Chamberss Edinburgh Journal, No. 419 | Page 9

delivered it. These were, however,
only a request that Bianca and her father would come over to Malfi's
house that evening and bring the notary of the village with them, he
(Mendez) being too tired to go to Rocca to sign the contract, as had
been arranged.
It being between six and seven o'clock when this dispatch arrived,
Bianca, who was very little inclined to sign the contract at all, objected
to going; but her father insisting on her compliance, they set off in
company with Guerra and the notary, who, according to appointment,
was already in waiting. They had nearly three miles to go, and as
Venoni had no horse, the notary gave Bianca a seat on his, and the old
man rode double with Guerra.
When they arrived, Mendez was standing at the door waiting for them,
accompanied by Malfi, his servant, a priest, and two or three other
persons of the neighbourhood; some of whom advanced to assist

Bianca and her father to alight, whilst the others surrounded Guerra as
he set his foot on the ground, pinioning his arms and plunging their
hands into his pockets, from whence they drew two small pistols and a
black mask, such as was worn at the carnivals; besides these weapons,
he carried a stiletto in his bosom.
Whilst the last comers were gaping with amazement at this unexpected
scene, the new-made prisoner was led away to a place of security, and
the company proceeded into the house, where the notary produced the
contract and laid it on the table, inquiring at the same time what Guerra
had done to be so treated.
Then Mendez rose, and taking hold of the contract, he tore it in two and
flung it on the ground; at which sight Venoni started up with a cry, or
rather a howl--an expression of rage and disappointment truly Italian,
and of which no Englishman who has not heard it can have an idea.
'_Peccato!_ I have sinned!' said the Spaniard haughtily; 'but I have
made my confession to the padre; and why I have torn that paper my
brother-in-law, Alessandro, will presently tell you!' He then offered his
hand to Bianca, who, no less pleased than astonished to see the contract
destroyed, willingly responded to this token of good-will by giving him
hers, which he kissed, asking her pardon for any pain he had
occasioned her; after which, bowing to the company, he quitted the
room, mounted his horse, and rode off to Forni.
When the sound of the animal's feet had died away, and the parties
concerned were sufficiently composed to listen to him, Malfi proceeded
to make the communication he had been charged with; whereby it
appeared that Ripa had been unjustly accused, and that Antonio Guerra
was the real criminal. Mendez knew this very well, and would not have
thought of accusing his rival had not his brother and sister, and indeed
everybody else, assumed Ripa's guilt as an unquestionable fact. The
temptation was too strong for him, and after he had once admitted it,
pride would not allow him to retract. At the same time he declared that
he would never have permitted the execution to take place, and that
after the marriage with Bianca he intended to use every effort to
procure the innocent man's liberation, on the condition of his quitting
that part of the country. Of course it was he who wrote the letter to
Marino, and he had used the precaution of placing a sealed packet,
containing a confession of the truth, in the hands of a notary at Aquila,

with strict directions to deliver it to Ripa if the authorities should
appear disposed to carry his sentence into execution.
He had nevertheless suffered considerable qualms of conscience about
the whole affair; and the moment he saw Guerra on the road that night,
he felt certain that he had come with the intention of waylaying him as
before--the man being well aware that it was on that day he usually
received his rents. He perceived that he should never be safe as long as
this villain was free, and that he must either henceforth live in continual
terror of assassination, or confront the mortification of a confession
whilst the fellow was in his power.
With respect to Guerra himself, he made but feeble resistance when he
was seized. He had, in the first instance, left Mendez for dead; and he
would have immediately fled when he heard he was alive, had not the
news been accompanied with the further information that the Spaniard
had pointed out Ripa as his assailant. He was exceedingly surprised, for
he could scarcely believe that he had not been recognised. Nevertheless
it was possible; and whether it were so or not, he did not doubt