CHAPTER XXX. IRENE
Upon the threshold of the castle, as our travellers drew near, stood ayoung woman, whose appearance betokened the Roman matron, but of greaterdelicacy perhaps than the ancient type. She numbered some twenty years;and, though a charming smile spread itself over her lovely features, andher eyes and soft abundant hair were extremely beautiful, still it wasthe majestic natural bearing of Irene which struck the beholder.
As if unconscious of the presence of strangers, she ran to Orazio,and folded him in a warm embrace, whilst the blush which glad lovecan excite suffused both their faces, as they regarded each otherwith undisguised affection. Then, turning to the two ladies, she bowedgracefully, and welcomed them with a cordial salute, as Orazio said-
"Irene, I present to you the wife and daughter of Manlio, our renownedsculptor of Rome."
Honest Jack was perfectly astounded at seeing so much beauty andgrandeur where he expected to find nothing except solitude and savagedesert. But his astonishment was greater still when he was invitedalong with the rest into the castle, and beheld a table covered with aprofusion of modest comforts in a handsome and spacious dining-hall.
"You expected me, then, carissima?" observed Orazio, as he entered it,to Irene.
"Oh, yes; my heart told me you would not pass another night away,"was the reply, and the lovers exchanged another look, which made thethoughts of Clelia, as she beheld it, fly to Attilio, and we do notoverstep the bounds of truth if we say that Silvia also remembered herabsent Manlio with a sigh.
Jack, with the appetite of a boy of twelve after his very long walk,felt nothing of the pangs of love, but much of those of hunger.
And now another scene amazed mother and daughter as well as thesailor, who stood, indeed, with wide-open mouth staring at what seemedenchantment, for as Orazio blew his horn again, fifteen new guests, oneafter another, each fully armed and equipped like their leader, filedinto the room. The hour being late, there was little daylight in theapartment, which gave to their entrance a more melodramatic air; butwhen the room was lit up with a lamp, the open and manly countenances ofthe new comers were seen, and inspired our party with admiration andconfidence. The strangers made obeisance to the ladies and theirhostess. Orazio, placing Silvia on his right hand, and Clelia on hisleft, Irene being seated by her side, called out, "To table." When theirchief (to whom they showed great respect) was seated, the men took theirplaces, silently, and Jack found a vacant seat by the side of Syvia,which he took with calm resignation to his good luck. The repast beganwith a toast "to the liberty of Rome," which each drank in a glass of"vermuth," and then eating commenced, the meal lasting some time. Whenall had appeased their hunger, Irene rose, with a sweet grace, from thetable, and conducted her fair visitors to an upper chamber in the tower;and while a servant prepared, according to her orders, some beds for herguests, exchanged with them, after the universal manner of ladies, a fewwords about their mutual histories.
Silvia's and Clelia's stories you already know, so it only remains forus, who have the privilege of their confidence, to narrate what Ireneimparted to them.
"You will wonder to hear," said she, "that I am the daughter of PrinceT------, whom perhaps you know in Rome, as he is famous for his wealth.My father gave me a liberal education, for I did not care about feminineaccomplishments, such as music and dancing, but was attracted by deeperstudies. I delighted in histories; and when I commenced that of ourRome, I was thoroughly fascinated by the story of the republic, so fullof deeds of heroism and virtue, and my young imagination became exaltedand affected to such an extent that I feared I should lose my reason.Comparing those heroic times with the shameful and selfish empire, andmore especially with the present state of Rome, under the humiliatingand miserable rule of the priest, I became inexpressibly sorry for theloss of that ancient ideal, and conceived an intense hatred and disgustfor those who are the true instruments of the abasement and servility ofour people. With such a disposition, and such sentiments, you canimagine how distasteful the princely amusements and occupations of myfather's house became to me. The effeminate homage of the Romanaristocracy--creatures of the priest--and the presence of the foreignerpalled upon me. Balls, feasts, and other dissipations, gave me nogratification; only in the pathetic ruins scattered over our metropolisdid I find delight. On horseback or on foot, I passed hours dailyexamining these relics of Rome's ancient grandeur.
"When I attained my fifteenth year I was certainly better acquaintedwith the edifices of the old architects, and our numerous ruins, thanwith the needle, embroidery, and the fashions. I used to make verydistant excursions on horseback, accompanied by an old and trustyservant of the family.
"One evening, when I was returning from an exploration, and crossingTrastevere, some drunken foreign soldiers, who had picked a quarrel atan inn, rushed out, pursuing one another with drawn swords. My horsetook fright, and galloped along the road, overleaping and overturningevery thing in his way, in spite of all my endeavors to check hisspeed. I am a good rider, and kept a firm seat, to the admiration of thebeholders; but my steed continuing his headlong race, my strength beganto fail, and I was about to let myself fall--in which case I shouldcertainly have been dashed to pieces on the pavement had I done so--whena brave youth sprang from the roadside, and, flinging himself before myhorse, seized the bridle with his left hand, and, as the animal rearedand stumbled, clasped me with the right. The powerful and sudden graspof my robust preserver caused the poor beast indeed to swerve sharplyround, and, striking one foot against the curb, he stumbled and fell,splitting his skull open against the wall of a house. I was saved, buthad fainted; and when I returned to consciousness I found myself athome, in my own bed, and surrounded by my servants.
"And who was my preserver? Of whom could I make inquiries? I sent for myold groom, but he could tell me little, except that he had followedme as quickly as he well could, and had arrived at the scene of thecastastrophe just as I was being carried into a house. All he knew wasthat my deliverer seemed a young man, who had retired immediately afterplacing me in the care of the woman of the house, who was very attentivewhen she learned who I was.
"Still my ardent imagination, even in that dangerous moment, had tracedmore faithfully than they the noble lineaments of the youth. His eyeshad but flashed an instantaneous look into mine, but it was indeliblyimprinted on my heart. I could never forget that face, which renewed atlast, as in my memory, the heroes of the past. I shall know him again,I said to myself. He is certainly a Roman, and if a Roman, he belongs tothe race of the Quirites! my ideal people--the objects of my worship!
"You know the custom of visiting the Colosseum by moonlight, which thendisplays its majestic beauty to perfection. Well, I went one night toview it, guarded by the same old servant; and as I was coming back, andhad arrived at the turning of the road which leads from the Tarpeian toCampidoglio, my servant was struck down by a blow from a cudgel, andtwo men, who had concealed themselves in the shadow cast by an immensebuilding, sprang out upon me, and, seizing me by the arms, dragged mein the direction of the Arch of Severus. I was terror-stricken and indespair, when, as Heaven willed it, I heard a cry of anger, and we werequickly overtaken by a man whom I recognized in the dim light as my latepreserver. He threw himself upon my assailants, and a fearful strugglebegan between the three. My young athlete, however, managed to lay theassassins in the dust, and returned to my side; but perceiving thatmy servant had risen, and was approaching unhurt, he took my hand, andkissing it respectfully, departed before I could recover from the suddenshock of the unexpected attack, or could articulate a single word.
"I have no recollection of my mother, but my father, who loved metenderly, used to take me every year to bathe at Porto d'Anzo, for heknew how much I delighted in the ocean, and how pleased I was to escapefrom the aristocratic society of Rome, where, had he studied his owninclinations, he would gladly have remained. My father possessed alittle villa not far from the sea, to the north of Porto d'Anzo, wherewe resided during our visits to
the Mediterranean, the sight of which Idearly loved. Here I was happier than in Rome; but I felt a void in myexistence, a craving in my heart, which made me restless and melancholy.In fact, I was in love with my unknown preserver. Often I passed hoursin scrutinizing every passer-by from the balcony of my window, hopingvainly to obtain a glimpse of the man whose image was engraven uponmy heart. If I saw a boat or any small craft upon the sea, I searchedeagerly, by the aid of my telescope, among crew and passengers for theform of my idol.
"I did not dream in vain. Sitting alone in my balcony one evening,wrapped in gloomy thoughts, and contemplating, almost involuntarily, themoon as she rose slowly above the Pontine marshes, I was startled frommy reverie by the noise of something dropping to the ground from thewall surrounding the villa. My heart began to beat violently, but notfrom fear. I fancied I saw by the dim light a figure emerging from theshrubbery towards me. A friendly ray from the moon illumined the faceof the intruder as he approached, and when I beheld the features I hadsought for so many days in vain I could not repress a cry of surpriseand joy, and it required all my womanly modesty to restrain a violentdesire to run down the steps leading to my balcony and embrace him.
"My love of solitude and disdain for the pleasures of the capital hadkept me in comparative ignorance of worldly things, and, with goodprinciples, I had remained an ingenuous, simple daughter of nature.
"'Irene,' said a voice which penetrated to the inmost recesses of mysoul; 'Irene, may I dare ask for the good fortune to say two words toyou either there or here?'
"To descend appeared to me to be more convenient than to permit him toenter the rooms; I therefore went down immediately, and, forgetting, forthe moment, his fine speeches, in joy, he covered my hands with burningkisses. Conducting me towards some trees, we sat down upon a woodenbench under their shady branches side by side. He might have led me tothe end of the world at that strange and sweet moment had he pleased.
"For a while we remained silent; but presently my deliverer said, 'MayI ask pardon for this boldness--will you not grant it, my loved one?' Imade no reply, but allowed him to take possession of my hand, which hekissed fervently. Presently he went on: 'I am only a plebeian, Irene--anorphan. Both my parents perished in the defense of Rome against theforeigner. I possess nothing on this earth but my hands and arms, and mylove for you, which has made me follow your footsteps.'
"Predisposed to love him even before I had heard his voice, now that hismanly yet gentle and impassioned tones fell upon my ear, I felt he mightdo what he would with me--I was in an Eden. Yes, he belonged to me, andI to him; but I could not find the voice to say so as yet.
"'Irene,' he continued, 'I am not only a portionless orphan, but anoutlaw, condemned to death, and pursued like a wild beast of the forestby the bloodhounds of the Government. Yet I have presumed to hopethat you might be gentle to me for my love, with the strength of yourgenerous nature; and more so, alas! when I saw that you were unhappy,for I have watched you unseen, and noted with sorrow and hope themelancholy expression of your face. I am come, though your sweetkindness flatters roe, Irene, to tell you these things which make itimpossible, of course, that you can ever be mine. I have no claim orright; but my ardent love, the small services I have rendered you, haveblessed me, and made me proud and happy; therefore you owe me nought ofgratitude. If I should ever have the delight of laying down my lifefor yours, my happiness will then, indeed, be complete. Adieu, Irene,farewell!' he continued, rising and pressing my hand to his heart, whilehe turned to leave me.
"I had remained in an ecstasy of silent joy, forgetful of the world,of myself, of all save him. At the word 'farewell,' I started as ifelectrified; I ran to him, crying 'Stay, oh, stay!' and, clasping him bythe arm, drew him back to the bench, and quite forgetting all reservemyself, exclaimed, 'Thou art mine, and I am thine for life! thine, yesthine forever, my beloved!'
"He told me all his story--he pictured to me the hope and aim of hislife. His burning words of love for Italy and hatred of her tyrantsadded to my strength of resolve. I replied that I would share hisfortunes forthwith as his wife, and with no regrets, except uponmy father's account. It was then arranged that we should live heretogether. A few days of preparation, and we were privately married. Ifollowed my Orazio to the forest where ever since I have dwelt withhim. I will not say I am perfectly happy--no; but my only grief is theremembrance that my disappearance accelerated, I fear, in a measure thedeath of my aged and affectionate parent."
Tired as our poor Silvia was, she could not but listen with interest tothe narrative of Irene, down whose beautiful cheeks the tears coursedat the mention of her father's name. Clelia, too, had not lost a singleword, and more than one sigh from her fair bosom seemed to say, duringher hostess's recital, "Ah, my Attilio! is he not also handsome,valorous, and worthy of love, yes, of my love!"
But now, wishing repose to her guests, Irene bade them good-night.
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