ortioned
to our trials.

I asked the marchioness after Lady Sforza, and her daughter Laurana; and
whether they were at Milan?

You have heard, no doubt, answered she, the cruel treatment that my poor
child met with from her cousin Laurana. Lady Sforza justifies her in it.
We are upon extreme bad terms, on that account. They are both at Milan.
The general has vowed, that he never will see them more, if he can avoid
it. The bishop, only as a Christian, can forgive them. You, chevalier,
know the reason why we cannot allow our Clementina to take the veil.

The particular reasons I have not, madam, been inquisitive about; but
have always understood them to be family ones, grounded on the dying
request of one of her grandfathers.

Our daughter, sir, is entitled to a considerable estate which joins to
our own domains. It was purchased for her by her two grandfathers; who
vied with each other in demonstrating their love of her by solid effects.
One of them (my father) was, in his youth, deeply in love with a young
lady of great merit; and she was thought to love him: but, in a fit of
pious bravery, as he used to call it, when everything between themselves,
and between the friends on both sides, was concluded on, she threw
herself into a convent; and, passing steadily through the probationary
forms, took the veil; but afterwards repented, and took pains to let it
be known that she was unhappy. This gave him a disgust against the
sequestered life, though he was, in other respects, a zealous Catholic.
And Clementina having always a serious turn; in order to deter her from
embracing it, (both grandfathers being desirous of strengthening their
house, as well in the female as male line,) they inserted a clause in
each of their wills, by which they gave the estate designed for her, in
case she took the veil, to Laurana, and her descendants; Laurana to enter
into possession of it on the day that Clementina should be professed.
But if Clementina married, Laurana was then to be entitled only to a
handsome legacy, that she might not be entirely disappointed: for the
reversion, in case Clementina had no children, was to go to our eldest
son; who, however, has been always generously solicitous to have his
sister marry.

Both grandfathers were rich. Our son Giacomo, on my father's death, as
he had willed, entered upon a considerable estate in the kingdom of
Naples, which had for ages been in my family: he is therefore, and will
be, gre