these sacred and affecting duties, I was often drowned in tears, +without losing my fortitude and resignation. + +I was naturally unable to enjoy sound repose; but my sleeplessness +was not of the same alarming character as before; no visions, +spectres, or concealed enemies were ready to deprive me of life. I +spent the night in calm and reviving prayer. Towards morning I was +enabled to sleep for about two hours, and rose late to breakfast. + +One night I had retired to rest earlier than usual; I had hardly +slept a quarter of an hour, when I awoke, and beheld an immense +light upon the wall opposite to me. At first I imagined that I had +been seized with my former illness; but this was no illusion. The +light shone through the north window, under which I then lay. + +I started up, seized my table, placed it on my bed, and a chair +again upon the table, by means of all which I mounted up, and beheld +one of the most terrific spectacles of fire that can be imagined. +It was not more than a musket shot distant from our prison; it +proceeded from the establishment of the public ovens, and the +edifice was entirely consumed. + +The night was exceedingly dark, and vast globes of flame spouted +forth on both sides, borne away by a violent wind. All around, it +seemed as if the sky rained sparks of fire. The adjacent lake +reflected the magnificent sight; numbers of gondolas went and came, +but my sympathy was most excited at the danger and terrors of those +who resided nearest to the burning edifice. I heard the far off +voices of men and women calling to each other. Among others, I +caught the name of Angiola, and of this doubtless there are some +thousands in Venice: yet I could not help fearing it might be the +one of whom the recollection was so sweet to me. Could it be her?-- +was she surrounded by the flames? how I longed to fly to her rescue. + +Full of excitement, wonder, and terror, I stood at the window till +the day dawned, I then got down oppressed by a feeling of deep +sorrow, and imagined much greater misfortune than had really +occurred. I was informed by Tremerello that only the ovens and the +adjoining magazine had suffered, the loss consisting chiefly of corn +and sacks of flour. + + + +CHAPTER XLIX. + + + +The effect of this accident upon my imagination had not yet ceased, +when one night, as I was sitting at my little table reading, and +half perished with cold, I heard a number of voices not far from me. +They were those of the jailer, his wife, and sons, with the +assistants, all crying: + +"Fire! fire. Oh, blessed Virgin! we are lost, we are lost!" + +I felt no longer cold, I started to my feet in a violent +perspiration, and looked out to discover the quarter from which the +fire proceeded. I could perceive nothing, I was informed, however, +that it arose in the palace itself, from some public chambers +contiguous to the prisons. One of the assistants called out, "But, +sir governor, what shall we do with these caged birds here, if the +fire keeps a head?" The head jailer replied, "Why, I should not +like to have them roasted alive. Yet I cannot let them out of their +bars without special orders from the commission. You may run as +fast as you can, and get an order if you can." + +"To be sure I will, but, you know, it will be too late for the +prisoners." + +All this was said in the rude Venetian dialect, but I understood it +too well. And now, where was all my heroic spirit and resignation, +which I had counted upon to meet sudden death? Why did the idea of +being burnt alive throw me into such a fever? I felt ashamed of +this unworthy fear, and though just on the point of crying out to +the jailer to let me out, I restrained myself, reflecting that there +might be as little pleasure in being strangled as in being burnt. +Still I felt really afraid. + +"Here," said I, "is a specimen of my courage, should I escape the +flames, and be doomed to mount the scaffold. I will restrain my +fear, and hide it from others as well as I can, though I know I +shall tremble. Yet surely it is courage to behave as if we were not +afraid, whatever we may feel. Is it not generosity to give away +that which it costs us much to part with? It is, also, an act of +obedience, though we obey with great repugnance." + +The tumult in the jailer's house was so loud and continued that I +concluded the fire was on the increase. The messenger sent to ask +permission for our temporary release had not returned. At last I +thought I heard his voice; no; I listened, he is not come. Probably +the permission will not be granted; there will be no means of +escape; if the jailer should not humanely take the responsibility +upon himself, we shall be suffocated in our dungeons! Well, but +this, I exclaimed, is not philosophy, and it is not religion. Were +it not better to prepare myself to witness the flames bursting into +my chamber, and about to swallow me up. + +Meantime the clamour seemed to diminish; by degrees it died away; +was this any proof that the fire had ceased? Or, perhaps, all who +could had already fled, and left the prisoners to their fate. + +The silence continued, no flames appeared, and I retired to bed, +reproaching myself for the want of fortitude I had evinced. Indeed, +I began to regret that I had not been burnt alive, instead of being +handed over, as a victim, into the hands of men. + +The next morning, I learnt the real cause of the fire from +Tremerello, and laughed at his account of the fear he had endured, +as if my own had not been as great--perhaps, in fact, much greater +of the two. + + + +CHAPTER L. + + + +On the 11th of January, 1822, about nine in the morning, Tremerello +came into my room in no little agitation, and said, + +"Do you know, Sir, that in the island of San Michele, a little way +from Venice, there is a prison containing more than a hundred +Carbonari." + +"You have told me so a hundred times. Well! what would you have me +hear, speak out; are some of them condemned?" + +"Exactly." + +"Who are they?" + +"I don't know." + +"Is my poor friend Maroncelli among them?" + +"Ah, Sir, too many . . . I know not who." And he went away in great +emotion, casting on me a look of compassion. + +Shortly after came the jailer, attended by the assistants, and by a +man whom I had never before seen. The latter opened his subject as +follows: "The commission, Sir, has given orders that you come with +me!" + +"Let us go, then," I replied; "may I ask who you are?" + +"I am jailer of the San Michele prisons, where I am going to take +you." + +The jailer of the Piombi delivered to the new governor the money +belonging to me which he had in his hands. I obtained permission to +make some little present to the under jailers; I then put my clothes +in order, put my Bible under my arm, and departed. In descending +the immense track of staircases, Tremerello for a moment took my +hand; he pressed it as much as to say, "Unhappy man! you are lost." + +We came out at a gate which opened upon the lake, and there stood a +gondola with two under jailers belonging to San Michele. + +I entered the boat with feelings of the most contradictory nature; +regret at leaving the prison of the Piombi, where I had suffered so +much, but where I had become attached to some individuals, and they +to me; the pleasure of beholding once more the sky, the city, and +the clear waters, without the intervention of iron bars. Add to +this the recollection of that joyous gondola, which, in time past, +had borne me on the bosom of that placid lake; the gondolas of the +lake of Como, those of Lago Maggiore, the little barks of the Po, +those of the Rodano, and of the Sonna! Oh, happy vanished years! +who, who then so happy in the world as I? + +The son of excellent and affectionate parents, in a rank of life, +perhaps, the happiest for the cultivation of the affections, being +equally removed from riches and from poverty; I had spent my infancy +in the participation of the sweetest domestic ties; had been the +object of the tenderest domestic cares. I had subsequently gone to +Lyons, to my maternal uncle, an elderly man, extremely wealthy, and +deserving of all he possessed; and at his mansion I partook of all +the advantages and delights of elegance and refined society, which +gave an indescribable charm to those youthful days. Thence +returning into Italy, under the parental roof, I at once devoted +myself with ardour to study, and the enjoyment of society; +everywhere meeting with distinguished friends and the most +encouraging praise. Monti and Foscolo, although at variance with +each other, were kind to me. I became more attached to the latter, +and this irritable man, who, by his asperities, provoked so many to +quarrel with him, was with me full of gentleness and cordiality. +Other distinguished characters likewise became attached to me, and I +returned all their regard. Neither envy nor calumny had the least +influence over me, or I felt it only from persons who had not the +power to injure me. On the fall of the kingdom of Italy, my father +removed to Turin, with the rest of his family. I had preferred to +remain at Milan, where I spent my time at once so profitably and so +happily as made me unwilling to leave it. Here I had three friends +to whom I was greatly attached--D. Pietro Borsieri, Lodovico di +Breme, and the Count Luigi Porro Lambertenghi. Subsequently I added +to them Count Federigo Confalonieri. {19} Becoming the preceptor of +two young sons of Count Porro, I was to them as a father, and their +father acted like a brother to me. His mansion was the resort not +only of society the most refined and cultivated of Italy, but of +numbers of celebrated strangers. It was there I became acquainted +with De Stael, Schlegel, Davis, Byron, Brougham, Hobhouse, and +illustrious travellers from all parts of Europe. How delightful, +how noble an incentive to all that is great and good, is an +intercourse with men of first-rate merit!. I was then happy; I +would not have exchanged my lot with a prince; and now, to be +hurled, as I had been, from the summit of all my hopes and projects, +into an abyss of wretchedness, and to be hurried thus from dungeon +to dungeon, to perish doubtless either by a violent death or +lingering in chains. + + + +CHAPTER LI. + + + +Absorbed in reflections like these, I reached San Michele, and was +locked up in a room which embraced a view of the court yard, of the +lake, and the beautiful island of Murano. I inquired respecting +Maroncelli from the jailer, from his wife, and the four assistants; +but their visits were exceedingly brief, very ceremonious, and, in +fact, they would tell me nothing. + +Nevertheless where there are five or six persons, it is rarely you +do not find one who possesses a compassionate, as well as a +communicative disposition. I met with such a one, and from him I +learnt what follows:- + +Maroncelli, after having been long kept apart, had been placed with +Count Camillo Laderchi. {20} The last, within a few days, had been +declared innocent, and discharged from prison, and the former again +remained alone. Some other of our companions had also been set at +liberty; the Professor Romagnosi, {21} and Count Giovanni +Arrivabene. {22} Captain Rezia {23} and the Signor Canova were +together. Professor Ressi {24} was dying at that time, in a prison +next to that of the two before mentioned. "It follows then," said +I, "that the sentences of those not set at liberty must have +arrived. How are they to be made known? Perhaps, poor Ressi will +die; and will not be in a state to hear his sentence; is it true?" + +"I believe it is." + +Every day I inquired respecting the unhappy man. "He has lost his +voice; he is rather better; he is delirious; he is nearly gone; he +spits blood; he is dying;" were the usual replies; till at length +came the last of all, "He is dead." + +I shed a tear to his memory, and consoled myself with thinking that +he died ignorant of the sentence which awaited him. + +The day following, the 21st of February, 1822, the jailer came for +me about ten o'clock, and conducted me into the Hall of the +Commission. The members were all seated, but they rose; the +President, the Inquisitor, and two assisting Judges.--The first, +with a look of deep commiseration, acquainted me that my sentence +had arrived; that it was a terrible one; but that the clemency of +the Emperor had mitigated it. + +The Inquisitor, fixing his eye on me, then read it:- "Silvio +Pellico, condemned to death; the imperial decree is, that the +sentence be commuted for fifteen years hard imprisonment in the +fortress of Spielberg." + +"The will of God be done!" was my reply. + +It was really my intention to bear this horrible blow like a +Christian, and neither to exhibit nor to feel resentment against any +one whatever. The President then commended my state of mind, warmly +recommending me to persevere in it, and that possibly by affording +an edifying example, I might in a year or two be deemed worthy of +receiving further favours from the imperial clemency. + +Instead, however, of one or two, it was many years before the full +sentence was remitted. + +The other judges also spoke encouragingly to me. One of them, +indeed, had appeared my enemy on my trial, accosting me in a +courteous but ironical tone, while his look of insulting triumph +seemed to belie his words. I would not make oath it was so, but my +blood was then boiling, and I was trying to smother my passion. +While they were praising me for my Christian patience, I had not a +jot of it left me. "To-morrow," continued the Inquisitor, "I am +sorry to say, you must appear and receive your sentence in public. +It is a formality which cannot be dispensed with." + +"Be it so!" I replied. + +"From this time we grant you the company of your friend," he added. +Then calling the jailer, he consigned me into his hands, ordering +that I should be placed in the same dungeon with Maroncelli. + + + +CHAPTER LII. + + + +It was a delightful moment, when, after a separation of three +months, and having suffered so greatly, I met my friend. For some +moments we forgot even the severity of our sentence, conscious only +of each other's presence. + +But I soon turned from my friend to perform a more serious duty-- +that of writing to my father. I was desirous that the first tidings +of my sad lot should reach my family from myself; in order that the +grief which I knew they would all feel might be at least mitigated +by hearing my state of mind, and the sentiments of peace and +religion by which I was supported. The judges had given me a +promise to expedite the letter the moment it was written. + +Maroncelli next spoke to me respecting his trial; I acquainted him +with mine, and we mutually described our prison walks and +adventures, complimenting each other on our peripatetic philosophy. +We approached our window, and saluted three of our friends, whom we +beheld standing at theirs. Two of these were Canova and Rezia, in +the same apartment; the first of whom was condemned to six-years' +hard imprisonment, and the last to three. The third was Doctor +Cesare Armari, who had been my neighbour some preceding months, in +the prisons of the Piombi. He was not, however, among the +condemned, and soon obtained his liberty. + +The power of communicating with one or other of our fellow- +prisoners, at all hours, was a great relief to our feelings. But +when buried in silence and darkness, I was unable to compose myself +to rest; I felt my head burn, and my heart bleed, as my thoughts +reverted to home. Would my aged parents be enabled to bear up +against so heavy a misfortune? would they find a sufficient resource +in their other children? They were equally attached to all, and I +valued myself least of all in that family of love; but will a father +and a mother ever find in the children that remain to them a +compensation for the one of whom they are deprived. + +Had I dwelt only upon my relatives and a few other dear friends, +much as I regretted them, my thoughts would have been less bitter +than they were. But I thought of the insulting smile of that judge, +of the trial, the cause of the respective sentences, political +passions and enmities, and the fate of so many of my friends . . . +It was then I could no longer think with patience or indulgence of +any of my persecutors. God had subjected me to a severe trial, and +it was my duty to have borne it with courage. Alas! I was neither +able nor willing. The pride and luxury of hatred pleased me better +than the noble spirit of forgiveness; and I passed a night of horror +after receiving sentence. + +In the morning I could not pray. The universe appeared to me, then, +to be the work of some power, the enemy of good. I had previously, +indeed, been guilty of calumniating my Creator; but little did I +imagine I should revert to such ingratitude, and in so brief a time. +Julian, in his most impious moods, could not express himself more +impiously than myself. To gloat over thoughts of hatred, or fierce +revenge, when smarting under the scourge of heaviest calamity, +instead of flying to religion as a refuge, renders a man criminal, +even though his cause be just. If we hate, it is a proof of rank +pride; and where is the wretched mortal that dare stand up and +declare in the face of Heaven, his title to hatred and revenge +against his fellows? to assert that none have a right to sit in +judgment upon him and his actions;--that none can injure him without +a bad intention, or a violation of all justice? In short, he dares +to arraign the decrees of Heaven itself, if it please Providence to +make him suffer in a manner which he does not himself approve. + +Still I was unhappy because I could not pray; for when pride reigns +supreme, it acknowledges no other god than the self-idol it has +created. How I could have wished to recommend to the Supreme +Protector, the care of my bereaved parents, though at that unhappy +moment I felt as if I no more believed in Him. + + + +CHAPTER LIII. + + + +At nine in the morning Maroncelli and I were conducted into the +gondola which conveyed us into the city. We alighted at the palace +of the Doge, and proceeded to the prisons. We were placed in the +apartment which had been occupied by Signor Caporali a few days +before, but with whose fate we were not acquainted. Nine or ten +sbirri were placed over us as a guard, and walking about, we awaited +the moment of being brought into the square. There was considerable +delay. The Inquisitor did not make his appearance till noon, and +then informed us that it was time to go. The physician, also, +presented himself, and advised us to take a small glass of mint- +water, which we accepted on account of the extreme compassion which +the good old man expressed for us. It was Dr. Dosmo. The head +bailiff then advanced and fixed the hand-cuffs upon us. We followed +him, accompanied by the other bailiffs. + +We next descended the magnificent staircase of the Giganti, and we +called to mind the old Doge Faliero, who was beheaded there. We +entered through the great gate which opens upon the small square +from the court-yard of the palace, and we then turned to the left, +in the direction of the lake. In the centre of the small square was +raised the scaffold which we were to ascend. From the staircase of +the Giganti, extending to the scaffold, were two lines of Austrian +soldiers, through which we passed. + +After ascending the platform, we looked around us, and saw an +immense assembly of people, apparently struck with terror. In other +directions were seen bands of armed men, to awe the multitude; and +we were told that cannon were loaded in readiness to be discharged +at a moment's notice. I was now exactly in the spot where, in +September, 1820, just a month previous to my arrest, a mendicant had +observed to me, "This is a place of misfortune." + +I called to mind the circumstance, and reflected that very possibly +in that immense throng of spectators the same person might be +present, and perhaps even recognise me. + +The German Captain now called out to us to turn towards the palace, +and look up; we did so, and beheld, upon the lodge, a messenger of +the Council, with a letter in his hand; it was the sentence; he +began to read it in a loud voice. + +It was ushered in by solemn silence, which was continued until he +came to the words, CONDEMNED TO DEATH. There was then heard one +general murmur of compassion. This was followed by a similar +silence, in order to hear the rest of the document. A fresh murmur +arose on the announcement of the following:- condemned to hard +imprisonment, Maroncelli for TWENTY YEARS, and Pellico for FIFTEEN. + +The Captain made a sign for us to descend. We cast one glance +around us, and came down. We re-entered the court-yard, mounted the +great staircase, and were conducted into the room from which we had +been dragged. The manacles were removed, and we were soon +reconducted to San Michele. + + + +CHAPTER LIV. + + + +The prisoners who had been condemned before us had already set out +for Lubiana and Spielberg, accompanied by a commissary of police. +He was now expected back, in order to conduct us to our destination; +but the interval of a month elapsed. + +My time was chiefly spent in talking, and listening to the +conversation of others, in order to distract my attention. +Maroncelli read me some of his literary productions, and in turn, I +read him mine. One evening I read from the window my play of Ester +d'Engaddi, to Canova, Rezia, and Armari; and the following evening, +the Iginia d'Asti. During the night, however, I grew irritable and +wretched, and was unable to sleep. I both desired and feared to +learn in what manner the tidings of my calamity had been received by +my family. + +At length I got a letter from my father, and was grieved to find, +from the date, that my last to him had not been sent, as I had +requested of the Inquisitor, immediately! Thus my unhappy father, +while flattering himself that I should be set at liberty, happening +to take up the Milan Gazette, read the horrid sentence which I had +just received upon the scaffold. He himself acquainted me with this +fact, and left me to infer what his feelings must have been on +meeting thus suddenly with the sad news. I cannot express the +contempt and anger I felt on learning that my letter had been kept +back; and how deeply I felt for all my poor unhappy family. There +was doubtless no malice in this delay, but I looked upon it as a +refinement of the most atrocious barbarity; an eager, infernal +desire to see the iron enter, as it were, the very soul of my +beloved and innocent relatives. I felt, indeed, as if I could have +delighted to shed a sea of blood, could I only punish this flagrant +and premeditated inhumanity. + +Now that I judge calmly, I find it very improbable. The delay, +doubtless, was simply owing to inadvertency on the part of +subordinate agents. Enraged as I was, I heard with still more +excited feelings that my companions were about to celebrate Easter +week ere their departure. As for me, I considered it wholly +impossible, inasmuch as I felt not the least disposition towards +forgiveness. Should I be guilty of such a scandal! + + + +CHAPTER LV. + + + +At length the German commissioner arrived, and came to acquaint us +that within two days we were to set out. "I have the pleasure," he +added, "to give you some consoling tidings. On my return from +Spielberg, I saw his majesty the Emperor at Vienna, who acquainted +me that the penal days appointed you will not extend to twenty-four +hours, but only to twelve. By this expression it is intended to +signify that the pain will be divided, or half the punishment +remitted." This division was never notified to us in an official +form, but there is no reason to suppose that the commissioner would +state an untruth; the less so as he made no secret of the +information, which was known to the whole commission. Nevertheless, +I could not congratulate myself upon it. To my feelings, seven +years and a half had little more horrible in them (to be spent in +chains and solitude) than fifteen; for I conceived it to be +impossible to survive so long a period. My health had recently +again become wretched! I suffered from severe pains of the chest, +attended with cough, and thought my lungs were affected. I ate +little, and that little I could not digest. Our departure took +place on the night of the 25th of March. We were permitted to take +leave of our friend, Cesare Armari. A sbirro chained us in a +transverse manner, namely, the right hand and the left foot, so as +to render it impossible for us to escape. + +We went into a gondola, and the guards rowed us towards Fusina. On +our arrival we found two boats in readiness for us. Rezia and +Canova were placed in one, and Maroncelli and myself in the other. +The commissary was also with two of the prisoners, and an under- +commissary with the others. Six or seven guards of police completed +our convoy; they were armed with swords and muskets; some of them at +hand in the boats, others in the box of the Vetturino. + +To be compelled by misfortune to leave one's country is always +sufficiently painful; but to be torn from it in chains, doomed to +exile in a horrible climate, to linger days, and hours, and years, +in solitary dungeons, is a fate so appalling as to defy language to +convey the remotest idea of it. + +Ere we had traversed the Alps, I felt that my country was becoming +doubly dear to me; the sympathy we awakened on every side, from all +ranks, formed an irresistible appeal to my affection and gratitude. +In every city, in every village, in every group of meanest houses, +the news of our condemnation had been known for some weeks, and we +were expected. In several places the commissioners and the guards +had difficulty in dispersing the crowd which surrounded us. It was +astonishing to witness the benevolent and humane feeling generally +manifested in our behalf. + +In Udine we met with a singular and touching incident. On arriving +at the inn, the commissary caused the door of the court-yard to be +closed, in order to keep back the people. A room was assigned us, +and he ordered the waiters to bring supper, and make such +accommodation as we required for repose. In a few moments three men +entered with mattresses upon their shoulders. What was our surprise +to see that only one of them was a servant of the inn; the other two +were our acquaintance. We pretended to assist them in placing the +beds, and had time to recognise and give each other the hand of +fellowship and sympathy. It was too much; the tears started to our +eyes. Ah! how trying was it to us all, not to be allowed the sad +satisfaction even of shedding them in a last embrace. + +The commissaries were not aware of the circumstance; but I had +reason to think that one of the guards saw into the affair, just as +the good Dario grasped me by the hand. He was a Venetian; he fixed +his eyes upon us both; he turned pale; appeared in the act of making +an alarm, then turned away his eyes, as if pretending not to see us. +If he felt not assured that they were indeed our friends, he must +have believed them to be some waiters with whom we were acquainted. + + + +CHAPTER LVI. + + + +The next morning we left Udine by dawn of day. The affectionate +Dario was already in the street, wrapped in his mantle; he beckoned +to us and followed us a long way. A coach also continued at some +little distance from us for several miles. Some one waved a +handkerchief from it, till it turned back; who could it have been? +We had our own conjectures on the subject. May Heaven protect those +generous spirits that thus cease not to love, and express their love +for the unfortunate. I had the more reason to prize them from the +fact of having met with cowards, who, not content with denying me, +thought to benefit themselves by calumniating their once fortunate +FRIEND. These cases, however, were rare, while those of the former, +to the honour of the human character, were numerous. + +I had supposed that the warm sympathy expressed for us in Italy +would cease when we entered on a foreign soil. But I was deceived; +the good man is ever the fellow-countryman of the unhappy! When +traversing Illyrian and German ground, it was the same as in our own +country. There was the same general lamentation at our fate; "Arme +herren!" poor gentlemen, was on the lips of all. + +Sometimes, on entering another district, our escort was compelled to +stop in order to decide in what part to take up our quarters. The +people would then gather round us, and we heard exclamations, and +other expressions of commiseration, which evidently came from the +heart. These proofs of popular feeling were still more gratifying +to me, than such as I had met with from my own countrymen. The +consolation which was thus afforded me, helped to soothe the bitter +indignation I then felt against those whom I esteemed my enemies. +Yet, possibly, I reflected, if we were brought more nearly +acquainted, if I could see into their real motives, and I could +explain my own feelings, I might be constrained to admit that they +are not impelled by the malignant spirit I suppose, while they would +find there was as little of bad in me. Nay, they might perhaps be +induced not only to pity, but to admire and love us! + +It is true, indeed, that men too often hate each other, merely +because they are strangers to each other's real views and feelings; +and the simple interchange of a few words would make them +acknowledge their error, and give the hand of brotherhood to each +other. + +We remained a day at Lubiana; and there Canova and Rezia were +separated from us, being forthwith conducted into the castle. It is +easy to guess our feelings upon this painful occasion. + +On the evening of our arrival at Lubiana and the day following, a +gentleman came and joined us, who, if I remember rightly, announced +himself as the municipal secretary. His manners were gentle and +humane, and he spoke of religion in a tone at once elevated and +impressive. I conjectured he must be a priest, the priests in +Germany being accustomed to dress exactly in the same style as +laymen. His countenance was calculated to excite esteem. I +regretted that I was not enabled further to cultivate his +acquaintance, and I blame myself for my inadvertency in not having +taken down his name. + +It irks me, too, that I cannot at this time recall the name of +another gentle being, a young girl of Styria, who followed us +through the crowd, and when our coach stopped for a few minutes, +moved towards us with both hands, and afterwards, turned weeping +away, supported by a young man, whose light hair proclaimed him of +German extraction. But most probably he had been in Italy, where he +had fallen in love with our fair countrywoman, and felt touched for +our country. Yes! what pleasure it would have given me to record +the names of those venerable fathers and mothers of families, who, +in different districts, accosted us on our road, inquiring if we had +parents and friends; and on hearing that we had, would grow pale, +and exclaim, "Alas! may it please God to restore you soon to those +wretched, bereaved ones whom you have left behind." + + + +CHAPTER LVII. + + + +On the 10th of April we arrived at our place of destination. The +city of Brunn is the capital of Moravia, where the governor of the +two provinces of Moravia and Silesia is accustomed to reside. +Situated in a pleasant valley, it presents a rich and noble aspect. +At one time it was a great manufactory of cloth, but its prosperous +days were now passed, and its population did not exceed thirty +thousand. + +Contiguous to the walls on the western side rises a mount, and on +this is placed the dreaded fortress of Spielberg, once the royal +seat of the lords of Moravia, and now the most terrific prison under +the Austrian monarchy. It was a well-guarded citadel, but was +bombarded and taken by the French after the celebrated battle of +Austerlitz, a village at a little distance from it. It was not +generally repaired, with the exception of a portion of the outworks, +which had been wholly demolished. Within it are imprisoned some +three hundred wretches, for the most part robbers and assassins, +some condemned to the carcere dare, others to that called durissimo, +the severest of all. This HARD IMPRISONMENT comprehends compulsory, +daily labour, to wear chains on the legs, to sleep upon bare boards, +and to eat the worst imaginable food. The durissimo, or hardest, +signifies being chained in a more horrible manner, one part of the +iron being fixed in the wall, united to a hoop round the body of the +prisoner, so as to prevent his moving further than the board which +serves for his couch. We, as state prisoners, were condemned to the +carcere duro. The food, however, is the same, though in the words +of the law it is prescribed to be bread and water. + +While mounting the acclivity we turned our eyes as if to take a last +look of the world we were leaving, doubting if ever the portals of +that living grave would be again unclosed to us. I was calm, but +rage and indignation consumed my heart. It was in vain I had +recourse to philosophy; it had no arguments to quiet or to support +me. + +I was in poor health on leaving Venice, and the journey had fatigued +me exceedingly. I had a fever, and felt severe pains, both in my +head and my limbs. Illness increased my irritation, and very +probably the last had an equally ill effect upon my frame. + +We were consigned over to the superintendent of Spielberg, and our +names were registered in the same list as that of the robbers. The +imperial commissary shook our hands upon taking leave, and was +evidently affected. "Farewell," he said, "and let me recommend to +you calmness and submission: for I assure you the least infraction +of discipline will be punished by the governor in the severest +manner." + +The consignment being made out, my friend and myself were conducted +into a subterranean gallery, where two dismal-looking dungeons were +unlocked, at a distance from each other. In one of these I was +entombed alive, and poor Maroncelli in the other. + + + +CHAPTER LVIII. + + + +How bitter is it, after having bid adieu to so many beloved objects, +and there remains only a single one between yourself and utter +solitude, the solitude of chains and a living death, to be separated +even from that one! Maroncelli, on leaving me, ill and dejected, +shed tears over me as one whom, it was most probable, he would never +more behold. In him, too, I lamented a noble-minded man, cut off in +the splendour of his intellect, and the vigour of his days, snatched +from society, all its duties and its pleasures, and even from "the +common air, the earth, the sky." Yet he survived the unheard of +afflictions heaped upon him, but in what a state did he leave his +living tomb! + +When I found myself alone in that horrid cavern, heard the closing +of the iron doors, the rattling of chains, and by the gloomy light +of a high window, saw the wooden bench destined for my couch, with +an enormous chain fixed in the wall, I sat down, in sullen rage, on +my hard resting-place, and taking up the chain, measured its length, +in the belief that it was destined for me. + +In half an hour I caught the sound of locks and keys; the door +opened, and the head-jailer handed me a jug of water. + +"Here is something to drink," he said in a rough tone, "and you will +have your loaf to-morrow." + +"Thanks, my good man." + +"I am not good," was the reply. + +"The worse for you," I answered, rather sharply. "And this great +chain," I added, "is it for me?" + +"It is, Sir; if you don't happen to be quiet; if you get into a +rage, or say impertinent things. But if you are reasonable, we +shall only chain you by the feet. The blacksmith is getting all +ready." + +He then walked sullenly up and down, shaking that horrid ring of +enormous keys, while with angry eye I measured his gigantic, lean, +and aged figure. His features, though not decidedly vulgar, bore +the most repulsive expression of brutal severity which I ever +beheld! + +How unjust are mankind when they presume to judge by appearances, +and in deference to their vain, arrogant prejudices. The man whom I +upbraided in my heart for shaking as it were in triumph those +horrible keys, to make me more keenly sensible of his power, whom I +set down as an insignificant tyrant, inured to practices of cruelty, +was then revolving thoughts of compassion, and assuredly had spoken +in that harsh tone only to conceal his real feelings. Perhaps he +was afraid to trust himself, or that I should prove unworthy gentler +treatment; doubtful whether I might not be yet more criminal than +unhappy, though willing to afford me relief. + +Annoyed by his presence, and the sort of lordly air he assumed, I +determined to try to humble him, and called out as if speaking to a +servant, "Give me something to drink!" He looked at me, as much as +to say, "Arrogant man! this is no place for you to show the airs of +a master." Still he was silent, bent his long back, took up the +jug, and gave it to me. I perceived, as I took it from him, that he +trembled, and believing it to proceed from age, I felt a mingled +emotion of reverence and compassion. "How old are you?" I inquired +in a kinder tone. + +"Seventy-four, Sir; I have lived to see great calamities, both as +regards others and myself." + +The tremulous emotion I had observed increased as he said this, and +again took the jug from my hand. I now thought it might be owing to +some nobler feeling than the effect of age, and the aversion I had +conceived instantaneously left me. + +"And what is your name?" I inquired. + +"It pleased fortune, Sir, to make a fool of me, by giving me the +name of a great man. My name is Schiller." He then told me in a +few words, some particulars as to his native place, his family, the +campaigns in which he had served, and the wounds he had received. + +He was a Switzer, the son of peasants, had been in the wars against +the Turks, under Marshal Laudon, in the reign of Maria Theresa and +Joseph II. He had subsequently served in the Austrian campaigns +against France, up to the period of Napoleon's exile. + + + +CHAPTER LIX. + + + +When we begin to form a better opinion of one against whom we had +conceived a strong prejudice, we seem to discover in every feature, +in his voice, and manner, fresh marks of a good disposition, to +which we were before strangers. Is this real, or is it not rather +founded upon illusion? Shortly before, we interpreted the very same +expressions in another way. Our judgment of moral qualities has +undergone a change, and soon, the conclusions drawn from our +knowledge of physiognomy are equally different. How many portraits +of celebrated men inspire us only with respect or admiration because +we know their characters; portraits which we should have pronounced +worthless and unattractive had they represented the ordinary race of +mortals. And thus it is, if we reason vice versa. I once laughed, +I remember, at a lady, who on beholding a likeness of Catiline +mistook it for that of Collatinus, and remarked upon the sublime +expression of grief in the features of Collatinus for the loss of +his Lucretia. These sort of illusions are not uncommon. I would +not maintain that the features of good men do not bear the +impression of their character, like irreclaimable villains that of +their depravity; but that there are many which have at least a +doubtful cast. In short, I won a little upon old Schiller; I looked +at him more attentively, and he no longer appeared forbidding. To +say the truth, there was something in his language which, spite of +its rough tone, showed the genuine traits of a noble mind. And +spite of our first looks of mutual distrust and defiance, we seemed +to feel a certain respect for each other; he spoke boldly what he +thought, and so did I. + +"Captain as I am," he observed, "I have fallen,--to take my rest, +into this wretched post of jailer; and God knows it is far more +disagreeable for me to maintain it, than it was to risk my life in +battle." + +I was now sorry I had asked him so haughtily to give me drink. "My +dear Schiller," I said, grasping his hand, "it is in vain you deny +it, I know you are a good fellow; and as I have fallen into this +calamity, I thank heaven which has given me you for a guardian!" + +He listened to me, shook his head, and then rubbing his forehead, +like a man in some perplexity or trouble. + +"No, Sir, I am bad--rank bad. They made me take an oath, which I +must, and will keep. I am bound to treat all the prisoners, without +distinction, with equal severity; no indulgence, no permission to +relent, to soften the sternest orders, in particular as regards +prisoners of state." + +"You are a noble fellow; I respect you for making your duty a point +of conscience. You may err, humanly speaking, but your motives are +pure in the eyes of God." + +"Poor gentleman, have patience, and pity me. I shall be hard as +steel in my duty, but my heart bleeds to be unable to relieve the +unfortunate. This is all I really wished to say." We were both +affected. + +He then entreated that I would preserve my calmness, and not give +way to passion, as is too frequent with solitary prisoners, and +calls for restraint, and even for severer punishment. + +He afterwards resumed his gruff, affected tone as if to conceal the +compassion he felt for me, observing that it was high time for him +to go. + +He came back, however, and inquired how long a time I had been +afflicted with that horrible cough, reflecting sharply upon the +physician for not coming to see me that very evening. "You are ill +of a horse fever," he added, "I know it well; you will stand in need +of a straw bed, but we cannot give you one till the doctor has +ordered it." + +He retired, locked the door, and I threw myself upon the hard +boards, with considerable fever and pain in my chest, but less +irritable, less at enmity with mankind, and less alienated from God. + + + +CHAPTER LX. + + + +In the evening came the superintendent, attended by Schiller, +another captain, and two soldiers, to make the usual search. Three +of these inquisitions were ordered each day, at morning, noon, and +midnight. Every corner of the prison was examined, and each article +of the most trivial kind. The inferior officers then left, and the +superintendent remained a little time to converse with me. + +The first time I saw this troop of jailers approach, a strange +thought came into my head. Being unacquainted with their habits of +search, and half delirious with fever, it struck me that they were +come to take my life, and seizing my great chain I resolved to sell +it dearly by knocking the first upon the head that offered to molest +me. + +"What mean you?" exclaimed the superintendent; "we are not going to +hurt you. It is merely a formal visit to ascertain that all is in +proper order in the prisons." + +I hesitated, but when I saw Schiller advance and stretch forth his +hand with a kind, paternal look, I dropped the chain and took his +proffered hand. "Lord! how it burns," he said, turning towards the +superintendent; "he ought at least to have a straw bed;" and he said +this in so truly compassionate a tone as quite to win my heart. The +superintendent then felt my pulse, and spoke some consolatory words: +he was a man of gentlemanly manners, but dared not for his life +express any opinion upon the subject. + +"It is all a reign of terror here," said he, "even as regards +myself. Should I not execute my orders to the rigour of the letter, +you would no longer see me here." Schiller made a long face, and I +could have wagered he said within himself, "But if I were at the +head, like you, I would not carry my apprehensions so very far; for +to give an opinion on a matter of such evident necessity, and so +innocuous to government, would never be esteemed a mighty fault." + +When left alone, I felt my heart, so long incapable of any deep +sense of religion, stirred within me, and knelt down to pray. I +besought a blessing upon the head of old Schiller, and appealing to +God, asked that he would so move the hearts of those around me, as +to permit me to become attached to them, and no longer suffer me to +hate my fellow-beings, humbly accepting all that was to be inflicted +upon me from His hand. + +About midnight I heard people passing along the gallery. Keys were +sounding, and soon the door opened; it was the captain and his +guards on search. + +"Where is my old Schiller?" inquired I. He had stopped outside in +the gallery. + +"I am here--I am here!" was the answer. He came towards the table, +and, feeling my pulse, hung over me as a father would over his child +with anxious and inquiring look. "Now I remember," said he, "to- +morrow is Thursday." + +"And what of that?" I inquired. + +"Why! it is just one of the days when the doctor does not attend, he +comes only on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Plague on him." + +"Give yourself no uneasiness about that!" + +"No uneasiness, no uneasiness!" he muttered, "but I do; you are ill, +I see; nothing is talked of in the whole town but the arrival of +yourself and friends; the doctor must have heard of it; and why the +devil could he not make the extraordinary exertion of coming once +out of his time?" + +"Who knows!" said I, "he may perhaps be here tomorrow,--Thursday +though it will be?" + +The old man said no more, he gave me a squeeze of the hand, enough +to break every bone in my fingers, as a mark of his approbation of +my courage and resignation. I was a little angry with him, however, +much as a young lover, if the girl of his heart happen in dancing to +press her foot upon his; he laughs and esteems himself highly +favoured, instead of crying out with the pain. + + + +CHAPTER LXI. + + + +I awoke on Thursday morning, after a horrible night, weak, aching in +all my bones, from the hard boards, and in a profuse perspiration. +The visit hour came, but the superintendent was absent; and he only +followed at a more convenient time. I said to Schiller, "Just see +how terribly I perspire; but it is now growing cold upon me; what a +treat it would be to change my shirt." + +"You cannot do it," he said, in a brutal tone. At the same time he +winked, and moved his hand. The captain and guards withdrew, and +Schiller made me another sign as he closed the door. He soon opened +it again, and brought one of his own shirts, long enough to cover me +from head to feet, even if doubled. + +"It is perhaps a little too long, but I have no others here." + +"I thank you, friend, but as I brought with me a whole trunk full of +linen, I do hope I may be permitted the use of it. Have the +kindness to ask the superintendent to let me have one of my shirts." + +"You will not be permitted, Sir, to use any of your linen here. +Each week you will have a shirt given you from the house like the +other prisoners." + +"You see, good man, in what a condition I am. I shall never go out +of here alive. I shall never be able to reward you." + +"For shame, Sir! for shame!" said the old man. "Talk of reward to +one who can do you no good! to one who dare hardly give a dry shirt +to a sick fellow creature in a sweat!" He then helped me on with +his long shirt, grumbling all the while, and slammed the door to +with violence on going out, as if he had been in a great rage. + +About two hours after, he brought me a piece of black bread. +"This," he said, "is your two days' fare!" he then began to walk +about in a sulky mood. + +"What is the matter?" I inquired; "are you vexed at me? You know I +took the shirt." + +"I am enraged at that doctor; though it be Thursday he might show +his ugly face here." + +"Patience!" said I; but though I said it, I knew not for the life of +me how to get the least rest, without a pillow, upon those hard +boards. Every bone in my body suffered. At eleven I was treated to +the prison dinner--two little iron pots, one of soup, the other of +herbs, mixed in such a way as to turn your stomach with the smell. +I tried to swallow a few spoonfuls, but did not succeed. Schiller +encouraged me: "Never despair," said he; "try again; you will get +used to it in time. If you don't, you will be like many others +before you, unable to eat anything but bread, and die of mere +inanition." + +Friday morning came, and with it came Dr. Bayer at last. He found +me very feverish, ordered me a straw bed, and insisted I should be +removed from the caverns into one of the abodes above. It could not +be done; there was no room. An appeal was made to the Governor of +Moravia and Silesia, residing at Brunn, who commanded, on the +urgency of the case, that the medical advice should be followed. + +There was a little light in the room to which I was removed. I +crawled towards the bars of the narrow window, and had the delight +of seeing the valley that lay below,--part of the city of Brunn,--a +suburb with gardens,--the churchyard,--the little lake of Certosa,-- +and the woody hills which lay between us and the famous plains of +Austerlitz. I was enchanted, and oh, what double pleasure, thought +I, would be mine, were I enabled to share it with my poor friend +Maroncelli! + + + +CHAPTER LXII. + + + +Meanwhile, our prison dresses were making for us, and five days +afterwards mine was brought to me. It consisted of a pair of +pantaloons made of rough cloth, of which the right side was grey, +the left of a dark colour. The waistcoat was likewise of two +colours equally divided, as well as the jacket, but with the same +colours placed on the contrary sides. The stockings were of the +coarsest wool; the shirt of linen tow full of sharp points--a true +hair-cloth garment; and round the neck was a piece of the same kind. +Our legs were enveloped in leather buskins, untanned, and we wore a +coarse white hat. + +This costume was not complete without the addition of chains to the +feet, that is, extending from one leg to the other, the joints being +fastened with nails, which were riveted upon an anvil. The +blacksmith employed upon my legs, in this operation, observed to one +of the guards, thinking I knew nothing of German, "So ill as he is, +one would think they might spare him this sort of fun; ere two +months be over, the angel of death will loosen these rivets of +mine." + +"Mochte es seyn! may it be so!" was my reply, as I touched him upon +the shoulder. The poor fellow started, and seemed quite confused; +he then said; "I hope I may be a false prophet; and I wish you may +be set free by another kind of angel." + +"Yet, rather than live thus, think you not, it would be welcome even +from the angel of death?" He nodded his head, and went away, with a +look of deep compassion for me. + +I would truly have been willing to die, but I felt no disposition +towards suicide. I felt confident that the disease of my lungs +would be enough, ere long, to give me freedom. Such was not the +will of God. The fatigue of my journey had made me much worse, but +rest seemed again to restore my powers. + +A few minutes after the blacksmith left me, I heard the hammer +sounding upon the anvil in one of the caverns below. Schiller was +then in my room. "Do you hear those blows?" I said; "they are +certainly fixing the irons on poor Maroncelli." The idea for the +moment was so overwhelming, that if the old man had not caught me, I +should have fallen. For more than half an hour, I continued in a +kind of swoon, and yet I was sensible. I could not speak, my pulse +scarcely beat at all; a cold sweat bathed me from head to foot. +Still I could hear all that Schiller said, and had a keen +perception, both of what had passed and was passing. + +By command of the superintendent and the activity of the guards, the +whole of the adjacent prisons had been kept in a state of profound +silence. Three or four times I had caught snatches of some Italian +song, but they were quickly stifled by the calls of the sentinels on +duty. Several of these were stationed upon the ground-floor, under +our windows, and one in the gallery close by, who was continually +engaged in listening at the doors and looking through the bars to +forbid every kind of noise. + +Once, towards evening (I feel the same sort of emotion whenever I +recur to it), it happened that the sentinels were less on the alert; +and I heard in a low but clear voice some one singing in a prison +adjoining my own. What joy, what agitation I felt at the sound. I +rose from my bed of straw, I bent my ear; and when it ceased--I +burst into tears. "Who art thou, unhappy one?" I cried, "who art +thou? tell me thy name! I am Silvio Pellico." + +"Oh, Silvio!" cried my neighbour, "I know you not by person, but I +have long loved you. Get up to your window, and let us speak to +each other, in spite of the jailers." + +I crawled up as well as I could; he told me his name, and we +exchanged few words of kindness. It was the Count Antonio Oroboni, +a native of Fratta, near Rovigo, and only twenty-nine years of age. +Alas! we were soon interrupted by the ferocious cries of the +sentinels. He in the gallery knocked as loud as he could with the +butt-end of his musket, both at the Count's door and at mine. We +would not, and we could not obey; but the noise, the oaths, and +threats of the guards were such as to drown our voices, and after +arranging that we would resume our communications, upon a change of +guards, we ceased to converse. + + + +CHAPTER LXIII. + + + +We were in hopes (and so in fact it happened) that by speaking in a +lower tone, and perhaps occasionally having guards whose humanity +might prompt them to pay no attention to us, we might renew our +conversation. By dint of practice we learnt to hear each other in +so low a key that the sounds were almost sure to escape the notice +of the sentinels. If, as it rarely happened, we forgot ourselves, +and talked aloud, there came down upon us a torrent of cries, and +knocks at our doors, accompanied with threats and curses of every +kind, to say nothing of poor Schiller's vexation, and that of the +superintendent. + +By degrees, however, we brought our system to perfection; spoke only +at the precise minutes, quarters, and half hours when it was safe, +or when such and such guards were upon duty. At length, with +moderate caution, we were enabled every day to converse almost as +much as we pleased, without drawing on us the attention or anger of +any of the superior officers. + +It was thus we contracted an intimate friendship. The Count told me +his adventures, and in turn I related mine. We sympathised in +everything we heard, and in all each other's joys or griefs. It was +of infinite advantage to us, as well as pleasure; for often, after +passing a sleepless night, one or the other would hasten to the +window and salute his friend. How these mutual welcomes and +conversations helped to encourage us, and to soothe the horrors of +our continued solitude! We felt that we were useful to each other; +and the sense of this roused a gentle emulation in all our thoughts, +and gave a satisfaction which man receives, even in misery, when he +knows he can serve a fellow-creature. Each conversation gave rise +to new ones; it was necessary to continue them, and to explain as we +went on. It was an unceasing stimulus to our ideas to our reason, +our memory, our imagination, and our hearts. + +At first, indeed, calling to mind Julian, I was doubtful as to the +fidelity of this new friend. I reflected that hitherto we had not +been at variance; but some day I feared something unpleasant might +occur, and that I should then be sent back to my solitude. But this +suspicion was soon removed. Our opinions harmonised upon all +essential points. To a noble mind, full of ardour and generous +sentiment, undaunted by misfortune, he added the most clear and +perfect faith in Christianity, while in me this had become +vacillating and at times apparently extinct. + +He met my doubts with most just and admirable reflections; and with +equal affection, I felt that he had reason on his side: I admitted +it, yet still my doubts returned. It is thus, I believe, with all +who have not the Gospel at heart, and who hate, or indulge +resentments of any kind. The mind catches glimpses, as it were, of +the truth, but as it is unpleasing, it is disbelieved the moment +after, and the attention directed elsewhere. + +Oroboni was indefatigable in turning MY attention to the motives +which man has to show kindness to his enemies. I never spoke of any +one I abhorred but he began in a most dexterous manner to defend +him, and not less by his words than by his example. Many men had +injured him; it grieved him, yet he forgave all, and had the +magnanimity to relate some laudable trait or other belonging to +each, and seemed to do it with pleasure. + +The irritation which had obtained such a mastery over me, and +rendered me so irreligious after my condemnation, continued several +weeks, and then wholly ceased. The noble virtue of Oroboni +delighted me. Struggling as well as I could to reach him, I at +least trod in the same track, and I was then enabled to pray with +sincerity; to forgive, to hate no one, and dissipate every remaining +doubt and gloom. + +Ubi charitas et amor, Deus ibi est. {25} + + + +CHAPTER LXIV. + + + +To say truth, if our punishment was excessively severe, and +calculated to irritate the mind, we had still the rare fortune of +meeting only with individuals of real worth. They could not, +indeed, alleviate our situation, except by kindness and respect, but +so much was freely granted. If there were something rude and +uncouth in old Schiller, it was amply compensated by his noble +spirit. Even the wretched Kunda (the convict who brought us our +dinner, and water three times a day) was anxious to show his +compassion for us. He swept our rooms regularly twice in the week. +One morning, while thus engaged, as Schiller turned a few steps from +the door, poor Kunda offered me a piece of white bread. I refused +it, but squeezed him cordially by the hand. He was moved, and told +me, in bad German, that he was a Pole. "Good sir," he added, "they +give us so little to eat here, that I am sure you must be hungry." +I assured him I was not, but he was very hard of belief. + +The physician, perceiving that we were none of us enabled to swallow +the kind of food prepared for us on our first arrival, put us all +upon what is considered the hospital diet. This consisted of three +very small plates of soup in the day, the least slice of roast lamb, +hardly a mouthful, and about three ounces of white bread. + +As my health continued to improve, my appetite grew better, and that +"fourth portion," as they termed it, was really too little, and I +began to feel the justice of poor Kunda's remarks. I tried a return +to the sound diet, but do what I would to conquer my aversion, it +was all labour lost. I was compelled to live upon the fourth part +of ordinary meals: and for a whole year I knew by experience the +tortures of hunger. It was still more severely felt by many of my +fellow-prisoners, who, being far stouter, had been accustomed to a +full and generous diet. I learnt that many of them were glad to +accept pieces of bread from Schiller and some of the guards, and +even from the poor hungry Kunda. + +"It is reported in the city," said the barber, a young practitioner +of our surgery, one day to me, "it is reported that they do not give +you gentlemen here enough to eat." + +"And it is very true," replied I, with perfect sincerity. + +The next Sunday (he came always on that day) he brought me an +immense white loaf, and Schiller pretended not to see him give it +me. Had I listened to my stomach I should have accepted it, but I +would not, lest he should repeat the gift and bring himself into +some trouble. For the same reason I refused Schiller's offers. He +would often bring me boiled meat, entreating me to partake of it, +and protesting it cost him nothing; besides, he knew not what to do +with it, and must give it away to somebody. I could have devoured +it, but would he not then be tempted to offer me something or other +every day, and what would it end in? Twice only I partook of some +cherries and some pears; they were quite irresistible. I was +punished as I expected, for from that time forth the old man never +ceased bringing me fruit of some kind or other. + + + +CHAPTER LXV. + + + +It was arranged, on our arrival, that each of us should be permitted +to walk an hour twice in the week. In the sequel, this relief was +one day granted us and another refused; and the hour was always +later during festivals. + +We went, each separately, between two guards, with loaded muskets on +their shoulders. In passing from my prison, at the head of the +gallery, I went by the whole of the Italian prisoners, with the +exception of Maroncelli--the only one condemned to linger in the +caverns below. "A pleasant walk!" whispered they all, as they saw +me pass; but I was not allowed to exchange a single word. + +I was led down a staircase which opened into a spacious court, where +we walked upon a terrace, with a south aspect, and a view of the +city of Brunn and the surrounding country. In this courtyard we saw +numbers of the common criminals, coming from, or going to, their +labour, or passing along conversing in groups. Among them were +several Italian robbers, who saluted me with great respect. "He is +no rogue, like us; yet you see his punishment is more severe"; and +it was true, they had a larger share of freedom than I. + +Upon hearing expressions like these, I turned and saluted them with +a good-natured look. One of them observed, "It does me good to see +you, sir, when you notice me. Possibly you may see something in my +look not so very wicked. An unhappy passion instigated me to commit +a crime, but believe me, sir, I am no villain!" + +Saying this he burst into tears. I gave him my hand, but he was +unable to return the pressure. At that moment, my guard, according +to their instructions, drove him away, declaring that they must +permit no one to approach me. The observations subsequently +addressed to me were pretended to be spoken among each other; and if +my two attendants became aware of it, they quickly interposed +silence. + +Prisoners of various ranks, and visitors of the superintendent, the +chaplain, the sergeant, or some of the captains, were likewise to be +seen there. "That is an Italian, that is an Italian!" they often +whispered each other. They stopped to look at me, and they would +say in German, supposing I should not understand them, "That poor +gentleman will not live to be old; he has death in his countenance." + +In fact, after recovering some degree of strength, I again fell ill +for want of nourishment, and fever again attacked me. I attempted +to drag myself, as far as my chain would permit, along the walk, and +throwing myself upon the turf, I rested there until the expiration +of my hour. The guards would then sit down near me, and begin to +converse with each other. One of them, a Bohemian, named Kral, had, +though very poor, received some sort of an education, which he had +himself improved by reflection. He was fond of reading, had studied +Klopstock, Wieland, Goethe, Schiller, and many other distinguished +German writers. He knew a good deal by memory, and repeated many +passages with feeling and correctness. The other guard was a Pole, +by name Kubitzky, wholly untaught, but kind and respectful. Their +society was a great relief to me. + + + +CHAPTER LXVI. + + + +At one end of the terrace was situated the apartments of the +superintendent, at the other was the residence of a captain, with +his wife and son. When I saw any one appear from these buildings, I +was in the habit of approaching near, and was invariably received +with marks of courtesy and compassion. + +The wife of the captain had been long ill, and appeared to be in a +decline. She was sometimes carried into the open air, and it was +astonishing to see the sympathy she expressed for our sufferings. +She had the sweetest look I ever saw; and though evidently timid, +would at times fix her eye upon me with an inquiring, confiding +glance, when appealed to by name. One day I observed to her with a +smile, "Do you know, signora, I find a resemblance between you and +one who was very dear to me." She blushed, and replied with +charming simplicity, "Do not then forget me when I shall be no more; +pray for my unhappy soul, and for the little ones I leave behind +me!" I never saw her after that day; she was unable to rise from +her bed, and in a few months I heard of her death. + +She left three sons, all beautiful as cherubs, and one still an +infant at the breast. I had often seen the poor mother embrace them +when I was by, and say, with tears in her eyes, "Who will be their +mother when I am gone? Ah, whoever she may be, may it please the +Father of all to inspire her with love, even for children not her +own." + +Often, when she was no more, did I embrace those fair children, shed +a tear over them, and invoke their mother's blessing on them, in the +same words. Thoughts of my own mother, and of the prayers she so +often offered up for HER lost son, would then come over me, and I +added, with broken words and sighs, "Oh, happier mother than mine, +you left, indeed, these innocent ones, so young and fair, but my +dear mother devoted long years of care and tenderness to me, and saw +them all, with the object of them, snatched from her at a blow!" + +These children were intrusted to the care of two elderly and +excellent women; one of them the mother, the other the aunt of the +superintendent. They wished to hear the whole of my history, and I +gave it them as briefly as I could. "How greatly we regret," they +observed, with warm sympathy, "to be unable to help you in any way. +Be assured, however, we offer up constant prayers for you, and if +ever the day come that brings you liberty, it will be celebrated by +all our family, like one of the happiest festivals." + +The first-mentioned of these ladies had a remarkably sweet and +soothing voice, united to an eloquence rarely to be heard from the +lips of woman. I listened to her religious exhortations with a +feeling of filial gratitude, and they sunk deep into my heart. +Though her observations were not new to me, they were always +applicable, and most valuable to me, as will appear from what +follows: + +"Misfortune cannot degrade a man, unless he be intrinsically mean; +it rather elevates him."--"If we could penetrate the judgments of +God, we should find that frequently the objects most to be pitied +were the conquerors, not the conquered; the joyous rather than the +sorrowful; the wealthy rather than those who are despoiled of all."- +-"The particular kindness shown by the Saviour of mankind to the +unfortunate is a striking fact."--"That man ought to feel honoured +in bearing the cross, when he considers that it was borne up the +mount of our redemption by the Divinity himself in human form." + +Such were among the excellent sentiments she inculcated; but it was +my lot, as usual, to lose these delightful friends when I had become +most attached to them. They removed from the castle, and the sweet +children no longer made their appearance upon the terrace. I felt +this double deprivation more than I can express. + + + +CHAPTER LXVII. + + + +The inconvenience I experienced from the chain upon my legs, which +prevented me from sleeping, destroyed my health. Schiller wished me +to petition, declaring that it was the duty of the physician to +order it to be taken off. For some time I refused to listen to him, +I then yielded, and informed the doctor that, in order to obtain a +little sleep, I should be thankful to have the chain removed, if +only for a few days. He answered that my fever was not yet so bad +as to require it; and that it was necessary I should become +accustomed to the chain. I felt indignant at this reply, and more +so at myself for having asked the favour. "See what I have got by +following your advice," said I to Schiller; and I said it in a very +sharp tone, not a little offensive to the old man. + +"You are vexed," he exclaimed, "because you met with a denial; and I +am as much so with your arrogance! Could I help it?" He then began +a long sermon. "The proud value themselves mightily in never +exposing themselves to a refusal, in never accepting an offer, in +being ashamed at a thousand little matters. Alle eselen, asses as +they all are. Vain grandeur, want of true dignity, which consists +in being ashamed only of bad actions!" He went off, and made the +door ring with a tremendous noise. + +I was dismayed; yet his rough sincerity scarcely displeased me. Had +he not spoken the truth? to how many weaknesses had I not given the +name of dignity! the result of nothing but pride. + +At the dinner hour Schiller left my fare to the convict Kunda, who +brought me some water, while Schiller stood outside. I called him. +"I have no time," he replied, very drily. + +I rose, and going to him, said, "If you wish my dinner to agree with +me, pray don't look so horribly sour; it is worse than vinegar." + +"And how ought I to look?" he asked, rather more appeased. + +"Cheerful, and like a friend," was my reply. + +"Let us be merry, then! Viva l'allegria!" cried the old man. "And +if it will make your dinner agree with you, I will dance you a +hornpipe into the bargain." And, assuming a broad grin, he set to +work with his long, lean, spindle shanks, which he worked about like +two huge stilts, till I thought I should have died with laughing. I +laughed and almost cried at the same time. + + + +CHAPTER LXVIII. + + + +One evening Count Oroboni and I were standing at our windows +complaining of the low diet to which we were subjected. Animated by +the subject, we talked a little too loud, and the sentinels began to +upbraid us. The superintendent, indeed, called in a loud voice to +Schiller, as he happened to be passing, inquiring in a threatening +voice why he did not keep a better watch, and teach us to be silent? +Schiller came in a great rage to complain of me, and ordered me +never more to think of speaking from the window. He wished me to +promise that I would not. + +"No!" replied I; "I shall do no such thing." + +"Oh, der Teufel; der Teufel!" {26} exclaimed the old man; "do you +say that to me? Have I not had a horrible strapping on your +account?" + +"I am sorry, dear Schiller, if you have suffered on my account. But +I cannot promise what I do not mean to perform." + +"And why not perform it?" + +"Because I cannot; because this continual solitude is such a torment +to me. No! I will speak as long as I have breath, and invite my +neighbour to talk to me. If he refuse I will talk to my window- +bars, I will talk to the hills before me, I will talk to the birds +as they fly about. I will talk!" + +"Der Teufel! you will! You had better promise!" + +"No, no, no! never!" I exclaimed. + +He threw down his huge bunch of keys, and ran about, crying, "Der +Teufel! der Teufel!" Then, all at once, he threw his long bony arms +about my neck: "By -, and you shall talk! Am I to cease to be a +man because of this vile mob of keys? You are a gentleman, and I +like your spirit! I know you will not promise. I would do the same +in your place." + +I picked up his keys and presented them to him. "These keys," said +I, "are not so bad after all; they cannot turn an honest soldier, +like you, into a villainous sgherro." + +"Why, if I thought they could, I would hand them back to my +superiors, and say, 'If you will give me no bread but the wages of a +hangman, I will go and beg alms from door to door.'" + +He took out his handkerchief, dried his eyes, and then, raising +them, seemed to pray inwardly for some time. I, too, offered up my +secret prayers for this good old man. He saw it, and took my hand +with a look of grateful respect. + +Upon leaving me he said, in a low voice, "When you speak with Count +Oroboni, speak as I do now. You will do me a double kindness: I +shall hear no more cruel threats of my lord superintendent, and by +not allowing any remarks of yours to be repeated in his ear, you +will avoid giving fresh irritation to ONE who knows how to punish." + +I assured him that not a word should come from either of our lips +which could possibly give cause of offence. In fact, we required no +further instructions to be cautious. Two prisoners desirous of +communication are skilful enough to invent a language of their own, +without the least danger of its being interpreted by any listener. + + + +CHAPTER LXIX. + + + +I had just been taking my morning's walk; it was the 7th of August. +Oroboni's dungeon door was standing open; Schiller was in it, and he +was not sensible of my approach. My guards pressed forward in order +to close my friend's door, but I was too quick for them; I darted +into the room, and the next moment found myself in the arms of Count +Oroboni. + +Schiller was in dismay, and cried out "Der Teufel! der Teufel!" most +vigorously, at the same time raising his finger in a threatening +attitude. It was in vain, for his eyes filled with tears, and he +cried out, sobbing, "Oh, my God! take pity on these poor young men +and me; on all the unhappy like them, my God, who knows what it is +to be so very unhappy upon earth!" The guards, also, both wept; the +sentinel on duty in the gallery ran to the spot, and even he caught +the infection. + +"Silvio! Silvio!" exclaimed the Count, "this is the most delightful +day of my life!" I know not how I answered him; I was nearly +distracted with joy and affection. + +When Schiller at length beseeched us to separate, and it was +necessary we should obey, Oroboni burst into a flood of tears. "Are +we never to see each other again upon earth?" he exclaimed, in a +wild, prophetic tone. + +Alas! I never saw him more! A very few months after this parting, +his dungeon was empty, and Oroboni lay at rest in the cemetery, on +which I looked out from my window! + +From the moment we had met, it seemed as if the tie which bound us +were drawn closer round our hearts; and we were become still more +necessary to each other. + +He was a fine young man, with a noble countenance, but pale, and in +poor health. Still, his eyes retained all their lustre. My +affection for him was increased by a knowledge of his extreme +weakness and sufferings. He felt for me in the same manner; we saw +by how frail a tenure hung the lives of both, and that one must +speedily be the survivor. + +In a few days he became worse; I could only grieve and pray for him. +After several feverish attacks, he recovered a little, and was even +enabled to resume our conversations. What ineffable pleasure I +experienced on hearing once more the sound of his voice! "You seem +glad," he said, "but do not deceive yourself; it is but for a short +time. Have the courage to prepare for my departure, and your +virtuous resolution will inspire me also with courage!" + +At this period the walls of our prison were about to be whitewashed, +and meantime we were to take up our abode in the caverns below. +Unfortunately they placed us in dungeons apart from each other. But +Schiller told me that the Count was well; though I had my doubts, +and dreaded lest his health should receive a last blow from the +effects of his subterranean abode. If I had only had the good +fortune, thought I, to be near my friend Maroncelli; I could +distinguish his voice, however, as he sung. We spoke to each other, +spite of the shouts and conversation of the guards. At the same +period, the head physician of Brunn paid us a visit. He was sent in +consequence of the report made by the superintendent in regard to +the extreme ill health of the prisoners from the scanty allowance of +food. A scorbutic epidemic was already fast emptying the dungeons. +Not aware of the cause of his visit, I imagined that he came to see +Oroboni, and my anxiety was inexpressible; I was bowed down with +sorrow, and I too wished to die. The thought of suicide again +tormented me. I struggled, indeed; but I felt like the weary +traveller, who though compelled to press forward, feels an almost +irresistible desire to throw himself upon the ground and rest. + +I had been just informed that in one of those subterranean dens an +aged Bohemian gentleman had recently destroyed himself by beating +his head against the walls. I wish I had not heard it; for I could +not, do what I would, banish the temptation to imitate him. It was +a sort of delirium, and would most probably have ended in suicide, +had not a violent gush of blood from my chest, which made me think +that death was close at hand, relieved me. I was thankful to God +that it should happen in this manner, and spare me an act of +desperation, which my reason so strongly condemned. But Providence +ordered it otherwise; I found myself considerably better after the +discharge of blood from my lungs. Meantime, I was removed to the +prison above, and the additional light, with the vicinity of my +friend Oroboni, reconciled me to life. + + + +CHAPTER LXX. + + + +I first informed the Count of the terrific melancholy I had endured +when separated from him; and he declared he had been haunted with a +similar temptation to suicide. "Let us take advantage," he said, +"of the little time that remains for us, by mutually consoling each +other. We will speak of God; emulate each other in loving him, and +inculcate upon each other that he only is Justice, Wisdom, Goodness, +Beauty--is all which is most worthy to be reverenced and adored. I +tell you, friend, of a truth, that death is not far from me. I +shall be eternally grateful, Silvio, if you will help me, in these +my last moments, to become as religious as I ought to have been +during my whole life." + +We now, therefore, confined our conversation wholly to religious +subjects, especially to drawing parallels between the Christian +philosophy and that of mere worldly founders of the Epicurean +schools. We were both delighted to discover so strict an union +between Christianity and reason; and both, on a comparison of the +different evangelical communions, fully agreed that the catholic was +the only one which could successfully resist the test of criticism,- +-which consisted of the purest doctrines and the purest morality-- +not of those wretched extremes, the product of human ignorance. + +"And if by any unexpected accident," observed Oroboni, "we should be +restored to society, should we be so mean-spirited as to shrink from +confessing our faith in the Gospel? Should we stand firm if accused +of having changed our sentiments in consequence of prison +discipline?" + +"Your question, my dear Oroboni," I replied, "acquaints me with the +nature of your reply; it is also mine. The vilest servility is that +of being subjected to the opinions of others, when we feel a +persuasion at the same time that they are false. I cannot believe +that either you or I could be guilty of so much meanness." During +these confidential communications of our sentiments, I committed one +fault. I had pledged my honour to Julian never to reveal, by +mention of his real name, the correspondence which had passed +between us. I informed poor Oroboni of it all, observing that "it +never should escape my lips in any other place; but here we are +immured as in a tomb; and even should you get free, I know I can +confide in you as in myself." + +My excellent friend returned no answer. "Why are you silent?" I +enquired. He then seriously upbraided me for having broken my word +and betrayed my friend's secret. His reproach was just; no +friendship, however intimate, however fortified by virtue, can +authorise such a violation of confidence, guaranteed, as it had +been, by a sacred vow. + +Since, however, it was done, Oroboni was desirous of turning my +fault to a good account. He was acquainted with Julian, and related +several traits of character, highly honourable to him. "Indeed," he +added, "he has so often acted like a true Christian, that he will +never carry his enmity to such a religion to the grave with him. +Let us hope so; let us not cease to hope. And you, Silvio, try to +pardon his ill-humour from your heart; and pray for him!" His words +were held sacred by me. + + + +CHAPTER LXXI. + + + +The conversations of which I speak, sometimes with Oroboni, and +sometimes with Schiller, occupied but a small portion of the twenty- +four hours daily upon my hands. It was not always, moreover, that I +could converse with Oroboni. How was I to pass the solitary hours? +I was accustomed to rise at dawn, and mounting upon the top of my +table, I grasped the bars of my window, and there said my prayers. +The Count was already at his window, or speedily followed my +example. We saluted each other, and continued for a time in secret +prayer. Horrible as our dungeons were, they made us more truly +sensible of the beauty of the world without, and the landscape that +spread around us. The sky, the plains, the far off noise and +motions of animals in the valley, the voices of the village maidens, +the laugh, the song, had a charm for us it is difficult to express, +and made us more dearly sensible of the presence of him who is so +magnificent in his goodness, and of whom we ever stand in so much +need. + +The morning visit of the guards was devoted to an examination of my +dungeon, to see that all was in order. They felt at my chain, link +by link, to be sure that no conspiracy was at work, or rather in +obedience to the laws of discipline which bound them. If it were +the day for the doctor's visit, Schiller was accustomed to ask us if +we wished to see him, and to make a note to that effect. + +The search being over, Schiller made his appearance, accompanied by +Kunda, whose care it was to clean our rooms. Shortly after he +brought our breakfast--a little pot of hogwash, and three small +slices of coarse bread. The bread I was able to eat, but could not +contrive to drink the swill. + +It was next my business to apply to study. Maroncelli had brought a +number of books from Italy, as well as some other of our fellow- +prisoners--some more, and some less, but altogether they formed a +pretty good library. This, too, we hoped to enlarge by some +purchases; but awaited an answer from the Emperor, as to whether we +might be permitted to read them and buy others. Meantime the +governor gave us permission, PROVISIONALLY, to have each two books +at a time, and to exchange them when we pleased. About nine came +the superintendent, and if the doctor had been summoned, he +accompanied him. + +I was allowed another interval for study between this and the dinner +hour at eleven. We had then no further visits till sunset, and I +returned to my studies. Schiller and Kunda then appeared with a +change of water, and a moment afterwards, the superintendent with +the guards to make their evening inspection, never forgetting my +chain. Either before or after dinner, as best pleased the guards, +we were permitted in turn to take our hour's walk. The evening +search being over, Oroboni and I began our conversation,--always +more extended than at any other hour. The other periods were, as +related in the morning, or directly after dinner--but our words were +then generally very brief. At times the sentinels were so kind as +to say to us: "A little lower key, gentlemen, or otherwise the +punishment will fall upon us." Not unfrequently they would pretend +not to see us, and if the sergeant appeared, begged us to stop till +he were past, when they told us we might talk again--"But as low as +you possibly can, gentlemen, if you please!" + +Nay, it happened that they would quietly accost us themselves; +answer our questions, and give us some information respecting Italy. + +Touching upon some topics, they entreated of us to be silent, +refusing to give any answer. We were naturally doubtful whether +these voluntary conversations, on their part, were really sincere, +or the result of an artful attempt to pry into our secret opinions. + +I am, however, inclined to think that they meant it all in good +part, and spoke to us in perfect kindness and frankness of heart. + + + +CHAPTER LXXII. + + + +One evening the sentinels were more than usually kind and +forbearing, and poor Oroboni and I conversed without in the least +suppressing our voices. Maroncelli, in his subterraneous abode, +caught the sound, and climbing up to the window, listened and +distinguished my voice. He could not restrain his joy; but sung out +my name, with a hearty welcome. He then asked me how I was, and +expressed his regret that he had not yet been permitted to share the +same dungeon. This favour I had, in fact, already petitioned for, +but neither the superintendent nor the governor had the power of +granting it. Our united wishes upon the same point had been +represented to the Emperor, but no answer had hitherto been received +by the governor of Brunn. Besides the instance in which we saluted +each other in song, when in our subterraneous abodes, I had since +heard the songs of the heroic Maroncelli, by fits and starts, in my +dungeon above. He now raised his voice; he was no longer +interrupted, and I caught all he said. I replied, and we continued +the dialogue about a quarter of an hour. Finally, they changed the +sentinels upon the terrace, and the successors were not "of gentle +mood." Often did we recommence the song, and as often were +interrupted by furious cries, and curses, and threats, which we were +compelled to obey. + +Alas! my fancy often pictured to me the form of my friend, +languishing in that dismal abode so much worse than my own; I +thought of the bitter grief that must oppress him, and the effect +upon his health, and bemoaned his fate in silence. Tears brought me +no relief; the pains in my head returned, with acute fever. I could +no longer stand, and took to my straw bed. Convulsions came on; the +spasms in my breast were terrible. Of a truth, I believed that that +night was my last. + +The following day the fever ceased, my chest was relieved, but the +inflammation seemed to have seized my brain, and I could not move my +head without the most excruciating pain. I informed Oroboni of my +condition; and he too was even worse than usual. "My dear friend," +said he, "the day is near when one or other of us will no longer be +able to reach the window. Each time we welcome one another may be +the last. Let us hold ourselves in readiness, then, to die--yes to +die! or to survive a friend." + +His voice trembled with emotion; I could not speak a word in reply. +There was a pause, and he then resumed, "How fortunate you are in +knowing the German language! You can at least have the advantage of +a priest; I cannot obtain one acquainted with the Italian. But God +is conscious of my wishes; I made confession at Venice--and in +truth, it does not seem that I have met with anything since that +loads my conscience." + +"I, on the contrary, confessed at Venice," said I, "with my heart +full of rancour, much worse than if I had wholly refused the +sacrament. But if I could find a priest, I would now confess myself +with all my heart, and pardon everybody, I can assure you." + +"God bless you, Silvio!" he exclaimed, "you give me the greatest +consolation I can receive. Yes, yes; dear friend! let us both do +all in our power to merit a joyful meeting where we shall no more be +separated, where we shall be united in happiness, as now we are in +these last trying hours of our calamity." + +The next day I expected him as usual at the window. But he came +not, and I learnt from Schiller that he was grievously ill. In +eight or ten days he recovered, and reappeared at his accustomed +station. I complained to him bitterly, but he consoled me. A few +months passed in this strange alternation of suffering; sometimes it +was he, at others I, who was unable even to reach our window. + + + +CHAPTER LXXIII. + + + +I was enabled to keep up until the 11th of January, 1823. On that +morning, I rose with a slight pain in my head, and a strong tendency +to fainting. My legs trembled, and I could scarcely draw my breath. + +Poor Oroboni, also, had been unable to rise from his straw for +several days past. They brought me some soup, I took a spoonful, +and then fell back in a swoon. Some time afterwards the sentinel in +the gallery, happening to look through the pane of my door, saw me +lying senseless on the ground, with the pot of soup at my side; and +believing me to be dead, he called Schiller, who hastened, as well +as the superintendent, to the spot. + +The doctor was soon in attendance, and they put me on my bed. I was +restored with great difficulty. Perceiving I was in danger, the +physician ordered my irons to be taken off. He then gave me some +kind of cordial, but it would not stay on my stomach, while the pain +in my head was horrible. A report was forthwith sent to the +governor, who despatched a courier to Vienna, to ascertain in what +manner I was to be treated. The answer received, was, that I should +not be placed in the infirmary, but was to receive the same +attendance in my dungeon as was customary in the former place. The +superintendent was further authorised to supply me with soup from +his own kitchen so long as I should continue unwell. + +The last provision of the order received was wholly useless, as +neither food nor beverage would stay on my stomach. I grew worse +during a whole week, and was delirious without intermission, both +day and night. + +Kral and Kubitzky were appointed to take care of me, and both were +exceedingly attentive. Whenever I showed the least return of +reason, Kral was accustomed to say, "There! have faith in God; God +alone is good." + +"Pray for me," I stammered out, when a lucid interval first +appeared; "pray for me not to live, but that he will accept my +misfortunes and my death as an expiation." He suggested that I +should take the sacrament. + +"If I asked it not, attribute it to my poor head; it would be a +great consolation to me." + +Kral reported my words to the superintendent, and the chaplain of +the prisons came to me. I made my confession, received the +communion, and took the holy oil. The priest's name was Sturm, and +I was satisfied with him. The reflections he made upon the justice +of God, upon the injustice of man, upon the duty of forgiveness, and +upon the vanity of all earthly things, were not out of place. They +bore moreover the stamp of a dignified and well-cultivated mind as +well as an ardent feeling of true love towards God and our +neighbour. + + + +CHAPTER LXXIV. + + + +The exertion I made to receive the sacrament exhausted my remaining +strength; but it was of use, as I fell into a deep sleep, which +continued several I hours. + +On awaking I felt somewhat refreshed, and observing Schiller and +Kral near me, I took them by the hand, and thanked them for their +care. Schiller fixed his eyes on me. + +"I am accustomed," he said, "to see persons at the last, and I would +lay a wager that you will not die." + +"Are you not giving me a bad prognostic?" said I. + +"No;" he replied, "the miseries of life are great it is true; but he +who supports them with dignity and with humility must always gain +something by living." He then added, "If you live, I hope you will +some day meet with consolation you had not expected. You were +petitioning to see your friend Signor Maroncelli." + +"So many times, that I no longer hope for it." + +"Hope, hope, sir; and repeat your request." + +I did so that very day. The superintendent also gave me hopes; and +added, that probably I should not only be permitted to see him, but +that he would attend on me, and most likely become my undivided +companion. + +It appeared, that as all the state prisoners had fallen ill, the +governor had requested permission from Vienna to have them placed +two and two, in order that one might assist the other in case of +extreme need. + +I had also solicited the favour of writing to my family for the last +time. + +Towards the end of the second week, my attack reached its crisis, +and the danger was over. I had begun to sit up, when one morning my +door opened, and the superintendent, Schiller, and the doctor, all +apparently rejoicing, came into my apartment. The first ran towards +me, exclaiming, + +"We have got permission for Maroncelli to bear you company; and you +may write to your parents." + +Joy deprived me both of breath and speech, and the superintendent, +who in his kindness had not been quite prudent, believed that he had +killed me. On recovering my senses, and recollecting the good news, +I entreated not to have it delayed. The physician consented, and my +friend Maroncelli was conducted to my bedside. Oh! what a moment +was that. + +"Are you alive?" each of us exclaimed. + +"Oh, my friend, my brother--what a happy day have we lived to see! +God's name be ever blessed for it." But our joy was mingled with as +deep compassion. Maroncelli was less surprised upon seeing me, +reduced as I was, for he knew that I had been very ill, but though +aware how HE must have suffered, I could not have imagined he would +be so extremely changed. He was hardly to be recognised; his once +noble and handsome features were wholly consumed, as it were, by +grief, by continual hunger, and by the bad air of his dark, +subterranean dungeon. + +Nevertheless, to see, to hear, and to be near each other was a great +comfort. How much had we to communicate--to recollect--and to talk +over! What delight in our mutual compassion, what sympathy in all +our ideas! Then we were equally agreed upon subjects of religion; +to hate only ignorance and barbarism, but not man, not individuals, +and on the other hand to commiserate the ignorant and the barbarous, +and to pray for their improvement. + + + +CHAPTER LXXV. + + + +I was now presented with a sheet of paper and ink, in order that I +might write to my parents. + +As in point of strictness the permission was only given to a dying +man, desirous of bidding a last adieu to his family, I was +apprehensive that the letter being now of different tenour, it would +no longer be sent upon its destination. I confined myself to the +simple duty of beseeching my parents, my brothers, and my sisters, +to resign themselves without a murmur to bear the lot appointed me, +even as I myself was resigned to the will of God. + +This letter was, nevertheless, forwarded, as I subsequently learnt. +It was, in fact, the only one which, during so long protracted a +captivity, was received by my family; the rest were all detained at +Vienna. My companions in misfortune were equally cut off from all +communication with their friends and families. + +We repeatedly solicited that we might be allowed the use of pen and +paper for purposes of study, and that we might purchase books with +our own money. Neither of these petitions was granted. + +The governor, meanwhile, permitted us to read our own books among +each other. We were indebted also to his goodness for an +improvement in our diet; but it did not continue. He had consented +that we should be supplied from the kitchen of the superintendent +instead of that of the contractor; and some fund had been put apart +for that purpose. The order, however, was not confirmed; but in the +brief interval it was in force my health had greatly improved. It +was the same with Maroncelli; but for the unhappy Oroboni it came +too late. He had received for his companion the advocate Solera, +and afterwards the priest, Dr. Fortini. + +We were no sooner distributed through the different prisons than the +prohibition to appear or to converse at our windows was renewed, +with threats that, if detected, the offenders would be consigned to +utter solitude. We often, it is true, broke through this prison- +law, and saluted each other from our windows, but no longer engaged +in long conversations as we had before done. + +In point of disposition, Maroncelli and I were admirably suited to +each other. The courage of the one sustained the other; if one +became violent the other soothed him; if buried in grief or gloom, +he sought to rouse him; and one friendly smile was often enough to +mitigate the severity of our sufferings, and reconcile each other to +life. + +So long as we had books, we found them a delightful relief, not only +by reading, but by committing them to memory. We also examined, +compared, criticised, and collated, &c. We read and we reflected +great part of the day in silence, and reserved the feast of +conversation for the hours of dinner, for our walks, and the +evenings. + +While in his subterranean abode, Maroncelli had composed a variety +of poems of high merit. He recited them and produced others. Many +of these I committed to memory. It is astonishing with what +facility I was enabled, by this exercise, to repeat very extensive +compositions, to give them additional polish, and bring them to the +highest possible perfection of which they were susceptible, even had +I written them down with the utmost care. Maroncelli did the same, +and, by degrees, retained by heart many thousand lyric verses, and +epics of different kinds. It was thus, too, I composed the tragedy +of Leoniero da Dertona, and various other works. + + + +CHAPTER LXXVI. + + + +Count Oroboni, after lingering through a wretched winter and the +ensuing spring, found himself much worse during the summer. He was +seized with a spitting of blood, and a dropsy ensued. Imagine our +affliction on learning that he was dying so near us, without a +possibility of our rendering him the last sad offices, separated +only as we were by a dungeon-wall. + +Schiller brought us tidings of him. The unfortunate young Count, he +said, was in the greatest agonies, yet he retained his admirable +firmness of mind. He received the spiritual consolations of the +chaplain, who was fortunately acquainted with the French language. +He died on the 13th of June, 1823. A few hours before he expired, +he spoke of his aged father, eighty years of age, was much affected, +and shed tears. Then resuming his serenity, he said, "But why thus +lament the destiny of the most fortunate of all those so dear to me; +for HE is on the eve of rejoining me in the realms of eternal +peace?" The last words he uttered, were, "I forgive all my enemies; +I do it from my heart!" His eyes were closed by his friend, Dr. +Fortini, a most religious and amiable man, who had been intimate +with him from his childhood. Poor Oroboni! how bitterly we felt his +death when the first sad tidings reached us! Ah! we heard the +voices and the steps of those who came to remove his body! We +watched from our window the hearse, which, slow and solemnly, bore +him to that cemetery within our view. It was drawn thither by two +of the common convicts, and followed by four of the guards. We kept +our eyes fixed upon the sorrowful spectacle, without speaking a +word, till it entered the churchyard. It passed through, and +stopped at last in a corner, near a new-made grave. The ceremony +was brief; almost immediately the hearse, the convicts, and the +guards were observed to return. One of the last was Kubitzky. He +said to me, "I have marked the exact spot where he is buried, in +order that some relation or friend may be enabled some day to remove +his poor bones, and lay them in his own country. It was a noble +thought, and surprised me in a man so wholly uneducated; but I could +not speak. How often had the unhappy Count gazed from his window +upon that dreary looking cemetery, as he observed, "I must try to +get accustomed to the idea of being carried thither; yet I confess +that such an idea makes me shiver. It is strange, but I cannot help +thinking that we shall not rest so well in these foreign parts as in +our own beloved land." He would then laugh, and exclaim, "What +childishness is this! when a garment as worn out, and done with, +does it signify where we throw it aside?" At other times, he would +say, "I am continually preparing for death, but I should die more +willingly upon one condition--just to enter my father's house once +more, embrace his knees, hear his voice blessing me, and die!" He +then sighed and added, "But if this cup, my God, cannot pass from +me, may thy will be done." Upon the morning of his death he also +said, as he pressed a crucifix, which Kral brought him, to his lips; +"Thou, Lord, who wert Divine, hadst also a horror of death, and +didst say, IF IT BE POSSIBLE, LET THIS CUP PASS FREE ME, oh, pardon +if I too say it; but I will repeat also with Thee, Nevertheless, not +as I will, but as thou willest it!" + + + +CHAPTER LXXVII. + + + +After the death of Oroboni, I was again taken ill. I expected very +soon to rejoin him, and I ardently desired it. Still, I could not +have parted with Maroncelli without regret. Often, while seated on +his straw-bed, he read or recited poetry to withdraw my mind, as +well as his own, from reflecting upon our misfortunes, I gazed on +him, and thought with pain, When I am gone, when you see them +bearing me hence, when you gaze at the cemetery, you will look more +sorrowful than now. I would then offer a secret prayer that another +companion might be given him, as capable of appreciating all his +worth. + +I shall not mention how many different attacks I suffered, and with +how much difficulty I recovered from them. The assistance I +received from my friend Maroncelli, was like that of an attached +brother. When it became too great an effort for me to speak, he was +silent; he saw the exact moment when his conversation would soothe +or enliven me, he dwelt upon subjects most congenial to my feelings, +and he continued or varied them as he judged most agreeable to me. +Never did I meet with a nobler spirit; he had few equals, none, whom +I knew, superior to him. Strictly just, tolerant, truly religious, +with a remarkable confidence in human virtue, he added to these +qualities an admirable taste for the beautiful, whether in art or +nature, and a fertile imagination teeming with poetry; in short, all +those engaging dispositions of mind and heart best calculated to +endear him to me. + +Still, I could not help grieving over the fate of Oroboni while, at +the same time, I indulged the soothing reflection that he was freed +from all his sufferings, that they were rewarded with a better +world, and that in the midst of the enjoyments he had won, he must +have that of beholding me with a friend no less attached to me than +he had been himself. I felt a secret assurance that he was no +longer in a place of expiation, though I ceased not to pray for him. +I often saw him in my dreams, and he seemed to pray for me; I tried +to think that they were not mere dreams; that they were +manifestations of his blessed spirit, permitted by God for my +consolation. I should not be believed were I to describe the +excessive vividness of such dreams, if such they were, and the +delicious serenity which they left in my mind for many days after. +These, and the religious sentiments entertained by Maroncelli, with +his tried friendship, greatly alleviated my afflictions. The sole +idea which tormented me was the possibility of this excellent friend +also being snatched from me; his health having been much broken, so +as to threaten his dissolution ere my own sufferings drew to a +close. Every time he was taken ill, I trembled; and when he felt +better, it was a day of rejoicing for me. Strange, that there +should be a fearful sort of pleasure, anxious yet intense, in these +alternations of hope and dread, regarding the existence of the only +object left you on earth. Our lot was one of the most painful; yet +to esteem, to love each other as we did, was to us a little +paradise, the one green spot in the desert of our lives; it was all +we had left, and we bowed our heads in thankfulness to the Giver of +all good, while awaiting the hour of his summons. + + + +CHAPTER LXXVIII. + + + +It was now my favourite wish that the chaplain who had attended me +in my first illness, might be allowed to visit us as our confessor. +But instead of complying with our request, the governor sent us an +Augustine friar, called Father Battista, who was to confess us until +an order came from Vienna, either to confirm the choice, or to +nominate another in his place. + +I was afraid we might suffer by the change, but was deceived. +Father Battista was an excellent man, highly educated, of polished +manners, and capable of reasoning admirably, even profoundly, upon +the duties of man. We entreated him to visit us frequently; he came +once a month, and oftener when in his power to do so; he always +brought us some book or other with the governor's permission, and +informed us from the abbot that the entire library of the convent +was at our service. This was a great event for us; and we availed +ourselves of the offer during several months. + +After confession, he was accustomed to converse with us and gave +evidence of an upright and elevated mind, capable of estimating the +intrinsic dignity and sanctity of the human mind. We had the +advantage of his enlightened views, of his affection, and his +friendship for us during the space of a year. At first I confess +that I distrusted him, and imagined that we should soon discover him +putting out his feelers to induce us to make imprudent disclosures. +In a prisoner of state this sort of diffidence is but too natural; +but how great the satisfaction we experience when it disappears, and +when we acknowledge in the interpreter of God no other zeal than +that inspired by the cause of God and of humanity. + +He had a most efficacious method of administering consolation. For +instance, I accused myself of flying into a rage at the rigours +imposed upon me by the prison discipline. He discoursed upon the +virtue of suffering with resignation, and pardoning our enemies; and +depicted in lively colours the miseries of life--in ranks and +conditions opposite to my own. He had seen much of life, both in +cities and the country, known men of all grades, and deeply +reflected upon human oppression and injustice. He painted the +operation of the passions, and the habits of various social classes. +He described them to me throughout as the strong and the weak, the +oppressors and the oppressed: and the necessity we were under, +either of hating our fellow-man or loving him by a generous effort +of compassion. + +The examples he gave to show me the prevailing character of +misfortune in the mass of human beings, and the good which was to be +hence derived, had nothing singular in them; in fact they were +obvious to view; but he recounted them in language so just and +forcible, that I could not but admit the deductions he wished to +draw from them. + +The oftener he repeated his friendly reproaches, and has noble +exhortations, the more was I incited to the love of virtue; I no +longer felt capable of resentment--I could have laid down my life, +with the permission of God, for the least of my fellow-creatures, +and I yet blest His holy name for having created me--MAN! + +Wretch that he is who remains ignorant of the sublime duty of +confession! Still more wretched who, to shun the common herd, as he +believes, feels himself called upon to regard it with scorn! Is it +not a truth that even when we know what is required of us to be +good, that self-knowledge is a dead letter to us? reading and +reflection are insufficient to impel us to it; it is only the living +speech of a man gifted with power which can here be of avail. The +soul is shaken to its centre, the impressions it receives are more +profound and lasting. In the brother who speaks to you, there is a +life, and a living and breathing spirit--one which you can always +consult, and which you will vainly seek for, either in books or in +your own thoughts. + + + +CHAPTER LXXIX. + + + +In the beginning of 1824 the superintendent who had his office at +one end of our gallery, removed elsewhere, and the chambers, along +with others, were converted into additional prisons. By this, alas, +we were given to understand that other prisoners of state were +expected from Italy. + +They arrived in fact very shortly--a third special commission was at +hand--and they were all in the circle of my friends or my +acquaintance. What was my grief when I was told their names! +Borsieri was one of my oldest friends. To Confalonieri I had been +attached a less time indeed, but not the less ardently. Had it been +in my power, by taking upon myself the carcere durissimo, or any +other imaginable torment, how willingly would I have purchased their +liberation. Not only would I have laid down my life for them,--for +what is it to give one's life? I would have continued to suffer for +them. + +It was then I wished to obtain the consolations of Father Battista; +but they would not permit him to come near me. + +New orders to maintain the severest discipline were received from +Vienna. The terrace on which we walked was hedged in by stockades, +and in such a way that no one, even with the use of a telescope, +could perceive our movements. We could no longer catch the +beautiful prospect of the surrounding hills, and part of the city of +Brunn which lay below. Yet this was not enough. To reach the +terrace, we were obliged, as before stated, to traverse the +courtyard, and a number of persons could perceive us. That we might +be concealed from every human eye, we were prohibited from crossing +it, and we were confined in our walk to a small passage close to our +gallery, with a north aspect similar to that of our dungeons. + +To us such a change was a real misfortune, and it grieved us. There +were innumerable little advantages and refreshments to our worn and +wasted spirits in the walk of which we were deprived. The sight of +the superintendent's children; their smiles and caresses; the scene +where I had taken leave of their mother; the occasional chit-chat +with the old smith, who had his forge there; the joyous songs of one +of the captains accompanied by his guitar; and last not least, the +innocent badinage of a young Hungarian fruiteress--the corporal's +wife, who flirted with my companions--were among what we had lost. +She had, in fact, taken a great fancy for Maroncelli. + +Previous to his becoming my companion, he had made a little of her +acquaintance; but was so sincere, so dignified, and so simple in his +intentions as to be quite insensible of the impression he had +produced. I informed him of it, and he would not believe I was +serious, though he declared that he would take care to preserve a +greater distance. Unluckily the more he was reserved, the more did +the lady's fancy for him seemed to increase. + +It so happened that her window was scarcely above a yard higher than +the level of the terrace; and in an instant she was at our side with +the apparent intention of putting out some linen to dry, or to +perform some other household offices; but in fact to gaze at my +friend, and, if possible, enter into conversation with him. + +Our poor guards, half wearied to death for want of sleep, had, +meantime, eagerly caught at an opportunity of throwing themselves on +the grass, just in this corner, where they were no longer under the +eye of their superiors. They fell asleep; and meanwhile Maroncelli +was not a little perplexed what to do, such was the resolute +affection borne him by the fair Hungarian. I was no less puzzled; +for an affair of the kind, which, elsewhere, might have supplied +matter for some merriment, was here very serious, and might lead to +some very unpleasant result. The unhappy cause of all this had one +of those countenances which tell you at once their character--the +habit of being virtuous, and the necessity of being esteemed. She +was not beautiful, but had a remarkable expression of elegance in +her whole manner and deportment; her features, though not regular, +fascinated when she smiled, and with every change of sentiment. + +Were it my purpose to dwell upon love affairs, I should have no +little to relate respecting this virtuous but unfortunate woman--now +deceased. Enough that I have alluded to one of the few adventures +which marked my prison-hours. + + + +CHAPTER LXXX. + + + +The increasing rigour of our prison discipline rendered our lives +one unvaried scene. The whole of 1824, of 1825, of 1826, of 1827, +presented the same dull, dark aspect; and how we lived through years +like these is wonderful. We were forbidden the use of books. The +prison was one immense tomb, though without the peace and +unconsciousness of death. The director of police came every month +to institute the most strict and minute search, assisted by a +lieutenant and guards. They made us strip to the skin, examined the +seams of our garments, and ripped up the straw bundles called our +beds in pursuit of--nothing. It was a secret affair, intended to +take us by surprise, and had something about it which always +irritated me exceedingly, and left me in a violent fever. + +The preceding years had appeared to me very unhappy, yet I now +remembered them with regret. The hours were fled when I could read +my Bible, and Homer, from whom I had imbibed such a passionate +admiration of his glorious language. Oh, how it irked me to be +unable to prosecute my study of him! And there were Dante, +Petrarch, Shakespeare, Byron, Walter Scott, Schiller, Goethe, &c.-- +how many friends, how many innocent and true delights were withheld +from me. Among these I included a number of works, also, upon +Christian knowledge; those of Bourdaloue, Pascal, "The Imitation of +Christ," "The Filotea," &c., books usually read with narrow, +illiberal views by those who exult in every little defect of taste, +and at every common-place thought which impels the reader to throw +them for ever aside; but which, when perused in a true spirit free +from scandalous or malignant construction, discover a mine of deep +philosophy, and vigorous nutriment both for the intellect and the +heart. A few of certain religious books, indeed, were sent us, as a +present, by the Emperor, but with an absolute prohibition to receive +works of any other kind adapted for literary occupation. + +This imperial gift of ascetic productions arrived in 1825 by a +Dalmatian Confessor, Father Stefano Paulowich, afterwards Bishop of +Cattaro, who was purposely sent from Vienna. We were indebted to +him for performing mass, which had been before refused us, on the +plea that they could not convey us into the church and keep us +separated into two and two as the imperial law prescribed. To avoid +such infraction we now went to mass in three groups; one being +placed upon the tribune of the organ, another under the tribune, so +as not to be visible, and the third in a small oratory, from which +was a view into the church through a grating. On this occasion +Maroncelli and I had for companions six convicts, who had received +sentence before we came, but no two were allowed to speak to any +other two in the group. Two of them, I found, had been my +neighbours in the Piombi at Venice. + +We were conducted by the guards to the post assigned us, and then +brought back after mass in the same manner, each couple into their +former dungeon. A Capuchin friar came to celebrate mass; the good +man ended every rite with a "let us pray" for "liberation from +chains," and "to set the prisoner free," in a voice which trembled +with emotion. + +On leaving the altar he cast a pitying look on each of the three +groups, and bowed his head sorrowfully in secret prayer. + + + +CHAPTER LXXXI. + + + +In 1825 Schiller was pronounced past his service from infirmity and +old age; though put in guard over some other prisoners, not thought +to require equal vigilance and care. It was a trying thing to part +from him, and he felt it as well as we. Kral, a man not inferior to +him in good disposition, was at first his successor. But he too was +removed, and we had a jailer of a very harsh and distant manner, +wholly devoid of emotion, though not intrinsically bad. + +I felt grieved; Schiller, Kral, and Kubitzky, but in particular the +two former, had attended us in our extreme sufferings with the +affection of a father or a brother. Though incapable of violating +their trust, they knew how to do their duty without harshness of any +kind. If there were something hard in the forms, they took the +sting out of them as much as possible by various ingenious traits +and turns of a benevolent mind. I was sometimes angry at them, but +they took all I said in good part. They wished us to feel that they +had become attached to us; and they rejoiced when we expressed as +much, and approved of anything they did. + +From the time Schiller left us, he was frequently ill; and we +inquired after him with a sort of filial anxiety. When he +sufficiently recovered, he was in the habit of coming to walk under +our windows; we hailed him, and he would look up with a melancholy +smile, at the same time addressing the sentinels in a voice we could +overhear: "Da sind meine Sohne! there are my sons." + +Poor old man! how sorry I was to see him almost staggering along, +with the weight of increasing infirmities, so near us, and without +being enabled to offer him even my arm. + +Sometimes he would sit down upon the grass, and read. They were the +same books he had often lent me. To please me, he would repeat the +titles to the sentinels, or recite some extract from them, and then +look up at me, and nod. After several attacks of apoplexy, he was +conveyed to the military hospital, where in a brief period he died. +He left some hundreds of florins, the fruit of long savings. These +he had already lent, indeed, to such of his old military comrades as +most required them; and when he found his end approaching, he called +them all to his bedside, and said: "I have no relations left; I +wish each of you to keep what I have lent you, for my sake. I only +ask that you will pray for me." + +One of these friends had a daughter of about eighteen, and who was +Schiller's god-daughter. A few hours before his death, the good old +man sent for her. He could not speak distinctly, but he took a +silver ring from his finger, and placed it upon hers. He then +kissed her, and shed tears over her. The poor girl sobbed as if her +heart would break, for she was tenderly attached to him. He took a +handkerchief, and, as if trying to soothe her, he dried her eyes. +Lastly, he took hold of her hands, and placed them upon his eyes; +and those eyes were closed for ever. + + + +CHAPTER LXXXII. + + + +All human consolations were one by one fast deserting us, and our +sufferings still increased. I resigned myself to the will of God, +but my spirit groaned. It seemed as if my mind, instead of becoming +inured to evil, grew more keenly susceptible of pain. One day there +was secretly brought to me a page of the Augsburgh Gazette, in which +I found the strangest assertions respecting myself on occasion of +mention being made of one of my sisters retiring into a nunnery. It +stated as follows:- "The Signora Maria Angiola Pellico, daughter, +&c., took the veil (on such a day) in the monastery of the +Visitazione at Turin, &c. This lady is sister to the author of +Francesca da Rimini, Silvio Pellico, who was recently liberated from +the fortress of Spielberg, being pardoned by his Majesty, the +emperor--a trait of clemency worthy of so magnanimous a sovereign, +and a subject of gratulation to the whole of Italy, inasmuch as," +&c., &c. + +And here followed some eulogiums which I omit. I could not conceive +for what reason the hoax relating to the gracious pardon had been +invented. It seemed hardly probable it could be a mere freak of the +editor's; and was it then intended as some stroke of oblique German +policy? Who knows! However this may be, the names of Maria Angiola +were precisely those of my younger sister, and doubtless they must +have been copied from the Turin Gazette into other papers. Had that +excellent girl, then, really become a nun? Had she taken this step +in consequence of the loss of her parents? Poor Maria! she would +not permit me alone to suffer the deprivations of a prison; she too +would seclude herself from the world. May God grant her patience +and self-denial, far beyond what I have evinced; for often I know +will that angel, in her solitary cell, turn her thoughts and her +prayers towards me. Alas, it may be, she will impose on herself +some rigid penance, in the hope that God may alleviate the +sufferings of her brother! These reflections agitated me greatly, +and my heart bled. Most likely my own misfortunes had helped to +shorten the days both of my father and my mother; for, were they +living, it would be hardly possible that my Marietta would have +deserted our parental roof. At length the idea oppressed me with +the weight of absolute certainty, and I fell into a wretched and +agonised state of mind. Maroncelli was no less affected than +myself. The next day he composed a beautiful elegy upon "the sister +of the prisoner." When he had completed it, he read it to me. How +grateful was I for such a proof of his affection for me! Among the +infinite number of poems which had been written upon similar +subjects, not one, probably, had been composed in prison, for the +brother of the nun, and by his companion in captivity and chains. +What a field for pathetic and religious ideas was here, and +Maroncelli filled his lyre with wild and pathetic tones, which drew +delicious tears from my eyes. + +It was thus friendship sweetened all my woes. Seldom from that day +did I forget to turn my thoughts long and fondly to some sacred +asylum of virgin hearts, and that one beloved form did not rise +before my fancy, dressed in all that human piety and love can +picture in a brother's heart. Often did I beseech Heaven to throw a +charm round her religious solitude, and not permit that her +imagination should paint in too horrible colours the sufferings of +the sick and weary captive. + + + +CHAPTER LXXXIII. + + + +The reader must not suppose from the circumstance of my seeing the +Gazette, that I was in the habit of hearing news, or could obtain +any. No! though all the agents employed around me were kind, the +system was such as to inspire the utmost terror. If there occurred +the least clandestine proceeding, it was only when the danger was +not felt--when not the least risk appeared. The extreme rareness of +any such occurrences may be gathered from what has been stated +respecting the ordinary and extraordinary searches which took place, +morning, noon, and night, through every corner of our dungeons. + +I had never a single opportunity of receiving any notice, however +slight, regarding my family, even by secret means, beyond the +allusions in the Gazette to my sister and myself. The fears I +entertained lest my dear parents no longer survived were greatly +augmented, soon after, by the manner in which the police director +came to inform me that my relatives were well. + +"His Majesty the Emperor," he said, "commands me to communicate to +you good tidings of your relations at Turin." + +I could not express my pleasure and my surprise at this unexpected +circumstance; but I soon put a variety of questions to him as to +their health: "Left you my parents, brothers, and sisters, at +Turin? are they alive? if you have any letter from them pray let me +have it." + +"I can show you nothing. You must be satisfied. It is a mark of +the Emperor's clemency to let you know even so much. The same +favour is not shown to every one." + +"I grant it is a proof of the Emperor's kindness; but you will allow +it to be impossible for me to derive the least consolation from +information like this. Which of my relations are well? have I lost +no one?" + +"I am sorry, sir, that I cannot state more than I have been +directed." And he retired. + +It must assuredly have been intended to console me by this +indefinite allusion to my family. I felt persuaded that the Emperor +had yielded to the earnest petition of some of my relatives to +permit me to hear tidings of them, and that I was permitted to +receive no letter in order to remain in the dark as to which of my +dear family were now no more. I was the more confirmed in this +supposition from the fact of receiving a similar communication a few +months subsequently; but there was no letter, no further news. + +It was soon perceived that so far from having been productive of +satisfaction to me, such meagre tidings had thrown me into still +deeper affliction, and I heard no more of my beloved family. The +continual suspense, the distracting idea that my parents were dead, +that my brothers also might be no more, that my sister Giuseppina +was gone, and that Marietta was the sole survivor, and that in the +agony of her sorrow she had thrown herself into a convent, there to +close her unhappy days, still haunted my imagination, and completely +alienated me from life. + +Not unfrequently I had fresh attacks of the terrible disorders under +which I had before suffered, with those of a still more painful +kind, such as violent spasms of the stomach, exactly like cholera +morbus, from the effects of which I hourly expected to die. Yes! +and I fervently hoped and prayed that all might soon be over. + +At the same time, nevertheless, whenever I cast a pitying glance at +my no less weak and unfortunate companion--such is the strange +contradiction of our nature--I felt my heart inly bleed at the idea +of leaving him, a solitary prisoner, in such an abode; and again I +wished to live. + + + +CHAPTER LXXXIV. + + + +Thrice, during my incarceration at Spielberg, there arrived persons +of high rank to inspect the dungeons, and ascertain that there was +no abuse of discipline. The first visitor was the Baron Von Munch, +who, struck with compassion on seeing us so sadly deprived of light +and air, declared that he would petition in our favour, to have a +lantern placed over the outside of the pane in our dungeon doors, +through which the sentinels could at any moment perceive us. His +visit took place in 1825, and a year afterwards his humane +suggestion was put in force. By this sepulchral light we could just +catch a view of the walls, and prevent our knocking our heads in +trying to walk. The second visit was that of the Baron Von Vogel. +He found me in a lamentable state of health; and learning that the +physician had declared that coffee would be very good for me, and +that I could not obtain it, as being too great a luxury, he +interested himself for me, and my old, delightful beverage, was +ordered to be brought me. The third visit was from a lord of the +court, with whose name I am not acquainted, between fifty and sixty +years of age, and who, by his manners as well as his words, +testified the sincerest compassion for us; at the same time +lamenting that he could do nothing for us. Still, the expression of +his sympathy--for he was really affected--was something, and we were +grateful for it. + +How strange, how irresistible, is the desire of the solitary +prisoner to behold some one of his own species! It amounts almost +to a sort of instinct, as if in order to avoid insanity, and its +usual consequence, the tendency to self-destruction. The Christian +religion, so abounding in views of humanity, forgets not to +enumerate amongst its works of mercy the visiting of the prisoner. +The mere aspect of man, his look of commiseration, and his +willingness, as it were, to share with you, and bear a part of your +heavy burden, even when you know he cannot relieve you, has +something that sweetens your bitter cup. + +Perfect solitude is doubtless of advantage to some minds, but far +more so if not carried to an extreme, and relieved by some little +intercourse with society. Such at least is my constitution. If I +do not behold my fellow-men, my affections become restricted to too +confined a circle, and I begin to dislike all others; while, if I +continue in communication with an ordinary number, I learn to regard +the whole of mankind with affection. + +Innumerable times, I am sorry to confess, I have been so exclusively +occupied with a few, and so averse to the many, as to be almost +terrified at the feelings I experienced. I would then approach the +window, desirous of catching some new features, and thought myself +happy when the sentinel passed not too closely to the wall, if I got +a single glance of him, or if he lifted up his head upon hearing me +cough--more especially if he had a good-natured countenance; when he +showed the least feeling of pity, I felt a singular emotion of +pleasure, as if that unknown soldier had been one of my intimate +friends. + +If, the next time, he passed by in a manner that prevented my seeing +him, or took no notice of me, I felt as much mortified as some poor +lover, when he finds that the beloved object wholly neglects him. + + + +CHAPTER LXXXV. + + + +In the adjoining prison, once occupied by Oroboni, D. Marco Fortini +and Antonio Villa were now confined. The latter, once as strong as +Hercules, was nearly famished the first year, and when a better +allowance was granted he had wholly lost the power of digestion. He +lingered a long time, and when reduced almost to the last extremity, +he was removed into a somewhat more airy prison. The pestilential +atmosphere of these narrow receptacles, so much resembling real +tombs, was doubtless very injurious to others as well as to him. +But the remedy sought for was too late or insufficient to remove the +cause of his sufferings. He had scarcely been a month in this +spacious prison, when, in consequence of bursting several blood- +vessels, and his previously broken health, he died. + +He was attended by his fellow-prisoner, D. Fortini, and by the Abate +Paulowich, who hastened from Vienna upon hearing that he was dying. +Although I had not been on the same intimate terms with him as with +Count Oroboni, his death a good deal affected me. He had parents +and a wife, all most tenderly attached to him. HE, indeed, was more +to be envied than regretted; but, alas, for the unhappy survivors to +whom he was everything! He had, moreover, been my neighbour when +under the Piombi. Tremerello had brought me several of his poetical +pieces, and had conveyed to him some lines from me in return. There +was sometimes a depth of sentiment and pathos in his poems which +interested me. I seemed to become still more attached to him after +he was gone; learning, as I did from the guards, how dreadfully he +had suffered. It was with difficulty, though truly religious, that +he could resign himself to die. He experienced to the utmost the +horror of that final step, while he blessed the name of the Lord, +and called upon His name with tears streaming from his eyes. +"Alas," he said, "I cannot conform my will unto thine, yet how +willingly would I do it; do thou work this happy change in me!" He +did not possess the same courage as Oroboni, but followed his +example in forgiving all his enemies. + +At the close of the year (1826) we one evening heard a suppressed +noise in the gallery, as if persons were stealing along. Our +hearing had become amazingly acute in distinguishing different kinds +of noises. A door was opened; and we knew it to be that of the +advocate Solera. Another! it was that of Fortini! There followed a +whispering, but we could tell the voice of the police director, +suppressed as it was. What could it be? a search at so late an +hour! and for what reason? + +In a brief space, we heard steps again in the gallery; and ah! more +plainly we recognised the voice of our excellent Fortini: +"Unfortunate as I am! excuse it? go out! I have forgotten a volume +of my breviary!" And we then heard him run back to fetch the book +mentioned, and rejoin the police. The door of the staircase opened, +and we heard them go down. In the midst of our alarm we learnt that +our two good friends had just received a pardon; and although we +regretted we could not follow them, we rejoiced in their unexpected +good fortune. + + + +CHAPTER LXXXVI. + + + +The liberation of our two companions brought no alteration in the +discipline observed towards us. Why, we asked ourselves, were they +set at liberty, condemned as they had been, like us, the one to +twenty, the other to fifteen years' imprisonment, while no sort of +favour was shown to the rest? + +Were the suspicions against those who were still consigned to +captivity more strong, or did the disposition to pardon the whole, +at brief intervals of time, and two together, really exist? We +continued in suspense for some time. Upwards of three months +elapsed, and we heard of no fresh instances of pardon. Towards the +end of 1827, we considered that December might be fixed on as the +anniversary of some new liberations; but the month expired, and +nothing of the kind occurred. + +Still we indulged the expectation until the summer of 1828, when I +had gone through seven years and a half of my punishment-- +equivalent, according to the Emperor's declaration, to the fifteen, +if the infliction of it were to be dated from the term of my arrest. +If, on the other hand, it were to be calculated, not from the period +of my trial, as was most probable, but from that of the publication +of my sentence, the seven years and a half would only be completed +in 1829. + +Yet all these periods passed over, and there was no appearance of a +remittance of punishment. Meantime, even before the liberation of +Solera and Fortini, Maroncelli was ill with a bad tumour upon his +knee. At first the pain was not great, and he only limped as he +walked. It then grew very irksome to him to bear his irons, and he +rarely went out to walk. One autumnal morning he was desirous of +breathing the fresh air; there was a fall of snow, and unfortunately +in walking his leg failed him, and he came to the ground. This +accident was followed by acute pain in his knee. He was carried to +his bed; for he was no longer able to remain in an upright position. +When the physician came, he ordered his irons to be taken off; but +the swelling increased to an enormous size, and became more painful +every day. Such at length were the sufferings of my unhappy friend, +that he could obtain no rest either in bed or out of it. When +compelled to move about, to rise or to lie down, it was necessary to +take hold of the bad leg and carry it as he went with the utmost +care; and the most trifling motion brought on the most severe pangs. +Leaches, baths, caustics, and fomentations of different kinds, were +all found ineffectual, and seemed only to aggravate his torments. +After the use of caustics, suppuration followed; the tumour broke +out into wounds, but even these failed to bring relief to the +suffering patient. + +Maroncelli was thus far more unfortunate than myself, although my +sympathy for him caused me real pain and suffering, I was glad, +however, to be near him, to attend to all his wants, and to perform +all the duties of a brother and a friend. It soon became evident +that his leg would never heal: he considered his death as near at +hand, and yet he lost nothing of his admirable calmness or his +courage. The sight of his sufferings at last was almost more than I +could bear. + + + +CHAPTER LXXXVII. + + + +Still, in this deplorable condition, he continued to compose verses, +he sang, and he conversed; and all this he did to encourage me, by +disguising from me a part of what he suffered. He lost his powers +of digestion, he could not sleep, was reduced to a skeleton, and +very frequently swooned away. Yet the moment he was restored he +rallied his spirits, and, smiling, bade me be not afraid. It is +indescribable what he suffered during many months. At length a +consultation was to be held; the head physician was called in, +approved of all his colleague had done, and, without expressing a +decisive opinion, took his leave. A few minutes after, the +superintendent entered, and addressing Maroncelli, + +"The head physician did not venture to express his real opinion in +your presence; he feared you would not have fortitude to bear so +terrible an announcement. I have assured him, however, that you are +possessed of courage." + +"I hope," replied Maroncelli, "that I have given some proof of it in +bearing this dreadful torture without howling out. Is there +anything he would propose?" + +"Yes, sir, the amputation of the limb: only perceiving how much +your constitution is broken down, he hesitates to advise you. Weak +as you are, could you support the operation? will you run the risk-- +" + +"Of dying? and shall I not equally die if I go on, without ending +this diabolical torture?" + +"We will send off an account, then, direct to Vienna, soliciting +permission, and the moment it comes you shall have your leg cut +off." + +"What! does it require a PERMIT for this?" + +"Assuredly, sir," was the reply. + +In about a week a courier arrived from Vienna with the expected +news. + +My sick friend was carried from his dungeon into a larger room, for +permission to have his leg cut off had just arrived. He begged me +to follow him: "I may die under the knife, and I should wish, in +that case, to expire in your arms." I promised, and was permitted +to accompany him. The sacrament was first administered to the +unhappy prisoner, and we then quietly awaited the arrival of the +surgeons. Maroncelli filled up the interval by singing a hymn. At +length they came; one was an able surgeon, to superintend the +operation, from Vienna; but it was the privilege of our ordinary +prison apothecary, and he would not yield to the man of science, who +must be contented to look on. The patient was placed on the side of +a couch; with his leg down, while I supported him in my arms. It +was to be cut above the knee; first, an incision was made, the depth +of an inch--then through the muscles--and the blood flowed in +torrents: the arteries were next taken up with ligatures, one by +one. Next came the saw. This lasted some time, but Maroncelli +never uttered a cry. When he saw them carrying his leg away, he +cast on it one melancholy look, then turning towards the surgeon, he +said, "You have freed me from an enemy, and I have no money to give +you." He saw a rose, in a glass, placed in a window: "May I beg of +you to bring me hither that flower?" I brought it to him; and he +then offered it to the surgeon with an indescribable air of good- +nature: "See, I have nothing else to give you in token of my +gratitude." He took it as it was meant, and even wiped away a tear. + + + +CHAPTER LXXXVIII. + + + +The surgeons had supposed that the hospital of Spielberg would +provide all that was requisite except the instruments, which they +brought with them. But after the amputation, it was found that a +number of things were wanting; such as linen, ice, bandages, &c. My +poor friend was thus compelled to wait two hours before these +articles were brought from the city. At length he was laid upon his +bed, and the ice applied to the trunk of the bleeding thigh. Next +day it was dressed; but the patient was allowed to take no +nourishment beyond a little broth, with an egg. When the risk of +fever was over, he was permitted the use of restoratives; and an +order from the Emperor directed that he should be supplied from the +table of the superintendent till he was better. + +The cure was completed in about forty days, after which we were +conducted into our dungeon. This had been enlarged for us; that is, +an opening was made in the wall so as to unite our old den to that +once occupied by Oroboni, and subsequently by Villa. I placed my +bed exactly in the same spot where Oroboni had died, and derived a +mournful pleasure from thus approaching my friend, as it were, as +nearly as possible. It appeared as if his spirit still hovered +round me, and consoled me with manifestations of more than earthly +love. + +The horrible sight of Maroncelli's sufferings, both before and +subsequently to the amputation of his leg, had done much to +strengthen my mind. During the whole period, my health had enabled +me to attend upon him, and I was grateful to God; but from the +moment my friend assumed his crutches, and could supply his own +wants, I began daily to decline. I suffered extremely from +glandular swellings, and those were followed by pains of the chest, +more oppressive than I had before experienced, attended with +dizziness and spasmodic dysentery. "It is my turn now," thought I; +"shall I show less patience than my companion?" + +Every condition of life has its duties; and those of the sick +consist of patience, courage, and continual efforts to appear not +unamiable to the persons who surround them. Maroncelli, on his +crutches, no longer possessed the same activity, and was fearful of +not doing everything for me of which I stood in need. It was in +fact the case, but I did all to prevent his being made sensible of +it. Even when he had recovered his strength he laboured under many +inconveniences. He complained, like most others after a similar +operation, of acute pains in the nerves, and imagined that the part +removed was still with him. Sometimes it was the toe, sometimes the +leg, and at others the knee of the amputated limb which caused him +to cry out. The bone, moreover, had been badly sawed, and pushed +through the newly-formed flesh, producing frequent wounds. It +required more than a year to bring the stump to a good state, when +at length it hardened and broke out no more. + + + +CHAPTER LXXXIX. + + + +New evils, however, soon assailed my unhappy friend. One of the +arteries, beginning at the joints of the hand, began to pain him, +extending to other parts of his body; and then turned into a +scorbutic sore. His whole person became covered with livid spots, +presenting a frightful spectacle. I tried to reconcile myself to +it, by considering that since it appeared we were to die here, it +was better that one of us should be seized with the scurvy; it is a +contagious disease, and must carry us off either together, or at a +short interval from each other. We both prepared ourselves for +death, and were perfectly tranquil. Nine years' imprisonment, and +the grievous sufferings we had undergone, had at length familiarised +us to the idea of the dissolution of two bodies so totally broken +and in need of peace. It was time the scene should close, and we +confided in the goodness of God, that we should be reunited in a +place where the passions of men should cease, and where, we prayed, +in spirit and in truth, that those who DID NOT LOVE US might meet us +in peace, in a kingdom where only one Master, the supreme King of +kings, reigned for evermore. + +This malignant distemper had destroyed numbers of prisoners during +the preceding years. The governor, upon learning that Maroncelli +had been attacked by it, agreed with the physician, that the sole +hope of remedy was in the fresh air. They were afraid of its +spreading; and Maroncelli was ordered to be as little as possible +within his dungeon. Being his companion, and also unwell, I was +permitted the same privilege. We were permitted to be in the open +air the whole time the other prisoners were absent from the walk, +during two hours early in the morning, during the dinner, if we +preferred it, and three hours in the evening, even after sunset. + +There was one other unhappy patient, about seventy years of age, and +in extremely bad health, who was permitted to bear us company. His +name was Constantino Munari; he was of an amiable disposition, +greatly attached to literature and philosophy, and agreeable in +conversation. + +Calculating my imprisonment, not from my arrest, but from the period +of receiving my sentence, I had been seven years and a half (in the +year 1829), according to the imperial decree, in different dungeons; +and about nine from the day of my arrest. But this term, like the +other, passed over, and there was no sign of remitting my +punishment. + +Up to the half of the whole term, my friend Maroncelli, Munari, and +I had indulged the idea of a possibility of seeing once more our +native land and our relations; and we frequently conversed with the +warmest hopes and feelings upon the subject. August, September, and +the whole of that year elapsed, and then we began to despair; +nothing remained to relieve our destiny but our unaltered attachment +for each other, and the support of religion, to enable us to close +our latter prison hours with becoming dignity and resignation. It +was then we felt the full value of friendship and religion, which +threw a charm even over the darkness of our lot. Human hopes and +promises had failed us; but God never forsakes the mourners and the +captives who truly love and fear Him. + + + +CHAPTER XC. + + + +After the death of Villa, the Abate Wrba was appointed our +confessor, on occasion of the Abate Paulowich receiving a bishopric. +He was a Moravian, professor of the gospel at Brunn, and an able +pupil of the Sublime Institute of Vienna. This was founded by the +celebrated Frinl, then chaplain to the court. The members of the +congregation are all priests, who, though already masters of +theology, prosecute their studies under the Institution with the +severest discipline. The views of the founder were admirable, being +directed to the continual and general dissemination of true and +profound science, among the Catholic clergy of Germany. His plans +were for the most part successful, and are yet in extensive +operation. + +Being resident at Brunn, Wrba could devote more of his time to our +society than Paulowich. He was a second father Battista, with the +exception that he was not permitted to lend us any books. We held +long discussions, from which I reaped great advantage, and real +consolation. He was taken ill in 1829, and being subsequently +called to other duties, he was unable to visit us more. We were +much hurt, but we obtained as his successor the Abate Ziak, another +learned and worthy divine. Indeed, among the whole German +ecclesiastics we met with, not one showed the least disposition to +pry into our political sentiments; not one but was worthy of the +holy task he had undertaken, and imbued at once with the most +edifying faith and enlarged wisdom. + +They were all highly respectable, and inspired us with respect for +the general Catholic clergy. + +The Abate Ziak, both by precept and example, taught me to support my +sufferings with calmness and resignation. He was afflicted with +continual defluxions in his teeth, his throat, and his ears, and +was, nevertheless, always calm and cheerful. + +Maroncelli derived great benefit from exercise and open air; the +eruptions, by degrees, disappeared; and both Munari and myself +experienced equal advantage. + + + +CHAPTER XCI. + + + +It was the first of August, 1830. Ten years had elapsed since I was +deprived of my liberty: for eight years and a half I had been +subjected to hard imprisonment. It was Sunday, and, as on other +holidays, we went to our accustomed station, whence we had a view +from the wall of the valley and the cemetery below, where Oroboni +and Villa now reposed. We conversed upon the subject, and the +probability of our soon sharing their untroubled sleep. We had +seated ourselves upon our accustomed bench, and watched the unhappy +prisoners as they came forth and passed to hear mass, which was +performed before our own. They were women, and were conducted into +the same little chapel to which we resorted at the second mass. + +It is customary with the Germans to sing hymns aloud during the +celebration of mass. As the Austrian empire is composed partly of +Germans and partly of Sclavonians, and the greater part of the +prisoners at Spielberg consist of one or other of these people, the +hymns are alternately sung in the German and the Sclavonian +languages. Every festival, two sermons are preached, and the same +division observed. It was truly delightful to us to hear the +singing of the hymns, and the music of the organ which accompanied +it. The voices of some of these women touched us to the heart. +Unhappy ones! some of them were very young; whom love, or jealousy, +or bad example, had betrayed into crime. I often think I can still +hear their fervidly devotional hymn of the sanctus--Heilig! heilig! +heilig!--Holy of holies; and the tears would start into my eyes. At +ten o'clock the women used to withdraw, and we entered to hear mass. +There I saw those of my companions in misfortune, who listened to +the service from the tribune of the organ, and from whom we were +separated only by a single grate, whose pale features and emaciated +bodies, scarcely capable of dragging their irons, bore witness to +their woes. + +After mass we were conveyed back to our dungeons. About a quarter +of an hour afterwards we partook of dinner. We were preparing our +table, which consisted in putting a thin board upon a wooden target, +and taking up our wooden spoons, when Signor Wagrath, the +superintendent, entered our prison. "I am sorry to disturb you at +dinner; but have the goodness to follow me; the Director of Police +is waiting for us." As he was accustomed to come near us only for +purposes of examination and search, we accompanied the +superintendent to the audience room in no very good humour. There +we found the Director of Police and the superintendent, the first of +whom moved to us with rather more politeness than usual. He took +out a letter, and stated in a hesitating, slow tone of voice, as if +afraid of surprising us too greatly: "Gentlemen, . . . I have . . . +the pleasure . . . the honour, I mean . . . of . . . of acquainting +you that his Majesty the Emperor has granted you a further favour." +Still he hesitated to inform us what this favour was; and we +conjectured it must be some slight alleviation, some exemption from +irksome labour,--to have a book, or, perhaps, less disagreeable +diet. "Don't you understand?" he inquired. "No, sir!" was our +reply; "have the goodness, if permitted, to explain yourself more +fully." + +"Then hear it! it is liberty for your two selves, and a third, who +will shortly bear you company." + +One would imagine that such an announcement would have thrown us +into ecstasies of joy. We were so soon to see our parents, of whom +we had not heard for so long a period; but the doubt that they were +no longer in existence, was sufficient not only to moderate--it did +not permit us to hail, the joys of liberty as we should have done. + +"Are you dumb?" asked the director; "I thought to see you exulting +at the news." + +"May I beg you," replied I, "to make known to the Emperor our +sentiments of gratitude; but if we are not favoured with some +account of our families, it is impossible not to indulge in the +greatest fear and anxiety. It is this consciousness which destroys +the zest of all our joy." + +He then gave Maroncelli a letter from his brother, which greatly +consoled him. But he told me there was no account of my family, +which made me the more fear that some calamity had befallen them. + +"Now, retire to your apartments, and I will send you a third +companion, who has received pardon." + +We went, and awaited his arrival anxiously; wishing that all had +alike been admitted to the same act of grace, instead of that single +one. Was it poor old Munari? was it such, or such a one? Thus we +went on guessing at every one we knew; when suddenly the door +opened, and Signor Andrea Torrelli, of Brescia, made his appearance. +We embraced him; and we could eat no more dinner that day. We +conversed till towards evening, chiefly regretting the lot of the +unhappy friends whom we were leaving behind us. + +After sunset, the Director of Police returned to escort us from our +wretched prison house. Our hearts, however, bled within us, as we +were passing by the dungeons of so many of our countrymen whom we +loved, and yet, alas, not to have them to share our liberty! Heaven +knows how long they would be left to linger here! to become the +gradual, but certain, prey of death. + +We were each of us enveloped in a military great-coat, with a cap; +and then, dressed as we were in our jail costume, but freed from our +chains, we descended the funereal mount, and were conducted through +the city into the police prisons. + +It was a beautiful moonlight night. The roads, the houses, the +people whom we met--every object appeared so strange, and yet so +delightful, after the many years during which I had been debarred +from beholding any similar spectacle! + + + +CHAPTER XCII. + + + +We remained at the police prisons, awaiting the arrival of the +imperial commissioner from Vienna, who was to accompany us to the +confines of Italy. Meantime, we were engaged in providing ourselves +with linen and trunks, our own having all been sold, and defraying +our prison expenses. + +Five days afterwards, the commissary was announced, and the director +consigned us over to him, delivering, at the same time, the money +which we had brought with us to Spielberg, and the amount derived +from the sale of our trunks and books, both which were restored to +us on reaching our destination. + +The expense of our journey was defrayed by the Emperor, and in a +liberal manner. The commissary was Herr Von Noe, a gentleman +employed in the office of the minister of police. The charge could +not have been intrusted to a person every way more competent, as +well from education as from habit; and he treated us with the +greatest respect. + +I left Brunn, labouring under extreme difficulty of breathing; and +the motion of the carriage increased it to such a degree, that it +was expected I should hardly survive during the evening. I was in a +high fever the whole of the night; and the commissary was doubtful +whether I should be able to continue my journey even as far as +Vienna. I begged to go on; and we did so, but my sufferings were +excessive. I could neither eat, drink, nor sleep. + +I reached Vienna more dead than alive. We were well accommodated at +the general directory of police. I was placed in bed, a physician +called in, and after being bled, I found myself sensibly relieved. +By means of strict diet, and the use of digitalis, I recovered in +about eight days. My physician's name was Singer; and he devoted +the most friendly attentions to me. + +I had become extremely anxious to set out; the more so from an +account of the THREE DAYS having arrived from Paris. The Emperor +had fixed the day of our liberation exactly on that when the +revolution burst forth; and surely he would not now revoke it. Yet +the thing was not improbable; a critical period appeared to be at +hand, popular commotions were apprehended in Italy, and though we +could not imagine we should be remanded to Spielberg, should we be +permitted to return to our native country? + +I affected to be stronger than I really was, and entreated we might +be allowed to resume our journey. It was my wish, meantime, to be +presented to his Excellency the Count Pralormo, envoy from Turin to +the Austrian Court, to whom I was aware how much I had been +indebted. He had left no means untried to procure my liberation; +but the rule that we were to hold no communication with any one +admitted of no exception. When sufficiently convalescent, a +carriage was politely ordered for me, in which I might take an +airing in the city; but accompanied by the commissary, and no other +company. We went to see the noble church of St. Stephen, the +delightful walks in the environs, the neighbouring Villa +Lichtenstein, and lastly the imperial residence of Schoenbrunn. + +While proceeding through the magnificent walks in the gardens, the +Emperor approached, and the commissary hastily made us retire, lest +the sight of our emaciated persons should give him pain. + + + +CHAPTER XCIII. + + + +We at length took our departure from Vienna, and I was enabled to +reach Bruck. There my asthma returned with redoubled violence. A +physician was called--Herr Judmann, a man of pleasing manners. He +bled me, ordered me to keep my bed, and to continue the digitalis. +At the end of two days I renewed my solicitations to continue our +journey. + +We proceeded through Austria and Stiria, and entered Carinthia +without any accident; but on our arrival at the village of +Feldkirchen, a little way from Klagenfurt, we were overtaken by a +counter order from Vienna. We were to stop till we received farther +directions. I leave the reader to imagine what our feelings must +have been on this occasion. I had, moreover, the pain to reflect, +that it would be owing to my illness if my two friends should now be +prevented from reaching their native land. We remained five days at +Feldkirchen, where the commissary did all in his power to keep up +our spirits. He took us to the theatre to see a comedy, and +permitted us one day to enjoy the chase. Our host and several young +men of the country, along with the proprietor of a fine forest, were +the hunters, and we were brought into a station favourable for +commanding a view of the sports. + +At length there arrived a courier from Vienna, with a fresh order +for the commissary to resume his journey with us to the place first +appointed. We congratulated each other, but my anxiety was still +great, as I approached the hour when my hopes or fears respecting my +family would be verified. How many of my relatives and friends +might have disappeared during my ten years' absence! + +The entrance into Italy on that side is not pleasing to the eye; you +descend from the noble mountains of Germany into the Italian plains, +through a long and sterile district, insomuch that travellers who +have formed a magnificent idea of our country, begin to laugh, and +imagine they have been purposely deluded with previous accounts of +La Bella Italia. + +The dismal view of that rude district served to make me more +sorrowful. To see my native sky, to meet human features no more +belonging to the north, to hear my native tongue from every lip +affected me exceedingly; and I felt more inclined to tears than to +exultation. I threw myself back in the carriage, pretending to +sleep; but covered my face and wept. That night I scarcely closed +my eyes; my fever was high, my whole soul seemed absorbed in +offering up vows for my sweet Italy, and grateful prayers to +Providence for having restored to her her captive son. Then I +thought of my speedy separation from a companion with whom I had so +long suffered, and who had given me so many proofs of more than +fraternal affection, and I tortured my imagination with the idea of +a thousand disasters which might have befallen my family. Not even +so many years of captivity had deadened the energy and +susceptibility of my feelings! but it was a susceptibility only to +pain and sorrow. + +I felt, too, on my return, a strange desire to visit Udine, and the +lodging-house, where our two generous friends had assumed the +character of waiters, and secretly stretched out to us the hand of +friendship. But we passed that town to our left, and passed on our +way. + + + +CHAPTER XCIV. + + + +Pordenone, Conegliano, Ospedaletto, Vicenza, Verona, and Mantua, +were all places which interested my feelings. In the first resided +one of my friends, an excellent young man, who had survived the +campaigns of Russia; Conegliano was the district whither, I was told +by the under-jailers, poor Angiola had been conducted; and in +Ospedaletto there had married and resided a young lady, who had more +of the angel than the woman, and who, though now no more, I had +every reason to remember with the highest respect. The whole of +these places, in short, revived recollections more or less dear; and +Mantua more than any other city. It appeared only yesterday that I +had come with Lodovico in 1815, and paid another visit with Count +Porro in 1820. The same roads, the same squares, the same palaces, +and yet such a change in all social relations! So many of my +connections snatched away for ever--so many exiled--one generation, +I had beheld when infants, started up into manhood. Yet how painful +not to be allowed to call at a single house, or to accost a single +person we met. + +To complete my misery, Mantua was the point of separation between +Maroncelli and myself. We passed the night there, both filled with +forebodings and regret. I felt agitated like a man on the eve of +receiving his sentence. + +The next morning I rose, and washed my face, in order to conceal +from my friend how much I had given way to grief during the +preceding night. I looked at myself in the glass, and tried to +assume a quiet and even cheerful air. I then bent down in prayer, +though ill able to command my thoughts; and hearing Maroncelli +already upon his crutches, and speaking to the servant, I hastened +to embrace him. We had both prepared ourselves, with previous +exertions, for this closing interview, and we spoke to each other +firmly, as well as affectionately. The officer appointed to conduct +us to the borders of Romagna appeared; it was time to set out; we +hardly knew how to speak another word; we grasped each other's hands +again and again,--we parted; he mounted into his vehicle, and I felt +as if I had been annihilated at a blow. I returned into my chamber, +threw myself upon my knees, and prayed for my poor mutilated friend, +thus separated from me, with sighs and tears. + +I had known several celebrated men, but not one more affectionately +sociable than Maroncelli; not one better educated in all respects, +more free from sudden passion or ill-humour, more deeply sensible +that virtue consists in continued exercises of tolerance, of +generosity, and good sense. Heaven bless you, my dear companion in +so many afflictions, and send you new friends who may equal me in my +affection for you, and surpass me in true goodness. + + + +CHAPTER XCV. + + + +I set out the same evening for Brescia. There I took leave of my +other fellow-prisoner, Andrea Torrelli. The unhappy man had just +heard that he had lost his mother, and the bitterness of his grief +wrung my heart; yet, agonised as were my feelings from so many +different causes, I could not help laughing at the following +incident. + +Upon the table of our lodging-house I found the following theatrical +announcement:- Francesca da Rimini; Opera da Musica, &c. "Whose +work is this?" I inquired of the waiter. + +"Who versified it, and composed the music, I cannot tell, but it is +the Francesca da Rimini which everybody knows." + +"Everybody! you must be wrong there. I come from Germany, yet what +do I know of your Francescas?" The waiter was a young man with +rather a satirical cast of face, quite Brescian; and he looked at me +with a contemptuous sort of pity. "What should you know, indeed, of +our Francescas? why, no, sir, it is only ONE we speak of--Francesca +des Rimini, to be sure, sir; I mean the tragedy of Signor Silvio +Pellico. They have here turned it into an opera, spoiling it a +little, no doubt, but still it is always Pellico." + +"Ah, Silvio Pellico! I think I have heard his name. Is it not that +same evil-minded conspirator who was condemned to death, and his +sentence was changed to hard imprisonment, some eight or ten years +ago?" + +I should never have hazarded such a jest. He looked round him, +fixed his eyes on me, showed a fine set of teeth, with no amiable +intention; and I believe he would have knocked me down, had he not +heard a noise close by us. + +He went away muttering: "Ill-minded conspirator, indeed!" But +before I left, he had found me out. He was half out of his wits; he +could neither question, nor answer, nor write, nor walk, nor wait. +He had his eyes continually upon me, he rubbed his hands, and +addressing himself to every one near him; "Sior si, Sior si; Yes, +sir! Yes, sir!" he kept stammering out, "coming! coming!" + +Two days afterwards, on the 9th of September, I arrived with the +commissary at Milan. On approaching the city, on seeing the cupola +of the cathedral, in repassing the walk by Loretto, so well known, +and so dear, on recognising the corso, the buildings, churches, and +public places of every kind, what were my mingled feelings of +pleasure and regret! I felt an intense desire to stop, and embrace +once more my beloved friends. I reflected with bitter grief on +those, whom, instead of meeting here, I had left in the horrible +abode of Spielberg,--on those who were wandering in strange lands,-- +on those who were no more. I thought, too, with gratitude upon the +affection shown me by the people; their indignation against all +those who had calumniated me, while they had uniformly been the +objects of my benevolence and esteem. + +We went to take up our quarters at the Bella Venezia. It was here I +had so often been present at our social meetings; here I had called +upon so many distinguished foreigners; here a respectable, elderly +Signora invited me in vain to follow her into Tuscany, foreseeing, +she said, the misfortunes that would befall me if I remained at +Milan. What affecting recollections! How rapidly past times came +thronging over my memory, fraught with joy and grief! + +The waiters at the hotel soon discovered who I was. The report +spread, and towards evening a number of persons stopped in the +square, and looked up at the windows. One, whose name I did not +know, appeared to recognise me, and raising both his arms, made a +sign of embracing me, as a welcome back to Italy. + +And where were the sons of Porro; I may say my own sons? Why did I +not see them there? + + + +CHAPTER XCVI. + + + +The commissary conducted me to the police, in order to present me to +the director. What were my sensations upon recognising the house! +it was my first prison. It was then I thought with pain of +Melchiorre Gioja, on the rapid steps with which I had seen him +pacing within those narrow walls, or sitting at his little table, +recording his noble thoughts, or making signals to me; and his last +look of sorrow, when forbidden longer to communicate with me. I +pictured to myself his solitary grave, unknown to all who had so +ardently loved him, and, while invoking peace to his gentle spirit, +I wept. + +Here, too, I called to mind the little dumb boy, the pathetic tones +of Maddalene, my strange emotions of compassion for her, my +neighbours the robbers, the assumed Louis XVII., and the poor +prisoner who had carried the fatal letter, and whose cries under the +infliction of the bastinado, had reached me. + +These and other recollections appeared with all the vividness of +some horrible dream; but most of all, I felt those two visits which +my father had made me ten years before, when I last saw him. How +the good old man had deceived himself in the expectation that I +should so soon rejoin him at Turin! Could he then have borne the +idea of a son's ten years' captivity, and in such a prison? But +when these flattering hopes vanished, did he, and did my mother bear +up against so unexpected a calamity? was I ever to see them again in +this world? Had one, or which of them, died during the cruel +interval that ensued? + +Such was the suspense, the distracting doubt which yet clung to me. +I was about to knock at the door of my home without knowing if they +were in existence, or what other members of my beloved family were +left me. + +The director of police received me in a friendly manner. He +permitted me to stay at the Bella Venezia with the imperial +commissary, though I was not permitted to communicate with any one, +and for this reason I determined to resume my journey the following +morning. I obtained an interview, however, with the Piedmontese +consul, to learn if possible some account of my relatives. I should +have waited on him, but being attacked with fever, and compelled to +keep my bed, I sent to beg the favour of his visiting me. He had +the kindness to come immediately, and I felt truly grateful to him. + +He gave me a favourable account of my father, and of my eldest +brother. Respecting my mother, however, my other brother, and my +two sisters, I could learn nothing. + +Thus in part comforted, I could have wished to prolong the +conversation with the consul, and he would willingly have gratified +me had not his duties called him away. After he left me, I was +extremely affected, but, as had so often happened, no tears came to +give me relief. The habit of long, internal grief, seemed yet to +prey upon my heart; to weep would have alleviated the fever which +consumed me, and distracted my head with pain. + +I called to Stundberger for something to drink. That good man was a +sergeant of police at Vienna, though now filling the office of +valet-de-chambre to the commissary. But though not old, I perceived +that his hand trembled in giving me the drink. This circumstance +reminded me of Schiller, my beloved Schiller, when, on the day of my +arrival at Spielberg, I ordered him, in an imperious tone, to hand +me the jug of water, and he obeyed me. + +How strange it was! The recollection of this, added to other +feelings of the kind, struck, as it were, the rock of my heart, and +tears began to flow. + + + +CHAPTER XCVII. + + + +The morning of the 10th of September, I took leave of the excellent +commissary, and set out. We had only been acquainted with each +other for about a month, and yet he was as friendly as if he had +known me for years. His noble and upright mind was above all +artifice, or desire of penetrating the opinions of others, not from +any want of intelligence, but a love of that dignified simplicity +which animates all honest men. + +It sometimes happened during our journey that I was accosted by some +one or other when unobserved, in places where we stopped. "Take +care of that ANGEL KEEPER of yours; if he did not belong to those +neri (blacks), they would not have put him over you." + +"There you are deceived," said I; "I have the greatest reason to +believe that you are deceived." + +"The most cunning," was the reply, "can always contrive to appear +the most simple." + +"If it were so, we ought never to give credit to the least goodness +in any one." + +"Yes, there are certain social stations," he replied, "in which +men's manners may appear to great advantage by means of education; +but as to virtue, they have none of it." + +I could only answer, "You exaggerate, sir, you exaggerate." + +"I am only consistent," he insisted. We were here interrupted, and +I called to mind the cave a censequentariis of Leibnitz. + +Too many are inclined to adopt this false and terrible doctrine. I +follow the standard A, that is JUSTICE. Another follows standard B; +it must therefore be that of INJUSTICE, and, consequently, he must +be a villain! + +Give ME none of your logical madness; whatever standard you adopt, +do not reason so inhumanly. Consider, that by assuming what data +you please, and proceeding with the most violent stretch of rigour +from one consequence to another, it is easy for any one to come to +the conclusion that, "Beyond we four, all the rest of the world +deserve to be burnt alive." And if we are at the pains of +investigating a little further, we shall find each of the four +crying out, "All deserve to be burnt alive together, with the +exception of I myself." + +This vulgar tenet of exclusiveness is in the highest degree +unphilosophical. A moderate degree of suspicion is wise, but when +urged to the extreme, it is the opposite. + +After the hint thus thrown out to me respecting that angelo custode, +I turned to study him with greater attention than I had before done; +and each day served to convince me more and more of his friendly and +generous nature. + +When an order of society, more or less perfect, has been +established, whether for better or worse, all the social offices, +not pronounced by general consent to be infamous, all that are +adapted to promote the public good, and the confidence of a +respectable number, and which are filled by men acknowledged to be +of upright mind, such offices may undeniably be undertaken by honest +men without incurring any charge of unconscientiousness. + +I have read of a Quaker who had a great horror of soldiers. He one +day saw a soldier throw himself into the Thames, and save the life +of a fellow-being who was drowning. "I don't care," he exclaimed, +"I will still be a Quaker, but there are some good fellows, even +among soldiers." + + + +CHAPTER XCVIII. + + + +Stundberger accompanied me to my vehicle, into which I got with the +brigadier of gens d'armes, to whose care I was entrusted. It was +snowing, and the cold was excessive. + +"Wrap yourself well up in your cloak," said Stundberger; "cover your +head better, and contrive to reach home as little unwell as you can; +remember, that a very little thing will give you cold just now. I +wish it had been in my power to go on and attend you as far as +Turin." He said this in a tone of voice so truly cordial and +affectionate that I could not doubt its sincerity. + +"From this time you will have no German near you," he added; "you +will no longer hear our language spoken, and little, I dare say, +will you care for that; the Italians find it very harsh. Besides, +you have suffered so greatly among us, that most probably you will +not like to remember us; yet, though you will so soon forget my very +name, I shall not cease, sir, to offer up prayers for your safety." + +"I shall do the same for you," I replied; as I shook his hand for +the last time. + +"Guten morgen! guten morgen! gute raise! leben sie wohl!"--farewell; +a pleasant journey! good morning he continued to repeat; and the +sounds were to me as sweat as if they had been pronounced in my +native tongue. + +I am passionately attached to my country, but I do not dislike any +other nation. Civilisation, wealth, power, glory, are differently +apportioned among different people; but in all there are minds +obedient to the great vocation of man,--to love, to pity, and to +assist each other. + +The brigadier who attended me, informed me that he was one of those +who arrested Confalonieri. He told me how the unhappy man had tried +to make his escape; how he had been baffled, and how he had been +torn from the arms of his distracted wife, while they both at the +same time submitted to the calamity with dignity and resignation. + +The horrible narrative increased my fear; a hand of iron seemed to +be weighing upon my heart. The good man, in his desire of showing +his sociality, and entertaining me with his remarks, was not aware +of the horror he excited in me when I cast my eye on those hands +which had seized the person of my unfortunate friend. + +He ordered luncheon at Buffalora, but I was unable to taste +anything. Many years back, when I was spending my time at Arluno, +with the sons of Count Porro, I was accustomed to walk thither (to +Buffalora), along the banks of the Ticino. I was rejoiced to see +the noble bridge, the materials of which I had beheld scattered +along the Lombard shore, now finished, notwithstanding the general +opinion that the design would be abandoned. I rejoiced to traverse +the river and set my foot once more on Piedmontese ground. With all +my attachment to other nations, how much I prefer Italy! yet Heaven +knows that however much more delightful to me is the sound of the +Italian name, still sweeter must be that of Piedmont, the land of my +fathers. + + + +CHAPTER XCIX. + + + +Opposite to Buffalora lies San Martino. Here the Lombard brigadier +spoke of the Piedmontese carabineers, saluted me, and repassed the +bridge. + +"Let us go to Novara!" I said to the Vetturino. + +"Have the goodness to stay a moment," said a carabineer. I found I +was not yet free; and was much vexed, being apprehensive it would +retard my arrival at the long-desired home. After waiting about a +quarter of an hour, a gentleman came forward and requested to be +allowed to accompany us as far as Novara. He had already missed one +opportunity; there was no other conveyance than mine; and he +expressed himself exceedingly happy that I permitted him to avail +himself of it. + +This carabineer in disguise was very good-humoured, and kept me +company as far as Novara. Having reached that city, and feigning we +were going to an hotel, he stopt at the barracks of the carabineers, +and I was told there was a bed for me, and that I must wait the +arrival of further orders. Concluding that I was to set off the +next day, I went to bed, and after chatting some time with my host, +I fell fast asleep; and it was long since I had slept so profoundly. + +I awoke towards morning, rose as quickly as possible, and found the +hours hang heavy on my hands. I took my breakfast, chatted, walked +about the apartment and over the lodge, cast my eye over the host's +books, and finally,--a visitor was announced. An officer had come +to give me tidings respecting my father, and inform me that there +was a letter from him, lying for me at Novara. I was exceedingly +grateful to him for this act of humane courtesy. After a few hours, +which to me appeared ages, I received my father's letter. Oh what +joy to behold that hand-writing once more! what joy to learn that +the best of mothers was spared to me! that my two brothers were +alive, and also my eldest sister. Alas! my young and gentle +Marietta, who had immured herself in the convent of the Visitazione, +and of whom I had received so strange an account while a prisoner, +had been dead upwards of nine months. It was a consolation for me +to believe that I owed my liberty to all those who had never ceased +to love and to pray for me, and more especially to a beloved sister +who had died with every expression of the most edifying devotion. +May the Almighty reward her for the many sufferings she underwent, +and in particular for all the anxiety she experienced on my account. + +Days passed on; yet no permission for me to quit Novara! On the +morning of the 16th of September, the desired order at length +arrived, and all superintendence over me by the carabineers ceased. +It seemed strange! so many years had now elapsed since I had been +permitted to walk unaccompanied by guards. I recovered some money; +I received the congratulations of some of my father's friends, and +set out about three in the afternoon. The companions of my journey +were a lady, a merchant, an engraver, and two young painters; one of +whom was both deaf and dumb. These last were coming from Rome; and +I was much pleased by hearing from them that they were acquainted +with the family of my friend Maroncelli, for how pleasant a thing it +is to be enabled to speak of those we love, with some one not wholly +indifferent to them. + +We passed the night at Vercelli. The happy day, the 17th of +September, dawned at last. We pursued our journey; and how slow we +appeared to travel! it was evening before we arrived at Turin. + +Who would attempt to describe the consolation I felt, the nameless +feelings of delight, when I found myself in the embraces of my +father, my mother, and my two brothers? My dear sister Giuseppina +was not then with them; she was fulfilling her duties at Chieri; but +on hearing of my felicity, she hastened to stay for a few days with +our family, to make it complete. Restored to these five long- +sighed-for, and beloved objects of my tenderness,--I was, and I +still am, one of the most enviable of mankind. + +Now, therefore, for all my past misfortunes and sufferings, as well +as for all the good or evil yet reserved for me, may the providence +of God be blessed; of God, who renders all men, and all things, +however opposite the intentions of the actors, the wonderful +instruments which He directs to the greatest and best of purposes. + + + +Footnotes: + +{1} Piero Maroncelli da Forli, an excellent poet, and most amiable +man, who had also been imprisoned from political motives. The +author speaks of him at considerable length, as the companion of his +sufferings, in various parts of his work. + +{2} A bailiff. + +{3} A sort of scream peculiar to dumb children. + +{4} Melchiorre Gioja, a native of Piacenza, was one of the most +profound writers of our times, principally upon subjects of public +economy. Being suspected of carrying on a secret correspondence, he +was arrested in 1820, and imprisoned for a space of nine months. +Among the more celebrated of his works are those entitled, Nuovo +prospetto delle Scienze Economiche, Trattato del Merito e delle +Ricompense, Dell' Ingiuria e dei Danni, Filosofia della Statistica, +Ideologia e Esercizo Logico, Delle Manifatture, Del Divorzio, +Elementi di Filosofia, Nuovo Galateo, Qual Governo convenga all' +Italia. This able writer died in the month of January, 1829. + +{5} The Count Luigi Porro was one of the most distinguished men of +Milan, and remarkable for the zeal and liberality with which he +promoted the cultivation of literature and the arts. Having early +remarked the excellent disposition of the youthful Pellico, the +Count invited him to reside in his mansion, and take upon himself +the education of his sons, uniformly considering him, at the same +time, more in the light of a friend than of a dependent. Count +Porro himself subsequently fell under the suspicions of the Austrian +Government, and having betaken himself to flight, was twice +condemned to death (as contumacious), the first time under the +charge of Carbonarism, and the second time for a pretended +conspiracy. The sons of Count Porro are more than once alluded to +by their friend and tutor, as the author designates himself. + +{6} This excellent tragedy, suggested by the celebrated episode in +the fifth canto of Dante's Inferno, was received by the whole of +Italy with the most marked applause. Such a production at once +raised the young author to a high station in the list of Italy's +living poets. + +{7} The Cavalier Giovanni Bodoni was one of the most distinguished +among modern printers. Becoming admirably skilled in his art, and +in the oriental languages, acquired in the college of the Propaganda +at Rome, he went to the Royal Printing Establishment at Parma, of +which he took the direction in 1813, and in which he continued till +the period of his death. In the list of the numerous works which he +thence gave to the world may be mentioned the Pater Noster +Poligletto, the Iliad in Greek, the Epithalamia Exoticis, and the +Manuale Tipografico, works which will maintain their reputation to +far distant times. + +{8} The Count Bolza, of the lake of Como, who has continued for +years in the service of the Austrian Government, showing inexorable +zeal in the capacity of a Commissary of Police. + +{9} The learning of Ugo Foscolo, and the reputation he acquired by +his Hymn upon the Tombs, his Last Letters of Jecopo Ortis, his +Treatises upon Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, &c, are well-known in +this country, where he spent a considerable portion of his life, and +died in the year 1827. + +{10} The Cavalier Vincenzo Monti stands at the head of the modern +poets of Italy. His stanzas on the Death of Uge Basville obtained +for him the title of Dante Redivivo. His works, both in verse and +prose, are numerous, and generally acknowledged to be noble models +in their several styles. His tragedy of Aristodemo, takes the lead +among the most admirable specimens of the Italian drama. He died at +Milan in the year 1829. + +{11} Monsignor Lodovico di Breme, son of the Marquis of the same +name, a Piedmontese, an intimate friend of the celebrated Madame de +Stael, of Mons. Sismondi, &c, and a man of elevated sentiments, +brilliant spirit, high cultivation, and accomplishments. + +{12} Don Pietro Borsieri, son of a judge of the Court of Appeal at +Milan, of which, previous to his receiving sentence of death, he was +one of the state secretaries. He is the author of several little +works and literary essays, all written with singular energy and +chasteness of language. + +{13} La Signora Angiola. + +{14} "Venezianina adolescente sbirra?" + +{15} Tremerello, or the little trembler. + +{16} Per capire che le lucciole non erano lanterne. +"To know that glowworms are not lanterns." + +{17} Buzzolai, a kind of small loaf. + +{18} Odoardo Briche, a young man of truly animated genius, and the +most amiable disposition. He was the son of Mons. Briche, member of +the Constituent Assembly in France, who for thirty years past, had +selected Milan as his adopted country. + +{19} Respecting Pietro Borsieri, Lodovico di Breme, and Count +Porro, mention has already been made. The Count Federico +Confalonieri, of an illustrious family of Milan, a man of immense +intellect, and the firmest courage, was also the most zealous +promoter of popular institutions in Lombardy. The Austrian +Government, becoming aware of the aversion entertained by the Count +for the foreign yoke which pressed so heavily upon his country, had +him seized and handed over to the special commissions, which sat in +the years 1822 and 1823. By these he was condemned to the severest +of all punishments--imprisonment for life, in the fortress of +Spielberg, where, during six months of each weary year, he is +compelled by the excess of his sufferings to lie stretched upon a +wretched pallet, more dead than alive. + +{20} The Count Camillo Laderchi, a member of one of the most +distinguished families of Faenza, and formerly prefect in the ex- +kingdom of Italy. + +{21} Gian Domenico Romagnosi, a native of Piacenza, was for some +years Professor of Criminal Law, in the University of Pavia. He is +the author of several philosophical works, but more especially of +the Genesi del Diritto Penale, which spread his reputation both +throughout and beyond Italy. Though at an advanced age, he was +repeatedly imprisoned and examined on the charge of having belonged +to a lodge of Freemasons; a charge advanced against him by an +ungrateful Tyrolese, who had initiated him into, and favoured him as +a fellow-member of, the same society, and who had the audacity +actually to sit as judge upon his FRIEND'S trial. + +{22} The Count Giovanni Arrivabene, of Mantua, who, being in +possession of considerable fortune, made an excellent use of it, +both as regarded private acts of benevolence, and the maintenance of +a school of mutual instruction. But having more recently fallen +under the displeasure of the Government, he abandoned Italy, and +during his exile employed himself in writing, with rare +impartiality, and admirable judgment, a work which must be +considered interesting to all engaged in alleviating the ills of +humanity, both here and in other countries. It is entitled, Delle +Societa di Publica Beneficenza in Londra. + +{23} The Capitano Rezia, one of the best artillery officers in the +Italian army, son of Professor Rezia, the celebrated anatomist, +whose highly valuable preparations and specimens are to be seen in +the Anatomical Museum at Pavia. + +{24} The Professor Ressi, who occupied, during several years, the +chair of Political Economy in the University at Pavia. He is the +author of a respectable work, published under the title of Economica +della Specie Umana. Having unfortunately attracted the suspicions +of the Austrian police, he was seized and committed to a dungeon, in +which he died, about a year from the period of his arrest, and while +the special examinations of the alleged conspirators were being +held. + +{25} Where charity and love are, God is present. + +{26} The Devil! the Devil! + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's My Ten Years' Imprisonment, by Silvio Pellico + diff --git a/old/myten10.zip b/old/myten10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..faeb31c --- /dev/null +++ b/old/myten10.zip |