Chamberss Edinburgh Journal, No. 419 | Page 8

was
doubtless suggested by the circumstance that had occurred the year
before. 'But,' said he, 'Ripa's safely locked up in jail now, and there's no
danger.'
Nevertheless the dream appears to have made so deep an impression on
the sick woman's fancy, that she never let her husband rest till he
promised to go with his own farm-servant to meet her brother--a
compliance which was at length won from him by her saying that she
had seen the man crouching behind a low wall that surrounded a
half-built church; 'and close by,' she added, 'there was a direction-post

with something written on it, but I could not read what it was.'
Now it happened that on the horse-road to Aquila, which Faustina
herself had never travelled, there was exactly such a spot as that she
described. Malfi knew it well. Struck by the circumstance, he desired to
have his dinner immediately, and then, accompanied by his hind, he set
off to meet Gaspar.
In the meanwhile the Spaniard had got his money and made his
purchases in good time, not wishing to be late on the road, so that they
had scarcely got a mile beyond the church when they met him; and in
answer to his inquiries what had brought them there, Malfi related his
wife's dream, adding that he might have spared himself the ride, for he
had looked over the wall, and saw nobody there. 'I told her it was
nonsense,' he said, 'whilst we know your enemy's under such good
keeping at Aquila; but she wouldn't be satisfied till I came.'
Mendez, however, appeared exceedingly struck with the dream,
inquired the particulars more in detail, and asked if they were sure there
was nobody concealed in the place Faustina indicated. Malfi answered
that he did not alight, but he looked over the wall and saw nobody.
During the course of this conversation they had turned their horses'
heads, and were riding back towards the church, Malfi talking about
Ripa's affair, remarking on the impropriety of deferring his execution
so long; Mendez more than usually silent and serious, and the servant
riding beside them, when, as they approached the spot, they saw
coming towards them on foot a man, whom they all three recognised as
Antonio Guerra, the Spaniard's late servant. As this person was
supposed to have gone to another part of the country after quitting
Gaspar's service, Malfi expressed some surprise at seeing him; whilst
Mendez turned very pale, making at the same time some exclamation
that attracted the attention of his brother-in-law, who, however, drew
up his horse to ask Guerra what had brought him back, and if he was
out of a situation, adding that a neighbour of his, whom he named, was
in want of a servant. Guerra, who looked poorly dressed, and by no
means in such good case as formerly, answered that he should be very
glad if Malfi would recommend him.
'You had better turn about, then, and come on with us,' said Malfi, as he
rode forward. During this conversation Mendez had sat by saying
nothing; and if he was grave and silent before, he was still more so now,

insomuch that his behaviour drew the attention of his brother-in-law,
who asked him if there was anything wrong with him.
'Surely it's not Faustina's dream you are thinking of?' he said; adding,
'that the meeting with Guerra had put it out of his head, or he would
have examined the place more narrowly.'
Mendez entered into no explanation; and as the servant, who was
acquainted with Guerra, took him up behind him, they all arrived at
their journey's end nearly together: Mendez, instead of proceeding
homewards, turning off with the others to Malfi's house, where the first
thing he did after his arrival was to visit his sister, whom he found
better; whilst she, on the contrary, was struck with the pallor of his
features and the agitation of his manner--a disorder which, like her
husband, she attributed to the shock of her dream, acting upon a mind
prepared by the affair of the preceding year to take alarm. In order to
remove the impression, she laughed at the fright she had been in; but it
was evident he could not share her merriment, and he quickly left her,
saying he had a message to send to Rocca, which was the village where
Bianca and her father resided, and that he must go below and write a
note, which he did, giving it to Malfi's servant to take.
It appeared afterwards that this man, having other work in hand, gave
the note to Guerra, who willingly undertook the commission, and who,
to satisfy his own curiosity, broke the seal on the way, and possessed
himself of its contents before he