Julia passed the night in broken slumbers, and anxious consideration.
On her present decision hung the crisis of her fate. Her consciousness
of the influence of Hippolitus over her heart, made her fear to
indulge its predilection, by trusting to her own opinion of its
fidelity. She shrunk from the disgraceful idea of an elopement; yet
she saw no means of avoiding this, but by rushing upon the fate so
dreadful to her imagination.
On the following night, when the inhabitants of the castle were
retired to rest, Hippolitus, whose expectation had lengthened the
hours into ages, accompanied by Ferdinand, revisited the closet.
Julia, who had known no interval of rest since they last left her,
received them with much agitation. The vivid glow of health had fled
her cheek, and was succeeded by a languid delicacy, less beautiful,
but more interesting. To the eager enquiries of Hippolitus, she
returned no answer, but faintly smiling through her tears, presented
him her hand, and covered her face with her robe. 'I receive it,'
cried he, 'as the pledge of my happiness;--yet--yet let your voice
ratify the gift.' 'If the present concession does not sink me in your
esteem,' said Julia, in a low tone, 'this hand is yours.'--'The
concession, my love, (for by that tender name I may now call you)
would, if possible, raise you in my esteem; but since that has been
long incapable of addition, it can only heighten my opinion of myself,
and increase my gratitude to you: gratitude which I will endeavour to
shew by an anxious care of your happiness, and by the tender
attentions of a whole life. From this blessed moment,' continued he,
in a voice of rapture, 'permit me, in thought, to hail you as my wife.
From this moment let me banish every vestige of sorrow;--let me dry
those tears,' gently pressing her cheek with his lips, 'never to
spring again.'--
The gratitude and joy which Ferdinand expressed upon
this occasion, united with the tenderness of Hippolitus to soothe the
agitated spirits of Julia, and she gradually recovered her
complacency.
They now arranged their plan of escape; in the execution of which, no
time was to be lost, since the nuptials with the duke were to be
solemnized on the day after the morrow. Their scheme, whatever it was
that should be adopted, they, therefore, resolved to execute on the
following night. But when they descended from the first warmth of
enterprize, to minuter examination, they soon found the difficulties
of the undertaking. The keys of the castle were kept by Robert, the
confidential servant of the marquis, who every night deposited them in
an iron chest in his chamber. To obtain them by stratagem seemed
impossible, and Ferdinand feared to tamper with the honesty of this
man, who had been many years in the service of the marquis. Dangerous
as was the attempt, no other alternative appeared, and they were
therefore compelled to rest all their hopes upon the experiment. It
was settled, that if the keys could be procured, Ferdinand and
Hippolitus should meet Julia in the closet; that they should convey
her to the seashore, from whence a boat, which was to be kept in
waiting, would carry them to the opposite coast of Calabria, where the
marriage might be solemnized without danger of interruption. But, as
it was necessary that Ferdinand should not appear in the affair, it
was agreed that he should return to the castle immediately upon the
embarkation of his sister. Having thus arranged their plan of
operation, they separated till the following night, which was to
decide the fate of Hippolitus and Julia.