and his faithful Nina! I am sick with horrors!"

"Irene, Irene! Well then, if thou art at Milan or some Lombard town, why
do I linger here? To horse, to horse! Oh, no! no!--not the horse with
the bells! not the death-cart." With a cry, a shriek, louder than
the loudest of the sick man's, broke that young female away from her
companion. It seemed as if a single step took her to the side of Adrian.
She caught his arm--she looked in his face--she met his unconscious eyes
bright with a fearful fire. "It has seized him!"--(she then said in a
deep but calm tone)--"the Plague!"

"Away, away! are you mad?" cried her companion; "hence, hence,--touch me
not now thou hast touched him--go!--here we part!"

"Help me to bear him somewhere, see, he faints, he droops, he
falls!--help me, dear Signora, for pity, for the love of God!"

But, wholly possessed by the selfish fear which overcame all humanity
in that miserable time, the elder woman, though naturally kind, pitiful,
and benevolent, fled rapidly away, and soon vanished. Thus left alone
with Adrian, who had now, in the fierceness of the fever that preyed
within him, fallen on the ground, the strength and nerve of that young
girl did not forsake her. She tore off the heavy mantle which encumbered
her arms, and cast it from her; and then, lifting up the face of her
lover--for who but Irene was that weak woman, thus shrinking not from
the contagion of death?--she supported him on her breast, and called
aloud and again for help. At length the Becchini, in the booth before
noticed, (hardened in their profession, and who, thus hardened,
better than the most cautious, escaped the pestilence,) lazily
approached--"Quicker, quicker, for Christ's love!" said Irene. "I have
much gold; I will reward you well: help me to bear him under the nearest
roof."

"Leave him to us, young lady: we have had our eye upon him," said one of
the gravediggers. "We'll do our duty by him, first and last."

"No--no! touch not his head--that is my care. There, I will help you;
so,--now then,--but be gentle!"

Assisted by these portentous officers, Irene, who would not release
her hold, but seemed to watch over the beloved eyes and lips, (set and
closed as they were,) as if to look back the soul from parting, bore
Adrian into a neighbouring house, and laid him on a bed; from which
Irene (preserving as only women do, in such times, the presence of mind
and vigilant providence which make so sublime a contras