I Was A Heedless Fellow, A Little Quarrelsome On Occasions, But
Good-Humored In The Main, So I Made My Way Very Well For A Time, Until
I Fell In Love.
There lived in our town a surveyor, or land bailiff, of
the prince's who had a young daughter, a beautiful girl of sixteen.
She
was looked upon as something better than the common run of our
townsfolk, and kept almost entirely at home. I saw her occasionally,
and became madly in love with her, she looked so fresh and tender, and
so different to the sunburnt females to whom I had been accustomed.
As my father kept me in money, I always dressed well, and took all
Opportunities of showing myself to advantage in the eyes of the little
beauty. I used to see her at church; and as I could play a little upon
the guitar, I gave her a tune sometimes under her window of an evening;
and I tried to have interviews with her in her father's vineyard, not
far from the town, where she sometimes walked. She was evidently
pleased with me, but she was young and shy, and her Father kept a
strict eye upon her, and took alarm at my attentions, for he had a bad
opinion of me, and looked for a better match for his daughter. I became
furious at the difficulties thrown in my way, having been accustomed
always to easy success among the women, being considered one of the
smartest young fellows of the place.
Her father brought home a suitor for her; a rich farmer from a
neighboring town. The wedding-day was appointed, and preparations were
making. I got sight of her at her window, and I thought she looked
sadly at me. I determined the match should not take place, cost what it
might. I met her intended bridegroom in the market-place, and could not
restrain the expression of my rage. A few hot words passed between us,
when I drew my stiletto, and stabbed him to the heart. I fled to a
neighboring church for refuge; and with a little money I obtained
absolution; but I did not dare to venture from my asylum.
At that time our captain was forming his troop. He had known me from
boyhood, and hearing of my situation, came to me in secret, and made
such offers that I agreed to enlist myself among his followers. Indeed,
I had more than once thought of taking to this mode of life, having
known several brave fellows of the mountains, who used to spend their
money freely among us youngsters of the town. I accordingly left my
asylum late one night, repaired to the appointed place of meeting; took
the oaths prescribed, and became one of the troop. We were for some
time in a distant part of the mountains, and our wild adventurous kind
of life hit my fancy wonderfully, and diverted my thoughts. At length
they returned with all their violence to the recollection of Rosetta.
The solitude in which I often found myself gave me time to brood over
her image, and as I have kept watch at night over our sleeping camp in
the mountains, my feelings have been roused almost to a fever.
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