"Indulge me with a patient hearing," proceeded the Hungarian, "and all
these riddles soon will be explained. Inflamed with the desire of seeing
foreign countries, I disobeyed the will of an indulgent father, from
whose house, withdrawing privately, I set out for Italy, in disguise, by
the way of Tyrol, visited Venice, Rome, Florence, and, embarking at
Naples, in an English ship, arrived at St. Lucar, from whence I repaired
to Seville; there, in a few days, was my curiosity engaged by the fame of
the fair Serafina, who was justly deemed the most accomplished beauty in
that part of Spain. Nay, blush not, gentle creature! for by my hopes of
heaven! thy charms were even injured by the cold applause of that report.
Nevertheless, I was warmly interested by the uncommon character, and
eagerly longed to see this pattern of perfection. As Don Diego did not
train her up in that restraint to which the Spanish ladies are subjected,
I soon found an opportunity of seeing her at church; and no person here
present will, I presume, doubt but that I was instantly captivated by her
beauty and deportment. Had I thought that Don Diego's favour was
unengaged, perhaps I should have followed the dictates of vanity and
inexperience, and presented myself in my own character, among the crowd
of her professed admirers. I knew her father had been an officer of
distinguished rank and reputation, and did not doubt that he would have
regarded a young soldier of unexceptionable pedigree, and, I will even
add, of untainted fame. Nor did I suppose my own father could have
objected against such an advantageous match; but, by dint of industrious
inquiry, I learned, that the divine Serafina was already betrothed to Don
Manuel de Mendoza, and this information overwhelmed me with despair.
"After having revolved a thousand projects for retarding and preventing
that detested union, I resolved to avail myself of my talent for drawing,
and professed myself a master of that science, in hope of being employed
by the father of Serafina, who, I knew, let slip no opportunity of
improving his daughter's education. Accordingly I had the good fortune
to attract his notice, was invited to his house, honoured with his
approbation, and furnished with unrestricted opportunities of conversing
with the dear object of my love. The passion which her beauty had
kindled was by the perfections of her mind inflamed to such a degree of
transport, as could not be concealed from her penetration. She chanced
to relish my conversation; I gradually acquired her friendship; pity was
the next passion that she entertained in my favour. I then ventured to
disclose myself, and the dear charmer did not disapprove of my
presumption. She and her mother had been perplexed with some religious
scruples, concerning which they appealed to my opinion; and I was happy
enough to set their minds at ease.
"This sort of intercourse naturally created a mutual confidence among us;
and, in a word, I was blessed with the daughter's love and mother's
approbation. Don Diego will pardon these clandestine measures, which we
took, from a full persuasion that it was impossible to render him
propitious to the views in which our hearts and hands were so deeply
interested. I did not then know how little he was addicted to
superstition.
"Without entering into a detail of the schemes we projected to delay the
happiness of Mendoza, I shall only observe, that, knowing the fatal day
was at length unalterably fixed, we determined to elude the purpose of
Don Diego by flight; and everything was actually prepared for our escape.
When the hour of appointment arrived, I repaired to the place at which I
had proposed to enter the house, and stumbled, in the dark, over the body
of a man still warm, and bleeding. Alarmed at this occurrence, I darted
myself through the window, and rushing to the apartment of the ladies,
(immortal powers!) beheld the peerless Serafina, and her virtuous mother,
stretched on a couch, and, in all appearance, deprived of life.
"The company will easily conceive what agonies I felt at such a
spectacle! I ran towards the spot in a transport of horror! I clasped
my lovely mistress in my arms, and, finding her still breathing,
endeavoured, but in vain, to wake her from the trance Antonia was
overwhelmed with the same lethargic power. My fancy was immediately
struck with the apprehension of their being poisoned. Regardless of my
own situation, I alarmed the family, called for assistance, and requested
the servants to summon Don Diego to the dismal scene. I was informed
that their master had rode forth in manifest confusion; and while I
pondered on this surprising excursion, an apothecary in the neighbourhood
entered the chamber, and having examined the pulses of the ladies,
declared that their lives were in no danger, and advised that they should
be undressed, and conveyed to bed. While their women were busied in this
employment, I went into the court-yard, attended by some of the servants
with lights, in order to view the body of the man which I had found at my
arrival. His apparel was mean, his countenance ferocious; a long spado
was buckled to his thigh, and, in his belt, were stuck a brace of loaded
pistols; so that we concluded he was some thief, who had waited for an
opportunity, and seeing the casement open, intended to rob the house, but
was prevented, and slain by Don Diego himself, whose retreat, however,
did not a little confound our conjecture. For my own part, I remained
all night in the house, tortured with fear, vexation, and suspense.
"My hope was altogether disappointed by this unhappy accident; and I
shuddered at the prospect of losing Serafina for ever, either by this
mysterious malady, or by her marriage with Mendoza, which I now despaired
of being able to defeat. The major-domo having waited several hours for
his lord's return, without seeing him appear, thought proper to despatch
a messenger to Don Manuel, with an account of what had happened; and that
nobleman arriving in the morning, took possession of the house. About
four o'clock in the afternoon, Serafina began to stir, and, at five, she
and her mother were perfectly awake.
"They no sooner recovered the use of reflection, than they gave signs of
equal sorrow and amazement, and earnestly called for Isabella, who was
privy to our design, and who, after a very minute inquiry, was found in a
lone and solitary chamber, where she had been confined. Such was the
confusion of the house, that no person ever dreamed of asking how I
entered, each domestic, in all probability, supposing I had been
introduced by his fellow; so that I tarried unquestioned, on pretence of
concern for the distress of a family in which I had been so generously
entertained, and, by Isabella, sent my respects and duty to her ladies.
She was, therefore, not a little surprised, when, after every other
servant had withdrawn, she heard the lovely Serafina exclaim, with all
the violence of grief, 'Ah! Isabella, Orlando is no more!' But their
astonishment was still greater, when she assured them of my being alive,
and in the house. They recounted to her the adventure of last night,
which she explained, by informing them of the letters which Don Diego had
intercepted. And they immediately concluded, that he had, in the
precipitation of his wrath, killed, by mistake, the person who was found
dead in the court-yard. This conjecture alarmed them on my account;
they, by the medium of Isabella, conjured me to leave the house, lest Don
Diego should return, and accomplish his resentment; and I was persuaded
to withdraw, after I had settled the channel of a correspondence with the
confidant.
"Being now obliged to alter our measures, because our former intention
was discovered by Don Diego, I secured a retreat for Serafina and her
mother, at the house of the English consul in Seville, who was my
particular friend; and, next day, understanding from Isabella that her
lord had not yet reappeared, and that Don Manuel was very urgent in his
addresses, we concerted an assignation in the garden, and that same
evening I was fortunate enough to convey my prize to the asylum I had
prepared for their reception. Inexpressible was the rage of Mendoza,
when he heard of their elopement. He raved like one deprived of
reason--swore he would put all the servants of the family to the rack--and,
in consequence of the intelligence he obtained by threats and promises, set
on foot a very strict inquiry, in order to apprehend the fugitives and
Orlando, who had by some means or other incurred his suspicion.
"We eluded his search by the vigilance and caution of our kind host; and,
while we remained in concealment, were extremely astonished to hear that
the unfortunate Don Diego was proclaimed a traitor, and a price set upon
his head. This information overwhelmed us all with the utmost
affliction. Antonia lamented, without ceasing, the disgrace of her
beloved lord, from whom she never would have withdrawn herself, but with
the lively hope of a reconciliation, after the first transports of his
ire should have subsided, and the real character of Orlando should have
appeared. It was not long before we had reason to believe that Mendoza
was the accuser of Don Diego--
"Nay, start not, Signior; Manuel was actually that traitor! This was the
turn of his revenge! when he found himself disappointed in the hope of
possessing the incomparable Serafina, he took a base advantage of your
absence and retreat. He posted to Madrid, impeached you to the secretary
of state of having maintained a criminal correspondence with the enemies
of Spain, included me in his accusation, as a spy for the house of
Austria, and framed such a plausible tale, from the circumstances of your
distress, that Don Diego was outlawed, and Mendoza gratified with a grant
of his estate.
"These melancholy incidents made a deep impression upon the mind of the
virtuous Antonia, who waiving every other consideration, would have
personally appeared for the vindication of her husband's honour, had not
we dissuaded her from such a rash undertaking, by demonstrating her
inability to contend with such a powerful antagonist; and representing
that her appearance would be infallibly attended with the ruin of
Serafina, who would certainly fall into the hands of the villain to whom
she had been contracted. We exhorted her to wait patiently for some
happy revolution of fortune, and encouraged her with the hope of Don
Diego's exerting himself effectually in his own defence.
"Meanwhile our worthy landlord was suddenly cut off by death; and his
widow being resolved to retire into her own country, we secretly embarked
in the same ship, and arrived in England about eighteen months ago.
Antonia still continued to pine over the ruin of her house; as she could
hear no tidings of Don Diego, she concluded he was dead, and mourned with
unabating sorrow. In vain I assured her, that, soon as my own affairs
should be adjusted, I would exert my whole endeavours to find and succour
him. She could not imagine that a man of his spirit and disposition
would live so long in obscurity. And her affliction derived new force
from the death of the consul's widow, with whom she had lived in the most
unbounded intimacy and friendship. From that day, her health evidently
declined. She foresaw her dissolution, and comforted herself with the
hope of seeing her husband and her friend in a place where no treachery
is felt, and no sorrow is known; confident of my integrity, and the
purity of my love, she, in the most pathetic terms, recommended Serafina
to my care.
"Ha! weepest thou, fair excellence, at the remembrance of that tender
scene, when the good Antonia, on the bed of death, joined thy soft hand
to mine, and said, 'Renaldo, I bequeath this orphan to your love; it is a
sacred pledge, which, if you cherish with due honour and regard, internal
peace and happiness will ever smile within your bosom; but if you treat
it with indifference, dishonour, or neglect, just Heaven will punish your
breach of trust with everlasting disappointments and disquiet.'
"Signior Don Diego, I see you are moved, and therefore will not dwell on
such distressful circumstances. The excellent Antonia exchanged this
life for a more happy state; and so exquisite was the sorrow of the
tender-hearted Serafina, as to torture me with the apprehension that she
would not long survive her pious mother. How I obeyed the injunctions of
that departing saint, Monimia (for that name she now assumed) can
testify, until that artful serpent Fathom glided into our mutual
confidence, abused our ears, poisoned our unsuspected faith, and effected
that fatal breach, productive of all the misery and vexation which we
have suffered, and which is now so happily expelled."
"Heaven," said the Castilian, "hath visited me for the sins and errors of
my youth; yet, such mercy hath been mingled with its chastisements, I
dare not murmur or repine. The tears of penitence and sorrow shall water
my Antonia's grave; as for Mendoza, I rejoice at his treachery, by which
the obligation of my promise is cancelled, and my honour fully acquitted.
He shall not triumph in his guilt. My services, my character, and
innocence shall soon confront his perfidy, and, I hope, defeat his
interest. The King is just and gracious, nor is my family and name
unknown."
Here the Jew interposing, presented to him a letter from a person of
consequence at Madrid, whom Joshua had interested in the cause of Don
Diego; that nobleman had already found means to represent the case of
Zelos to his Majesty, who had actually ordered Don Manuel to be confined,
until the injured person should appear to justify himself, and prosecute
his accuser according to the terms of law. At the same time Don Diego
was summoned to present himself before the King within a limited time, to
answer to the charge which Mendoza had brought against him.
The Spaniard's heart overflowed with gratitude and joy, when he read this
intimation; he embraced the Jew, who, before Zelos could give utterance
to his thoughts, told him that the Spanish Ambassador at London, having
been prepossessed in his favour, craved the honour of seeing Don Diego;
and that he, Joshua, was ready to conduct him to the house.
"Then is my heart at rest!" cried the Castilian; "the house of Zelos once
more shall lift up its head. I shall again revisit my native country
with honour, and abase the villain who hath soiled my fame! O my
children! this day is replete with such joy and satisfaction, as I did
not think had been in the power of Heaven to grant, without the
interposition of a miracle! To you, Renaldo, to you illustrious lady,
and to these worthy gentlemen, am I indebted for the restoration of that
for which alone I wish to live; and when my heart ceases to retain the
obligation, may I forfeit the name of a Castilian, and scorn and
dishonour be my portion."
Perhaps all Europe could not produce another company so happy as that
which now sat down to dinner in the house of Madam Clement, whose own
benevolent heart was peculiarly adapted for such enjoyment. The lovers
feasted their eyes more than their appetite, by a tender intercourse of
glances, which needed not the slow interpretation of speech; while the
Spaniard regarded them alternately with looks of wonder and paternal joy,
and every individual surveyed the all-deserving pair with admiration and
esteem.
Serafina taking the advantage of this general satisfaction, when the
heart, softened into complacency, deposits every violent thought: "I must
now," said she, "try my interest with Renaldo. The good company shall
bear witness to my triumph or repulse. I do not ask you to forgive, but
to withhold your vengeance from the wretched Fathom. His fraud,
ingratitude, and villany are, I believe, unrivalled; yet his base designs
have been defeated; and Heaven perhaps hath made him the involuntary
instrument for bringing our constancy and virtue to the test; besides,
his perfidy is already punished with the last degree of human misery and
disgrace. The doctor, who has traced him in all his conduct and
vicissitudes of fortune, will draw a picture of his present wretchedness,
which, I doubt not, will move your compassion, as it hath already excited
mine."
The generous hostess was ready to enforce this charitable proposal with
all her eloquence, when Melvil, with a look that well expressed his
magnanimity of love, replied, "Such a boon becomes the gentle Serafina!
O! every moment furnishes me with fresh matter to admire the virtues of
thy soul. If thou, whose tender heart hath been so rent with misery and
anguish, canst intercede for thy tormentor, who now suffers in his turn,
shall I refuse to pardon the miserable wretch! No, let me glory in
imitating the great example, and solicit Don Diego in behalf of the same
miscreant whose perfidious barbarity cost him such intolerable woe."
"Enough," cried the Castilian, "I have disclaimed the vindictive
principles of a Spaniard; and leave the miserable object to the sting of
his own conscience, which, soon or late, will not fail to avenge the
wrongs we have sustained from his deceit."