A Sicilian Romance

A Sicilian Romance

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Title: A Sicilian Romance
Author: Ann Radcliffe
Release Date: January, 2005 [EBook #7371] [This file was first posted
on April 22, 2003]
Edition: 10
Language: English

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, A
SICILIAN ROMANCE ***

A Sicilian Romance, by Ann Radcliffe
This eBook was produced by Jean Lefever
On the northern shore of Sicily are still to be seen the magnificent
remains of a castle, which formerly belonged to the noble house of
Mazzini. It stands in the centre of a small bay, and upon a gentle
acclivity, which, on one side, slopes towards the sea, and on the other
rises into an eminence crowned by dark woods. The situation is
admirably beautiful and picturesque, and the ruins have an air of
ancient grandeur, which, contrasted with the present solitude of the
scene, impresses the traveller with awe and curiosity. During my
travels abroad I visited this spot. As I walked over the loose fragments
of stone, which lay scattered through the immense area of the fabrick,
and surveyed the sublimity and grandeur of the ruins, I recurred, by a
natural association of ideas, to the times when these walls stood
proudly in their original splendour, when the halls were the scenes of
hospitality and festive magnificence, and when they resounded with the
voices of those whom death had long since swept from the earth. 'Thus,'
said I, 'shall the present generation--he who now sinks in misery--and
he who now swims in pleasure, alike pass away and be forgotten.' My
heart swelled with the reflection; and, as I turned from the scene with a
sigh, I fixed my eyes upon a friar, whose venerable figure, gently
bending towards the earth, formed no uninteresting object in the picture.
He observed my emotion; and, as my eye met his, shook his head and
pointed to the ruin. 'These walls,' said he, 'were once the seat of luxury
and vice. They exhibited a singular instance of the retribution of
Heaven, and were from that period forsaken, and abandoned to decay.'
His words excited my curiosity, and I enquired further concerning their
meaning.
'A solemn history belongs to this castle, said he, 'which is too long and
intricate for me to relate. It is, however, contained in a manuscript in
our library, of which I could, perhaps, procure you a sight. A brother of

our order, a descendant of the noble house of Mazzini, collected and
recorded the most striking incidents relating to his family, and the
history thus formed, he left as a legacy to our convent. If you please,
we will walk thither.'
I accompanied him to the convent, and the friar introduced me to his
superior, a man of an intelligent mind and benevolent heart, with whom
I passed some hours in interesting conversation. I believe my
sentiments pleased him; for, by his indulgence, I was permitted to take
abstracts of the history before me, which, with some further particulars
obtained in conversation with the abate, I have arranged in the
following pages.

CHAPTER I
Towards the close of the sixteenth century, this castle was in the
possession of Ferdinand, fifth marquis of Mazzini, and was for some
years the principal residence of his family. He was a man of a
voluptuous and imperious character. To his first wife, he married
Louisa Bernini, second daughter of the Count della Salario, a lady yet
more distinguished for the sweetness of her manners and the gentleness
of her disposition, than for her beauty. She brought the marquis one son
and two daughters, who lost their amiable mother in early childhood.
The arrogant and impetuous character of the marquis operated
powerfully upon the mild and susceptible nature of his lady: and it was
by many persons believed, that his unkindness and neglect put a period
to her life. However