It Seemed To Me As If These Troubled Spirits Were Glad Of An
Opportunity To Disburthen Themselves; And Of Having Some Fresh
Undiseased Mind With Which They Could Communicate.
I had hardly made
the request but he seated himself by my side, and gave me his story in,
as nearly as I can recollect, the following words.
THE STORY OF THE YOUNG ROBBER.
I was born at the little town of Frosinone, which lies at the skirts of
the Abruzzi. My father had made a little property in trade, and gave me
some education, as he intended me for the church, but I had kept gay
company too much to relish the cowl, so I grew up a loiterer about the
place. 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.
At length we shifted our ground, and determined to make a descent upon
the road between Terracina and Naples. In the course of our expedition,
we passed a day or two in the woody mountains which rise above
Frosinone. I cannot tell you how I felt when I looked down upon the
place, and distinguished the residence of Rosetta. I determined to have
an interview with her; but to what purpose? I could not expect that she
would quit her home, and accompany me in my hazardous life among the
mountains. She had been brought up too tenderly for that; and when I
looked upon the women who were associated with some of our troop, I
could not have borne the thoughts of her being their companion. All
return to my former life was likewise hopeless; for a price was set
upon my head. Still I determined to see her; the very hazard and
fruitlessness of the thing made me furious to accomplish it.
It is about three weeks since I persuaded our captain to draw down to
the vicinity of Frosinone, in hopes of entrapping some of its principal
inhabitants, and compelling them to a ransom. We were lying in ambush
towards evening, not far from the vineyard of Rosetta's father. I stole
quietly from my companions, and drew near to reconnoitre the place of
her frequent walks.
How my heart beat when, among the vines, I beheld the gleaming of a
white dress! I knew it must be Rosetta's; it being rare for any female
of the place to dress in white. I advanced secretly and without noise,
until putting aside the vines, I stood suddenly before her. She uttered
a piercing shriek, but I seized her in my arms, put my hand upon her
mouth and conjured her to be silent. I poured out all the frenzy of my
passion; offered to renounce my mode of life, to put my fate in her
hands, to fly with her where we might live in safety together.
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