CHAPTER TWENTY.
A LONG STORY, WHICH THE READER MUST LISTEN TO, AS WELL AS OUR HERO.
"I have already made you acquainted with my name, and I have only toadd, that it is one of the most noble in Sicily, and that there are fewfamilies who possess such large estates. My father was a man who had nopleasure in the pursuits of most young men of his age; he was of aweakly constitution, and was with difficulty reared to manhood. Whenhis studies were completed he retired to his country-seat, belonging toour family, which is about twenty miles from Palermo, and shuttinghimself up, devoted himself wholly to literary pursuits.
"As he was an only son, his parents were naturally very anxious that heshould marry; the more so as his health did not promise him a veryextended existence. Had he consulted his own inclinations he would havedeclined, but he felt that it was his duty to comply with their wishes;but he did not trouble himself with the choice, leaving it wholly tothem. They selected a young lady of high family, and certainly of mostexquisite beauty. I only wish I could say more in her favour, for shewas my mother; but it is impossible to narrate the history withoutexposing her conduct. The marriage took place, and my father, havingwoke up as it were at the celebration, again returned to his closet, tooccupy himself with abstruse studies; the results of which have beenpublished, and have fully established his reputation as a man ofsuperior talent and deep research. But, however much the public mayappreciate the works of a man of genius, whether they be written toinstruct or to amuse, certain it is that a literary man requires, in hiswife, either a mind congenial to his own, or that pride in her husband'stalents which induces her to sacrifice much of her own domesticenjoyment to the satisfaction of having his name extolled abroad. Imention this point as some extenuation of my mother's conduct. She wasneglected most certainly, but not neglected for frivolous amusements, orbecause another form had more captivated his fancy; but, in his desireto instruct others, and I may add, his ambition for renown, he appliedhimself to his literary pursuits, became abstracted, answered withouthearing, and left his wife to amuse herself in any way she might please.A literary husband is, without exception, although always at home, theleast domestic husband in the world, and must try the best of tempers,not by unkindness, for my father was kind and indulgent to excess, butby that state of perfect abstraction and indifference which he showed toeverything except the favourite pursuit which absorbed him. My motherhad but to speak, and every wish was granted--a refusal was unknown.You may say, what could she want more; I reply, that anything to a womanis preferable to indifference. The immediate consent to every wish tookaway, in her opinion, all merit in the grant; the value of everything isonly relative, and in proportion to the difficulty of obtaining it. Theimmediate assent to every opinion was tantamount to insult; it impliedthat he did not choose to argue with her.
"It is true that women like to have their own way; but they like, at thesame time, to have difficulties to surmount and to conquer; otherwise,half the gratification is lost. Although tempests are to be deplored,still a certain degree of oscillation and motion are requisite to keepfresh and clear the lake of matrimony, the waters of which otherwisesoon stagnate and become foul, and without some contrary currents ofopinion between a married couple such a stagnation must take place.
"A woman permitted always and invariably to have her own way withoutcontrol, is much in the same situation as the child who insists upon awhole instead of half a holiday, and before the evening closes is tiredof himself and everything about him. In short, a little contradiction,like salt at dinner, seasons and appetises the repast; but too much,like the condiment in question, spoils the whole, and it becomesunpalatable in proportion to its excess.
"My mother was a vain woman in every sense of the word--vain of herbirth and of her beauty, and accustomed to receive that homage to whichshe considered herself entitled. She had been spoiled in her infancy,and as she grew up had learned nothing, because she was permitted to doas she pleased; she was therefore frivolous, and could not appreciatewhat she could not comprehend. There never was a more ill-assortedunion."
"I have always thought that such must be the case," replied Gascoigne,"in Catholic countries, where a young person is taken out of a conventand mated according to what her family or her wealth may consider as themost eligible connection."
"On that subject there are many opinions, my friend," replied DonRebiera. "It is true, that when a marriage of convenience is arrangedby the parents, the dispositions of the parties are made a secondarypoint; but then, again, it must be remembered, that when a choice isleft to the parties themselves, it is at an age at which there is littleworldly consideration: and, led away, in the first place, by theirpassions, they form connections with those inferior in their station,which are attended with eventual unhappiness; or, in the other, allowingthat they do choose in their own rank of life, they make quite as bad oroften a worse choice than if their partners were selected for them."
"I cannot understand that," replied Gascoigne.
"The reason is, because there are no means, or if means, no wish, tostudy each other's disposition. A young man is attracted by person, andhe admires; the young woman is flattered by the admiration, and isagreeable; if she has any faults she is not likely to display them--notconcealing them from hypocrisy, but because they are not called out.The young man falls in love, so does the young woman; and when once inlove, they can no longer see faults; they marry, imagining that theyhave found perfection. In the blindness of love, each raises the otherto a standard of perfection which human nature can never attain, andeach becomes equally annoyed on finding, by degrees, that they were inerror. The reaction takes place, and they then underrate, as much asbefore they had overrated, each other. Now, if two young people marrywithout this violence of passion, they do not expect to find each otherperfect, and perhaps have a better chance of happiness."
"I don't agree with you," thought Gascoigne; "but as you appear to be asfond of argument as my friend Jack, I shall make no reply, lest there heno end to the story."
Don Rebiera proceeded.
"My mother, finding that my father preferred his closet and his books togaiety and dissipation, soon left him to himself, and amused herselfafter her own fashion, but not until I was born, which was ten monthsafter their marriage. My father was confiding, and, pleased that mymother should be amused, he indulged her in everything. Time flew on,and I had arrived at my fifteenth year, and came home from my studies,it being intended that I should enter the army, which you are aware isgenerally the only profession embraced in this country by the heirs ofnoble families. Of course, I knew little of what had passed at home,but still I had occasionally heard my mother spoken lightly of, when Iwas not supposed to be present, and I always heard my father's namementioned with compassion, as if an ill-used man, but I knew nothingmore: still this was quite sufficient for a young man, whose bloodboiled at the idea of anything like a stigma being cast upon his family.I arrived at my father's--I found him at his books; I paid my respectsto my mother--I found her with her confessor. I disliked the man atfirst sight; he was handsome, certainly: his forehead was high andwhite, his eyes large and fiery, and his figure commanding; but therewas a dangerous, proud look about him which disgusted me--nothing likehumility or devotion. I might have admired him as an officer commandinga regiment of cavalry, but as a churchman he appeared to be mostmisplaced. She named me with kindness, but he appeared to treat me withdisdain; he spoke authoritatively to my mother, who appeared to yieldimplicitly, and I discovered that he was lord of the whole household.My mother, too, it was said, had given up gaieties and become devout. Isoon perceived more than a common intelligence between them, and beforeI had been two months at home I had certain proofs of my father'sdishonour; and what was still more unfortunate for me, they were awarethat such was the case. My first impulse was to acquaint my father;but, on consideration, I thought it better to say nothing, provided Icould persuade my mother to dismiss Father Ignatio. I took anopport
unity when she was alone to express my indignation at her conduct,and to demand his immediate dismissal, as a condition of my notdivulging her crime. She appeared frightened, and gave her consent; butI soon found that her confessor had more power with her than I had, andhe remained. I now resolved to acquaint my father, and I roused himfrom his studies that he might listen to his shame. I imagined that hewould have acted calmly and discreetly; but, on the contrary, hisviolence was without bounds, and I had the greatest difficulty frompreventing his rushing with his sword to sacrifice them both. At lasthe contented himself by turning Father Ignatio out of the house in themost ignominious manner, and desiring my mother to prepare for seclusionin a convent for the remainder of her days. But he fell their victim;three days afterwards, as my mother was, by his directions, about to beremoved, he was seized with convulsions and died. I need hardly say,that he was carried off by poison; this, however, could not beestablished till long afterwards. Before he died he seemed to be almostsupernaturally prepared for an event which never came into my thoughts.He sent for another confessor, who drew up his confession in writing athis own request, and afterwards inserted it in his will. My motherremained in the house, and Father Ignatio had the insolence to return.I ordered him away, and he resisted. He was turned out by the servants.I had an interview with my mother, who defied me, and told me that Ishould soon have a brother to share in the succession. I felt that, ifso, it would be the illegitimate progeny of her adultery, and told hermy opinion. She expressed her rage in the bitterest curses, and I lefther. Shortly afterwards she quitted the house and retired to another ofour country-seats, where she lived with Father Ignatio as before. Aboutfour months afterwards, formal notice was sent to me of the birth of abrother; but as, when my father's will was opened, he there had insertedhis confession, or the substance of it, in which he stated, that awareof my mother's guilt, and supposing that consequences might ensue, hesolemnly declared before God that he had for years lived apart, I caredlittle for this communication. I contented myself with replying that asthe child belonged to the church, it had better be dedicated to itsservice.
"I had, however, soon reason to acknowledge the vengeance of my motherand her paramour. One night I was attacked by bravos; and had I notfortunately received assistance, I should have forfeited my life; as itwas, I received a severe wound.
"Against attempts of that kind I took every precaution in future, butstill every attempt was made to ruin my character, as well as to take mylife. A young sister disappeared from a convent in my neighbourhood,and on the ground near the window from which she descended, was found ahat, recognised to be mine. I was proceeded against, andnotwithstanding the strongest interest, it was with difficulty that theaffair was arranged, although I had incontestably proved an _alibi_.
"A young man of rank was found murdered, with a stiletto, known to bemine, buried in his bosom, and it was with difficulty that I couldestablish my innocence.
"Part of a banditti had been seized, and on being asked the name oftheir chief, when they received absolution, they confessed that I wasthe chief of the band.
"Everything that could be attempted was put into practice; and if I didnot lose my life, at all events I was avoided by almost everybody as adangerous and doubtful character.
"At last a nobleman of rank, the father of Don Scipio, whom youdisarmed, was assassinated; the bravos were taken, and they acknowledgedthat I was the person who hired them. I defended myself, but the kingimposed upon me a heavy fine and banishment. I had just received theorder, and was crying out against the injustice, and lamenting my hardfate, as I sat down to dinner. Latterly, aware of what my enemies wouldattempt, I had been accustomed to live much alone. My faithful valetPedro was my only attendant. I was eating my dinner with littleappetite, and had asked for some wine. Pedro went to the beaufet behindhim, to give me what I required. Accidentally I lifted up my head, andthere being a large pier-glass opposite to me, I saw the figure of myvalet, and that he was pouring a powder in the flagon of wine which hewas about to present to me. I recollected the hat being found at thenunnery, and also the stiletto in the body of the young man.
"Like lightning it occurred to me that I had been fostering the viperwho had assisted to destroy me. He brought me the flagon. I rose,locked the door, and drawing my sword, I addressed him:--
"`Villain; I know thee; down on your knees, for your life is forfeited.'
"He turned pale, trembled, and sank upon his knees.
"`Now, then,' continued I, `you have but one chance--either drink offthis flagon of wine, or I pass my sword through your body.' Hehesitated, and I put the point to his breast--even pierced the flesh aquarter of an inch.
"`Drink,' cried I--`is it so very unjust an order to tell you to drinkold wine? Drink,' continued I, `or my sword does its duty.'
"He drank, and would then have quitted the room. `No, no,' said I, `youremain herd, and the wine must have its effect. If I have wronged you Iwill make amends to you--but I am suspicious.'
"In about a quarter of an hour, during which time I paced up and downthe room, with my sword drawn, my servant fell down, and cried in mercyto let him have a priest. I sent for my own confessor, and he thenacknowledged that he was an agent of my mother and Father Ignatio, andhad been the means of making it appear that I was the committer of allthe crimes and murders which had been perpetrated by them, with a viewto my destruction. A strong emetic having been administered to him, hepartially revived, and was taken to Palermo, where he gave his evidencebefore he expired.
"When this was made known, the king revoked his sentence, apologised tome, and I found that once more I was visited and courted by everybody.My mother was ordered to be shut up in a convent, where she died, Itrust, in grace, and Father Ignatio fled to Italy, and I have beeninformed is since dead.
"Having thus rid myself of my principal enemies, I considered myselfsafe. I married the lady whom you have just seen, and before my eldestson was born, Don Silvio, for such was the name given to my assertedlegitimate brother, came of age, and demanded his succession. Had heasked me for a proper support, as my uterine brother, I should not haverefused; but that the son of Friar Ignatio, who had so often attemptedmy life, should, in case of my decease, succeed to the title andestates, was not to be borne. A lawsuit was immediately commenced,which lasted four or five years, during which Don Silvio married, andhad a son, that young man whom you heard me address by the same name;but after much litigation, it was decided that my father's confessor andwill had proved his illegitimacy, and the suit was in my favour. Fromthat time to this there has been a constant enmity. Don Silvio refusedall my offers of assistance, and followed me with a pertinacity whichoften endangered my life. At last he fell by the hands of his ownagents, who mistook him for me. Don Silvio died without leaving anyprovision for his family; his widow I pensioned, and his son I have hadcarefully brought up, and have indeed treated most liberally, but heappears to have imbibed the spirit of his father, and no kindness hasbeen able to imbue him with gratitude.
"He had lately been placed by me in the army, where he found out my twosons, and quarrelled with them both upon slight pretence; but, in bothinstances, he was wounded and carried off the field.
"My two sons have been staying with me these last two months, and didnot leave till yesterday. This morning Don Silvio, accompanied by DonScipio, came to the house, and after accusing me of being the murdererof both their parents, drew their rapiers to assassinate me. My wifeand child, hearing the noise, came down to my assistance--you know therest."