’ MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS. 
Some days after, as nothing was 
seen Or heard of Grimaldi, the mae 
gistracy ordered his house and his 
chamber to be opened. All were 
surprised at not meeting with the 
master; but much more at not find- 
ing any money in the house. 
Three months elapsed without 
any tidings of Grimaldi, either as 
dead or alive. As soon as Fazio 
perceived that there was no longer 
any talk about his sudden disappear- 
ance, he on his part began to let fall 
a word or two concerning his che- 
mical discoveries. Shortly after he 
even spread a report under hand 
about something of a bar of gold. 
People laughed at him to his face, 
as they had already had so many 
examples of his having been deceived 
‘in his operations. But Fazio for 
this time stood firm to his assertions, 
prudently observed a certain grada- 
tion in his discourses and exhibitions 
of joy, and at last went so far as to 
talk of a journey to France for con- 
yverting his bar into current coin. 
The better to conceal his real de- 
sign, he pretended to be in want of 
cash for his travelling-charges, and 
borrowed a hundred florins ona 
farm, which he had not yet sent up 
the chimney. Fifty of them he kept 
to his own uses, and fifty he gave to 
his wife, at the saine time assuring 
her of his speedy return, ‘This in- 
formation threw her into a tremor. 
_ She feared it was the ruin of his for- 
tune that forced Fazio to fiy his 
country : she never expected to see 
him again, and thought of nothing 
but the being shortly reduced to the 
extremity of distress, and left for- 
lorn, with her two fatherless child- 
ren, destitute of bread. She beg- 
ged and conjured him not to travel. 
She spoke with so much eloquence 
aud pathos, that Fazio was affected 
[*14r 
to that degree, as no longer to be 
able to conceal his secret, notwithe 
standing his resolution to keep it for 
life. He took her gently by the 
hand, led her into his cabinet, dis- 
closed to her the transaction with 
Grimaldi, and shewed her his gold- 
en treasure. Dost thou now enter- 
tain any doubt of the truth of my 
ingot of gold? added he, with a 
smile. ‘ 
We may judge of the satisfaction 
this gave to Valentina, for this was 
the name of F'azio’s wife. “She fell 
upon his neck, and thanked, and 
flattered him as much, as before she 
had teazed him with reproaches 
and objections. A multitude of 
plans were struck out of future hap- 
piness and glory; and preparations 
for the journey were made with all 
speed. But when the very day fixt 
for his departure was come, Valene 
tina, on whom Fazio, as we may 
easily imagine, had inculcated the 
profoundest silence, Valentina, I 
say, did not fail to make common 
cause with the rest of the family, 
and remonstrated against the joure 
ney as before. She pretended as if 
she had still her doubts, was lavish 
of her prayers and entreaties, and 
was almost dissolyed in tears, withe 
out feeling the least uneasiness. 
Fazio passed for a fool. The whole 
town made game of him, and he 
laughed at the whole town in return. 
While he was on the way to 
Marseilles, his wife, whom he had 
left behind at Pisa, continued to 
play the part she had begun. She 
was incessantly complaining of her 
poverty, while in private she had 
plenty ofall things. Forher husband 
had left with hera sum of money 
which was more than sufficient for 
defraying her necessary expences. 
Every one lamented her fate, and 
yet 
