lived in our vicinity: two days
before our arrival she had suddenly disappeared, and neither our
family nor her own father could discern the slightest trace of her.
At last they came to the conclusion that she had ventured too far in a
walk, and had fallen into the hands of robbers. Almost agreeable was
this thought to my poor brother, when compared to the truth, which
only too soon became known. The perfidious one had eloped with a young
Neapolitan, with whom she had become acquainted in her father's house.
My brother, who was exceedingly affected by this step, employed every
means to bring the guilty one to punishment; but in vain: his
attempts, which in Naples and Florence had excited wonder, served only
to complete his and our misfortune. The Florentine nobleman returned
to his native land, under the pretence of seeing justice done to my
brother, but with the real determination of destroying us all. He
frustrated all those examinations which my brother had set on foot,
and knew how to use his influence, which he had obtained in various
ways, so well, that my father and brother fell under suspicion of
their government, were seized in the most shameful manner, carried to
France, and there suffered death by the axe of the executioner. My
poor mother lost her mind; and not until ten long months had passed,
did death release her from her awful situation, though for the few
last days she was possessed of perfect consciousness. Thus did I now
stand isolated in the world: one thought alone occupied my whole soul,
one thought alone bade me forget my sorrows; it was the mighty flame
which my mother in her last moments had kindled within me.

"In her last moments, as I said, recollection returned; she had me
summoned, and spoke with composure of our fate, and her own death.
Then she sent all out of the room, raised herself, with a solemn air,
from her miserable bed, and said that I should receive her blessing,
if I would swear to accomplish something with which she would charge
me. Amazed at the words of my dying mother, I promised with an oath to
do whatever she should tell me. She thereupon broke forth in
imprecations against the Florentine and his daughter, and charged me,
with the most frightful threats of her curse, to avenge upon him the
misfortunes of my house. She died in my arms. This thought of
vengeance had long slumbered in my soul; it now awoke in all its
might. I collected what remained of my paternal property, a