616 Asmodeus and the Incognito. 



the centre of a large city a noble and magnificent marble structure 

 surrounded by gardens and almost besieged by horse and foot- 

 guards. What place is that?'' asked 1 of Asmodeus. " That is the 

 residence of a despot," replied he; " that is the palace of a fiend, who, 

 considering his limited means, greatly surpasses in cruelty and oppres- 

 sion all the Tiberii and Neros of old. There lives the Archduke 

 Francis of Este, the present ruling tyrant of Modena. Do you 

 see in that splendid apartment that pale, thin, and powdered indi- 

 vidual in company with an elderly fat person and a young man ? " 

 *' Yes," answered I, " and they seem busily engaged in reading 

 some MSS. papers." " Well," resumed Asmodeus, ' the powdered 

 individual is the Duke ; the elderly fat person is his Confessor 

 and Prime-Minister, and the young man, a Jesuit by profession, is 

 his private secretary ; they are perusing some denunciations, which 

 have been forwarded this morning against three gentlemen who are 

 suspected of entertaining liberal opinions. The Monks, who really 

 swarm in the Modenese, are the best spies of the Duke ; and, as 

 through interest or spite they often abuse their calling, many fami- 

 lies are ruined in consequence of their denunciations. Asmodeus 

 was still revealing the baseness of those dirty hypocrites, when the 

 door of the apartment was opened ; and a young lady, dressed in 

 black and bathed in tears, quickly advancing, presented a petition to 

 the Duke, and then threw herself at his feet. The Prince, however, 

 directly destroyed the paper without looking at it : the young Jesuit 

 rang the bell, and, behold y two guards took away through violence the 

 fair supplicant from the arch-ducal presence. "Oh ! the brute," cried 

 I, with indignation; " pray, Asmodeus, explain to me the meaning of 

 that distressing sight ; tell me what was her request, and why it has not 

 been granted?" " She is the wife of a young barrister," said the 

 devil ; " her husband generously, but foolishly, dared to become the 

 advocate of the unfortunate Menotti, who was executed for high- 

 treason in 1831. From that epoch he was of course placed under 

 the surveillance both of the political and religious inquisition as a 

 man of suspected liberal principles. Having afterwards been de- 

 nounced to belong to the Carbonari of Central Italy, he has been con- 

 demned to be imprisoned for life. This is the sixth time that his dis- 

 consolate spouse has implored his pardon; but, as you have already 

 witnessed, she has always been treated in the same manner." 



" But, I suppose," observed I, " it has been proved that he was a 

 Carbonaro ?" " Proved !" retorted Asmodeus, peevishly, " not at 

 all. If the least proof had existed, he would have been soon dispatched 

 on the gallows, his family exiled, and his property confiscated. In the 

 States of Francis D' Este a single denunciation is quite sufficient to de- 

 prive a man of his liberty, and sometimes of his life." " And do his 

 subjects bear such a tyrannical yoke ?" quoth I. " Even they must," 

 rejoined Asmodeus. '* Look beneath you on every direction, and you 

 will soon discover the cause of their forbearance." I obeyed his com- 

 mand, and saw with dismay that Austrian troops in great numbers 

 were encamped almost all around the Modenese. I sighed, and then 

 said, " Where are the state prisoners detained ?" "There," answered 

 Asmodeus, pointing to a subterraneous prison under the citadel of 



