A deeper dungeon than that which had confined the father, now received
the son. The light which discovered its dismal bounds to his solitary
eyes, came from a small grated aperture in the vaulted roof. Escape,
then, had he meditated such an expedient, was impossible.
But so far was that idea from presenting itself to his thoughts, he
never ceased lamenting that his injured father had been reduced to so
equivocal an alternative. He knew not how to reconcile the imprudence
of the act, with Ripperda's consummate wisdom; till, as he passed
hours in these lonely musings, the events of history occurred to his
memory; and he saw, that there may be times in the lives of the most
illustrious characters, when their good genius, or their good sense,
seems to desert them; the faculty of judgement is taken away; and
they obey the impulse of passion, with all the blind zeal of the most
inconsiderate of men. Some such alienation of his better reason, Louis
thought must have occurred in the experienced mind of Ripperda, before
he could have taken so condemning a step; for of neither his personal
courage, nor patriotic integrity, could this devoted son conceive a
suspicion. From infancy to manhood, he had but one impression of his
father, that--
"---- in his port divine
The image of his glorious Maker shone,
Truth, wisdom, rectitude severe and pure!"