"Thou forgettest those up above, son."
"I think only of One truly above, father."
"And this girl--how canst thou hope to deceive her?"
"She will take thy place--she is with us in heart, and will lend
herself to a seeming violence. I do not promise for thee idly, kindest
Gelsomina?"
The frightened girl, who had never before witnessed so plain evidence of
desperation in her companion, had sunk upon an article of furniture,
speechless. The look of the prisoner changed from one to the other, and
he made an effort to rise, but debility caused him to fall backwards,
and not till then did Jacopo perceive the impracticability, on many
accounts, of what, in a moment of excitement, he had proposed. A long
silence followed. The hard breathing of Jacopo gradually subsided, and
the expression of his face changed to its customary settled and
collected look.
"Father," he said, "I must quit thee; our misery draws near a close."
"Thou wilt come to me soon again?"
"If the saints permit--thy blessing, father."
The old man folded his hands above the head of Jacopo, and murmured a
prayer. When this pious duty was performed, both the Bravo and Gelsomina
busied themselves a little time in contributing to the bodily comforts
of the prisoner, and then they departed in company.
Jacopo appeared unwilling to quit the vicinity of the cell. A melancholy
presentiment seemed to possess his mind, that these stolen visits were
soon to cease.
Pages:
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459