Zicci, Complete

husiasm than the want of a profession, he had resolved to devote himself to a career which in England has been seldom entered upon by persons who can live on thei

d dilemmas, out of which, of late, he had always extricated himself with the ingenious felicity of a clever head and cool heart. He had left England for Rome with the avowed purpose and sincere resolution of studying the divine masterpieces of art; but pleasure had soon allured him from ambition, and he quitted the gloomy palaces of Rome for the gay shores and animated revelries of Naples. Here he had fallen in love-deeply in love, as he said and thought-with a young person celebrated at Naples, I

ith her, and he told her so. The girl listened to him, perhaps from vanity, perhaps from ambition, perhaps from coquetry; she listened

he Cavern of Pausilippo. It was past noon; the sun had lost its early fervor, and a cool breeze sprang voluptuously from the sparklin

u discovered some antique?" said he, with a smil

he beginning of the world, but which Nature eternally withers and renews." So saying, he sh

e an he

a

ld, a study ful

our way to converse with me on matters in which you neither have knowledge nor desire to obtain it? I read your heart, young En

don, somewhat discomposed. "Suppose I were desirous to cult

they so desire; but me, in return, they can never comprehend. If you

you then so

trologer, I should tell you, in their despicable jargon, that my planet sat darkly in your h

jargon as mysterious as theirs. I neither ga

ill; I ha

r conversation last night

like yours are att

though in the tone in which they

r me worthy of your frien

on, and as the Englishman rode on, r

was on the stage in one of her most brilliant parts. The house resounded with applause. Glyndon was transporte

is shoulder; he turned, and beheld Zicci. "You are in danger," said

and when the Englishman saw him again, he was in the box of one

he contrast of dark eyes and lashes, by a forehead of great height, to which the dark outline of the eyebrows gave some thing of majesty and command. In spite of the slightness of virgin youth, her proportions had the nobleness, blent with the delicacy, that belongs to the masterpieces of ancient

the whole theatre withholds from me his applause. He scarcely seems to notice m

woman, with fondness in her voice. "He

a man in one of the nearer boxes, conspicuous amongst all else by th

ated Isabel,-"not worth a thought! Sa

Gionetta, "he is a proper man

Gionetta," said she, sweeping on to the stage, and passing b

d. The stranger listened, and observed her with an attentive gaze, but no approval escaped his lips, no emotion changed the expression of his cold and half-disdainful aspect. Isabel, who was in the character of a jealous and abandoned mistress, never felt so acutely the part she played. Her tears were truthful; her passion

as fired me beyond endurance. To-night, this very nig

is young Englishman sho

m bleed for his folly. I hear that she admits

is always a search after t

-who would dare to suspect, to arraign, the Prince di-? See to it,-let him be watched, and the fitting occasion taken. I trust him to yo

ne so once or twice before, though she had never permitted him to accompany her. This time she refused, and with some petulance. Glyndon, offended, was retiring su

and Glyndon was left at the door of the theatre, to return home on foot. The mysterious warning of Zicci then suddenly occurred to him; he had forgotten it in the interest of his lover's quarrel with Isabel. He thought it now advisable to guard against danger foretold by lips so mysterious; he looked

Count Cetoxa's carriage," said he.

ou! How did yo

one to-night the streets of Naples are not always safe.' I immediately remembered that some of the Calabrian

Glyndon entered the carriage and drew up the glass, he saw four men

on imperfectly heard the exclamation as the

sked the actress, as she was now a

s run mad. They say he is so rich,-oh, so much richer than any o

ung actress. "Zicci! Speak

and remote part of the city in which Isabel's

moon that the driver, torn from his seat, was already pinioned in the arms of two men; the

a Pisani was not an ordinary person; she had been before exposed to all the dangers to which the beauty of the low-born was subjected amongst a lawless and profligate nobility. She thrust back the as

sk dre

e, half laughing and half alarmed. "Here, Luigi

" He vanished, leaving Isabel lost in surprise, agitation, and delight. There were in all nine masks: two were engaged with the driver; one stood at the head of the carriage-horses; a third guarded the well-trained steeds of the party; three others, besides Zicci and the one

"treason among my own

ge. If he resist, shoot

ered and outwitted," said he. "Join your lord; you are three men,-we

es of their horses," said Zicci, as he entered the vehicle containing Isabel, and which now drove

ance of the theatre, having directed six others to await him on the spot where you were attacked; myself and five of my servants supplied their place, and were mistaken for his own followers. I had previously ridden alone to the spot where the men were wai

ere both cheaper to hire, and more nec