as Sumana." "But to lose her," said Graziana," and our dearest friends"-" Is a sufficient reason, I know, my dear sister," he interrupted, "to make you give up a voyage that must be paid for so dearly; but what think you of the dolphins and marine monsters? are they not delightfully fearful? Depend upon it, Ronald's imagination was frequently at work in some of his descriptions. I own myself tempted, said I, to believe in most sailors' accounts, and think it is our own commonplace mode of living that make their relations appear so marvellous. How few adventures that are called romantic, but have their parallel in reality.". "Your remark is just,” replied Florio, "and reminds me of a story which was current in Venice, when I was staying there; the events appeared miraculous, but were wrought by a common, natural cause, coinciding happily with the wishes of the parties. As but you and I remain to add our share of the day's amusement, I will, after you, repeat this tale for the company's entertainment. We will not lose it now, returned I, mine shall be reserved for the last as a bonne bouche, not doubting it will win the prize. I spoke this, because my memory not furnishing me with one at the moment, I hoped to be excused altogether, should it grow late before Florio had finished. He politely complied with my request, and began as follows: TALE SIXTH. THE TWO LYSANDERS; OR, THE FORTUNES OF A SLEEP-WALKER. One of these men is genius to the other: Which is the natural man And which the spirit? who deciphers them? SHAKESPEAR. Oh God!-Oh nurse! how shall this be prevented? My husband is on earth, my faith in Heaven; How shall that faith return again to earth, Unless that husband send it me from Heaven By leaving earth?-Comfort me,-counsel me.— What say'st thou hast thou not a word of joy? SHAKESPEAR. LYSANDER, of Venice, found himself at the age of eighteen in possession of a large fortune, fine health, a handsome person, and a constant spirit of enjoyment. With such qualifications he entered into all the amusements and luxuries of that voluptuous city; his gallant and high spirit led him to give the finest entertainments; his serenades were in the choicest and most refined taste; his palace, gondola, and esta blishment of the most costly order. No man gave money to those who asked it with a more generous' or obliging spirit, or lost it at the gaming table with so careless and pleasant an air. By such means however he contrived to dispose of the first of these qualifications in little more than three years, whilst the entire possession of the remaining ones made him but the more sensible of the want of the former.Without money, what avail health, spirits, and desires? Why, the power of again enjoying riches and pleasures-so at least thought Lysander: "I have friends-they are rich and powerful-they will assist me." He tried those friends, and like Timon of old, and those spendthrifts who have succeeded him, received refusals and advice. But not like Timon did he turn misanthrope and quit the world; it offered too many joys to his gay and elastic spirit. "I have still houses and furniture; they will serve me for a stake at the hazard-table, where I have seen thousands won by men less experienced in the throw of dice than myself." It was the time of the Carnival: Lysander, habited in a domino, went to the place of St. and tried his fortune, which after frequent vacillations left him destitute of house and lands. He returned home, ordered lights in the saloon, exchanged his masquerade habit for a silk dressing-gown, and dismissing his attendants, threw himself on a couch stunned and bewildered. "Now if I were prudent and thoughtful,” he exclaimed, "which Heaven knows I am not, I should be looking over papers and deeds, and endeavouring to arrange my disordered affairs, previous to yielding up my patrimony to sharpers and knaves; but, by St. Marco, I am in no humour to forward the transfer, and cannot help wishing the rogues all the fatigue of an examination, which my own imprudence and my steward's dishonesty have rendered tolerably perplexing. There's the bond of St. Julian, and that old rogue Bartolo's mortgage; ha! ha! ha! I should like to see the curmudgeon disputing inch by inch, line by line, with his brother sharpers. After all, I know not why I should call them hard names; I would have won their money if luck had been on my side; as it is, my fortune is to seek; to-morrow may prove more favourable." By this train of jocose reasoning he soon calmed the hurry of feelings which had oppressed him on his first entering the palace. The beauty and repose of the room which he had selected for his farewell meditation were indeed well calculated to produce this effect; the voluptuous paintings of Titian and Corregio glowed on the walls; between each marble pillar stood the graceful forms which immortal sculptors have given to immortality; the choicest fruits and wines lay on a porphyry table; while flowers of the most exquisite hue and perfume were grouped in vases embossed with the chisel's prodigality. The windows, opening on a raised terrace, admitted the cool breeze, while the gentle plashings of a fountain alone broke the silence of an early summer evening. From such a Paradise to be for ever banished might have made the wise sigh and the merely sen sual repine; but Lysander had other regrets pressing heavily at his heart; the friends who had disappointed him, the friendless who would miss him ;-from these he was eager to remove. To seek his fortune, as it is termed, a wandering but hopeful adventurer, seemed not altogether without its charms to one of his romantic disposition. Immediately his busy fancy conjured up castles, damsels, dangers, and rewards. By degrees the paintings and statues formed part of his reverie; the fountain's musick seemed breathed from a lady's lute; and the flowers and fruits became a splendid banquet. He slept, he dreamed. He fancied that a young and beautiful lady smiled upon him and beckoned him to advance; he was eagerly hastening forward, when the figure of his suc→ cessful opponent at play thrust in between them and bade him quit the palace. Enraged, he would have felled his adversary with his stiletto; but the other putting aside the weapon, offered the alternative of winning the lady by the chance of the die. Joyfully was the offer accepted, and so powerful was this vision, that he rose from the couch on which he was lying, and wrapping his gown about him, left the house. The servants wondered their master should go out unmasked and in that dress; but it was Carnival time, and "Il illustrissimo" liked not to be thwarted. The night was pretty far advanced; most of the revellers had retired, and the few whom he met |