"This note was written in a female hand, and strongly excited both my curiosity and surprise; I repaired before vespers to the church of St. Giovanni, and knelt on purpose in a conspicuous place. When vespers were over, I lingered for some time, but I was not accosted by any one, and I was about to quit the church, persuaded that the writer of the note meant only to trifle with my curiosity; when a female, veiled, touched my arm; I turned round, and she motioned me to follow her; she walked forward with quickness, 'till we were clear of the crowd that had left the church with us, and she then stopped: I could perceive that she trembled. "A wish to save you from a snare the most diabolical, has brought me here, signor,' said she, in a low and tremulous voice, which I thought I had heard before. She paused a moment, and then continued, You are indebted to the Jew Mendez.' "Ha! what of him, interrupted I? "He seeks your ruin, (cried she); and without this warning, he would most probably have accomplished it: he means to-morrow to send for you, and tell you that he will let you have the money, if you will sign a bond to repay it upon terms more exorbitant than any he has yet asked you; should you agree to this, which he has not a doubt that you will, he means to substitute a bond in the place of the one you have read, by which he will become possessed of your aunt's whole fortune, after her decease. "What unparalleled villainy! ex claimed I: Warned as you are, signor, (said she), you will find it easy to escape, but sure destruction awaits me, if you own that you are aware of his design.' "Trust me, my kind preserver, that I will not; and now, may I beg to know to whom I am indebted for my safety? said I. "After what I have told you, signor, (cried she), I need not hesitate to own to you who I am. Have you forgotten your chance-meeting with Viola?" "Viola, generous girl! (cried I), but how is it that you are an inmate with this monster? "My story is too long to tell you now, signor, nor dare I longer delay returning home; I wish most anxiously to escape from Mendez, but friendless as I am, I know not where to go, said she. "Will you suffer me to procure you an asylum, cried I?-I swear to you on my honour, that I will protect you with my life. you "We will speak of this at a future. time, signor, (said she), but how do mean to evade the usurer's demand?' "There is but one way, returned I,I must pretend that I have raised the money elsewhere; but I cannot part with you 'till I know by what means I may learn your story, and how I can be of service to you. |