1831.] a Milanese Legend. 497 



on beholding the object of her nocturnal adventure the chamber of her 

 terrible guardian. For a moment she even marvelled how aught could 

 have excited her to an attempt so appalling. She held for support by 

 the stone-work which surrounded the casement. Her limbs trembled ; 

 she gasped for breath ; her heart beat with a violence which seemed to 

 render its throbbings almost audible. It was too much her courage 

 succumbed ; she could not she durst not enter that dread chamber. 

 She cast a hesitating, backward look on the intricate path she had so 

 recently trodden it seemed to lie in utter and hopeless obscurity. No 

 matter she would wait until the first streak of dawn should, afford her 

 light to retrace her steps. But, meanwhile, what would be the fate of 

 him whom the contents of that fearful packet placed entirely at the 

 mercy of one whose dark passions knew no check in the ordinary feel- 

 ings of pity or compunction ? That thought was enough. A returning 

 tide of courage rushed into the heart of the high-souled damsel. She 

 ventured to look into the chamber. The lamp whose peculiar bright- 

 ness was the whispered theme of the neighbourhood, and held, of course, 

 of preternatural brilliancy shewed distinctly every object in the 

 apartment. Portia saw the long form and dark countenance of the 

 Castellan as he lay stretched on his couch. He was evidently asleep ; 

 but the expression on his cpuntenance shewed that his dire passions 

 slumbered not with his sleeping body. His brow was knit, and his eyes 

 only half closed ; while the partial opening of his lips, contrasted with 

 the fixedness of his long teeth, gave a peculiar and malevolent expression 

 to his physically handsome countenance. A tone of malign exultation 

 played over the whole features, and shewed that the last dark, waking 

 thoughts of the sleeper were infused into his dreams. The periled maiden 

 gazed round the apartment to discover where lay the object of her 

 . romantic enterprize. To make long search within the chamber would, 

 she rightly deemed, be to prolong the risk of discovery. There was a 

 table covered with minute maps of the neighbouring district, parch- 

 ment manuscripts, and ponderous piles of bulky documents. But how 

 was she to divine which was the desired packet ? How was she to sum- 

 mon calmness of hand and vision to examine, under such tremendous 

 risk, the contents of that table ? Again she turned a glance of fear 

 towards the Castellan. His pillow was slightly raised at one end. Some- 

 thing peeped from beneath it. Portia strained her vision in earnest gaze. 

 It was certainly the fatal packet on which reclined the head of her dire 

 relative ! Carmelo had probably placed it beneath his pillow, less to con- 

 ceal his treasure than to afford himself the exquisite gratification of slum- 

 bering on the instrument of his enemy's ruin. <c God of the captive ! I 

 implore thy good hand upon me !" in mental devotion ejaculated the 

 maiden. She drew her garments closely around her ; she pressed her 

 slight frame through the narrow interval which separated the window- 

 bars: she entered the chamber! 



For one moment Portia remained at the casement to recover the breath 

 which now seemed to be abandoning her stifled bosom. The stilness 

 which reigned in the apartment was so profound, that she distinctly 

 heard the slumberous breathings of the fierce Castellan her own gasp- 

 ing respiration the faint vibrations of a pendulum placed near the bed 

 and even the distant plashing of those peaceful waters that laved the 

 rock beneath the castle. As the lamp flickered on her kinsman's coun- 



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