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The Thirty-fixth Novel of Bandello. Volume the Second.

W

HEN the Imperial City of Rome was taken and facked by the united Arms of Spain and Germany, a rich Merchant of Efi, named Ambrogio, was taken Prifoner among the rest of the Inhabitants, This Merchant, by a Wife who was lately dead, had two Children, a Boy and a Girl, both, beyond all Imagination beautiful, and fo like each other, that when they were both dreffed in Boy's or Girl's Cloaths, it was difficult to know the one from the other; fo that the Father himself, who for his Diverfion often tried the Experiment, was extremely puzzled to diftinguifh them.

Ambrogio, who loved them with great Affection, fpared no Expence in their Education, but caused them to be taught every Thing that was fit for their Birth and Fortune.

At the Time that Rome was facked, they were about fifteen Years of Age.

Paolo, fo was the Boy called, was taken Prisoner by a certain German, who for his great perfonal Valour was held in high Efteem by his Nation.

This Man having taken feveral other Prifoners of confiderable Rank, drew large Sums for their Ranfom; his Share of the Plunder had also been very great, having got a large Quantity of Gold and Silver Plate, many rich Jewels and Cloaths; fo that being very well fatisfied with his Gain he left Rome, and went to Naples, taking with him his little Captive Paolo, whom he loved and treated like his own Son.

The twin Sifter of Paolo, who was called Nicuola, fell into the Hands of two Spanish Soldiers, and Fortune was fo favourable to her, that upon her telling them she was Daughter to a very rich Man, they treated her with great Respect, in Expectation of receiving a confiderable Sum for her Ransom.

Ambrogio, through the Favour of fome Neapolitan Friends who were in the Spanish Troops, avoided Captivity, and had alfo an Opportunity given him of concealing the greateft Part of his Treasure in a fubterraneous Vault, but what remained in his House was pillaged.

This Lofs he bore with great Indifference, Grief for his Children's Captivity, and his Endeavours to find them, taking up all his Thoughts.

After

After a diligent Search he at length found Nicuola, whom he redeemed for five Hundred Ducats, but all the Methods he could use to discover where Paolo, was proving ineffectual, he began to fear he was killed.

This Apprehenfion filled him with exceffive Affliction, and no longer able to ftay in Rome, which continually renewed in his Mind the Remembrance of his loft Son, he returned to Efi, the Place of his Birth, and fatisfied with the Riches he poffeffed, quitted Merchandizing entirely.

In this City there dwelt a rich Merchant, named Gerard Lanzetti, whofe Wife being lately dead, and he through his Intimacy with Ambrogio, having frequent Opportunities of feeing the charming Nicuola, fell violently in Love with her; his own advanced Age, and the extream Youth of Nicuola, did not prevent him from demanding her in Marriage of her Father, affuring him at the fame Time that he would take her without any Portion.

Ambrogio had too much Understanding, not to be fenfible that fo unequal a Match could be productive of no good Confequences; yet to avoid offending the old Lover, he would not give him an abfolute Denial, but put him off, by faying he had ftill Hopes of recovering his Son, and could not think of parting with Nicuola till he heard fome News of her Brother.

In the mean Time the Fame of Nicuola's extraordinary Beauty fpread through the whole K 4 City

City of Efi, her Charms was the Subject of general Conversation. When she went abroad the People gathered in Crouds to gaze on her, and the noblest Youths in the City were continually paffing before her Windows, in Hopes of gaining a momentary Sight of her.

But he who was moft affiduous in watching for Opportunities to fee her, was a young Gentleman, named Lattantio Puccini, lately come to the Poffeffion of an immenfe Fortune, by the Death of his Father and Mo ́ther.

The diligent Attendance of this Youth before her Windows, at laft attracted the Ob'fervation of Nicuola, who being charmed with the Gracefulness of his Perfon, and flattered by his conftant Affiduities, fhewed herfelf frequently at her Window, and with bewitching Smiles and encouraging Glances, endeavoured to affure him that she was pleased with his Paffion, which Lattantio perceiving, thought himself the happieft Lover in the World.

Nicuola, who found an irrefiftible Sweetness in those new Defires that had taken Poffeffion of her young Bofom, opened her whole Soul to the infinuating Paffion, which grew at last to fuch a Height, that Life was infupportable to her unless the faw him every Day.

Lattantio, no longer able to content himself with beholding his beautiful Mistress at a Diftance only, was endeavouring to procure the Means of fpeaking to her in private, when fome urgent Affairs calling Ambrogio to Rome, where he proposed to stay feveral Months, he

was

was unwilling to leave Nicuola to the Care of Servants, and therefore took her to Fabriano, and left her with a Brother of his who had a Wife and Family.

- Nicuola's Departure from Efi was fo fudden and unexpected, that she had no Time to inform her Lover of it, fo that he hearing her Father was gone to Rome, fuppofed he had taken her with him, and remained for fome Time extremely difconfolate.

Abfence however producing its ufual Effects, fo weakened the Idea of Nicuola in his Mind, that an accidental Sight of the fair Catella, Daughter to Gerard Lanzetti, entirely erazed the Remembrance of Nicuola, and he refigned himself wholly up to the Influence of this new Charmer.

Nicuola on the contrary grieved beyond Measure, at not having been able to inform her Lover of the Place to which fhe was hurried, paffed her Time in Sighs, Tears, and Complaints.

The rigid Aufterity of her Uncle, who kept her always in his Sight, made it impoffible for her to fend a Letter or Meffage to Lattantio; fo that this Reftraint adding a fretful Impatience to her Grief, the thought every Hour of Abfence a thousand Years, and wearied out by continual Anxiety and restless Wishes, the fell into a deep and fettled Melancholly, which not all the tender Confolations of her Coufins, who thought it was occafioned by the Abfence of her Father, could re

move.