Zanoni — Edward Bulwer-Lytton

attire instead, I begged my way to the town where | left Clara. It was a clear winter’s day when I approached the outskirts of the town. I had no fear of detection, for my beard and hair were as good as a mask. Oh, Mother of Mercy! there came across my way a funeral procession! There, now you know it; T can tell you no more. She had died, perhaps of love, more likely of shame. Can you guess how I spent that night ?— I stole a pickaxe from a mason’s shed, and all alone and unseen, under the frosty heavens, I dug the fresh mould from the grave; I lifted the coffin, I wrenched the lid, I saw her again— again! Decay had not touched her. She was always pale in life! I could have sworn she lived! It was a blessed thing to see her once more, andall alonetoo! But then, at dawn, to give her back to the earth, — to close the lid, to throw down the mould, to hear the pebbles rattle on the coffin: that was dreadful! Signor, I never knew before, and I don’t wish to think now, how valuable a thing human life is, At sunrise I wasagain a wanderer; but now that Clara was gone, my scruples vanished, and again I was at war with my betters. I contrived at last, at O » to get taken on board a vessel bound to Leghorn, working out my passage. From Leghorn I went to Rome, and stationed myself at the door of the cardinal’s palace. Out he came, his gilded coach at the gate. “ «Ho, father!’ said I; ‘don’t you know me?’ “ «Who are you?’ “ ¢ Your son,’ said I, in a whisper. “The cardinal drew back, looked at me earnestly, and mused a moment. ‘All men are my sons,’ quoth he then, very mildly; ‘there is gold for thee! To him who begs once, alms are due; to him who begs twice, jails are open. ‘Take the hint and molest me no more,

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Heaven bless thee!’ With that he got into his coach, and drove off to the Vatican. His purse which he had left behind was well supplied. I was grateful and contented, and took my way to Terracina. I had not long passed the marshes when I saw two horsemen approach at a canter. “¢Vou look poor, friend,’ said one of them, halting; ‘yet you are strong.’ “« Poor men and strong are both serviceable and dangerous, Signor Cavalier.’ “ «Well said; follow us.’ “T obeyed, and became a bandit. I rose by degrees; and as I have always been mild in my calling, and have taken purses without cutting throats, I bear an excellent character, and can eat my macaroni at Naples without any danger to life and limb. For the last two years I have settled in these parts, where I hold sway, and where I have purchased land. I am called a farmer, signor; and I myself now only rob for amusement, and to keep my hand in. I trust I have satisfied your curiosity. We are within a hundred yards of the castle.” “And how,” asked the Englishman, whose interest had been much excited by his companion’s narrative, — “and how came you acquainted with my host ?— and by what means has he so well conciliated the goodwill of yourself and friends?” Maestro Paolo turned his black eyes very gravely towards his questioner. “ Why, signor,” said he, “ you must surely know more of the foreign cavalier with the hard name than Ido. All I can say is, that about a fortnight ago I chanced to be standing by a booth in the Toledo at Naples, when a sober-looking gentleman touched me by the arm, and said, ‘ Maestro Paolo, I

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want to make your acquaintance; do me the favor te come into yonder tavern, and drink a flask of lderima.’ ‘Willingly,’ said I. So we entered the tavern. When we were seated, my new acquaintance thus accosted me: ‘The Count d’O0 has offered to let me hire his old castle near B You know the spot?’ “ «Extremely well; no one has inhabited it for a century at least; it is half in ruins, signor. A queer place to hire; I hope the rent is not heavy.’ “ ¢ Maestro Paolo,’ said he, ‘I ama philosopher, and don’t care for luxuries. I want a quiet retreat for some scientific experiments. The castle will suit me very wel], provided you will accept me as a neighbor, and place me and my friends under your special protection. I amrich; but I shall take nothing to the castle worth robbing. I will pay one rent to the count, and another to you.’ “With that we soon came to terms; and as the strange signor doubled the sum I myself proposed, he is in high favor with all his neighbors. We would guard the whole castle against an army. And now, signor, that I have been thus frank, be frank with me. Who is this singular cavalier?” “Who? —he himself told you, a philosopher.” “Hem! searching for the Philosopher’s Stone, — eh, a bit of a magician; afraid of the priests ?’’ “Precisely ; you have hit it.” “T thought so; and you are his pupil?” ae I am. ” “T wish you well through it,” said the robber, seriously, and crossing himself with much devotion; “I am not much better than other people, but one’s soul is one’s soul. I do not mind a little honest robbery, or knocking a man on the head if need be, — but to make a

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