every day expected her return. A short tin, however, discovered to me that he had deceived us, for the purpose of getting me into his power; and I have reason to suppose that he forged the account we received of my uncle's illness, in order to induce my aunt to leave Naples. He dared to insult me by an offer of his hand, and on my rejection of it, he insolently avowed a determination that I should be his. The woman who passed for his sister was in reality hired by him, in order to induce my aunt the more readily to intrust me to his protection. I found from her a degree of sympathy and kindness which I had not expected, and when, in consequence of my overhearing the plot laid for your ruin, I pressed her to assist in saving you, she readily consented. She is ordered to confine me strictly; but she relied on my promise of not endeavouring to escape, and allowed me to meet you."

"Ten thousand thanks for your kind

ness (replied I); but surely you do not intend to remain in the power of this wretch.'

"No, signor (answered she); I hope in time to persuade Fiametta to suffer me to fly, and to accompany me. If she does, I will take refuge in a convent till I can hear from my aunt, who has left my little fortune in my own possession. I shall not, therefore be distressed, if I can escape.'

"I shall be unhappy (cried I) till I know that you are out of the power of this monster. May I hope that you will sometimes permit me to see you?'

"After some hesitation Viola granted my request, and told me that she would write me word when she could again see me. I returned home with my thoughts filled with her story and situation, and my own fortunate escape. In two days Mendez came to me.

"Well, signor (said he), I shall now, I think, be able to oblige you. It gave me pain to refuse you; but then

it was utterly out of my power to ad vance the money; now I can do it, and' I wish (said I, interrupting him), that you could have done it be fore. Now it is too late to be of service to me. I was obliged to have recourse to a friend, who has lent me what I wanted.'

"He looked thunderstruck. -"I have put myself to considerable inconvenience to procure it for you, signor (cried he); do you mean to say that you will not borrow it?

"I am sorry to have occasioned you trouble (said I), but as I do not want it, and as my debt to you is already so large, it would be folly to add to it.'

"He made no reply, but he quitted me (with an expression of suppressed rage in his countenance, which I did not appear to notice). The next day I had a note from Viola, which contained an appointment to meet her at the gardengate. She was not able to give me any intelligence of Mendez, but she told

1

4

me that she hoped speedily to persuade Fiametta to liberate her, and to be the companion of her flight. "Our interview was

long, and I could not refrain from some professions of admiration, which Viola listened to with a blushing timidity, that rendered her, in my eyes, more lovely than I had ever before thought her. At parting, she promised to let me know as soon as she had settled her plan of

1

escape.

66

My situation now was a most unpleasant one; harrassed for money, which I had no means to raise, and、 not daring to apply to my aunt, lest my extravagance might injure me in her opinion. To add to my perplexities, Mendez, to my utter astonishment, sent to me for his money. I reminded him, that by the terms of our agreement he was not to be paid till my aunt's decease, and for a few days I heard no more from him. Just as I

bad begun to congratulate myself on

getting rid of the business, he came to me one morning.

"I am at present much distressed, signor (cried he), and if you cannot let me have the sum due to me, I must apply to your aunt; probably she may liquidate the debt.'

"I besought his forbearance, but for some time in vain; at last he promised to allow me a few days to make up the money; but he peremptorily declared that he must have it in a given time, and he left me. after his departure, I apartment in an agony,

For some time

traversed my

which I had

never experienced before. At one moment I resolved to tell my aunt all, and the next I shrunk from a step, which would most probably occasion my ruin. While my mind was in this state, I received a note from Viola, containing a request to see me that night, as she had something of consequence to say to me. I was punctual to the time, and Viola informed me, that she knew