(JRIM ALDI, 4lt 



fold as a terror to the beholders. Rage and defpair 

 had in the mean time tranfported Valentina to the 

 dreadfulleft of all imaginable deeds. She took her two 

 children by the hand, and hurried them with hafty 

 ftrides, and continually weeping, to the place of exe- 

 cution. She preffed through the croud, who made 

 way for her to pafs, and loaded her with execrations. 



But Valentina was deaf to all that pafTed. She 

 reached the foot of the bloody fcaffold, and mounted 

 with her children the fatal fteps, as though flie would 

 once more embrace the body of her fpoufe; Valentina 

 led her children quite up to the bleeding corpfe, and 

 fcade them embrace their deceafed father. At this 

 doleful light, and at the cries of thefe poor children, 

 all the fpeclators biirft out into tears, when fuddenly 

 the raging mother plunged a dagger into the breaft of 

 one, ran upon the other, and ftretched him dead be- 

 lide his dying brother. A univerfal burit of horror 

 and difmay afcended to the flues ! The populace ran 

 to day hold of her — but, already flic had frabbed her- 

 felf with the poignard, and fell lifelefs on the bodies of 

 her hulband and children. 



The light of the two murdered children, and the 

 mother wallowing in their blood, rilled all that were 

 prefent with cleteitation and terror. It was as if the 

 whole city had met with fome general calamity. Afto- 

 nifhment and dejection too\ hold of every mind and 

 heart. The inhabitants roamed up and down the 

 ftreets in gloomy filence, and the croud was inceflantly 

 renewing round the fcaffold where the blood of the 

 f hildren and the mother was mingling with the blood 



Pf 



