he was ill!" I implored permission to see her; the
marchioness's commands excluded me. I returned the next day; "she was
worse." Another four-and-twenty hours elapsed and-- merciful heaven! she
was dead!

_Vice._ (_concealing his tears_) Josepha! thou wert dear to me as my own
child, Josepha! (_after a moment's silence, recovering himself_) And
where is Venoni now?

_Ben._ In the monastery of St. Mark, of which your sister's confessor is
now the superior.

_Vice._ What! the father Coelestino?

_Ben._ Even he-- Venoni's grief brought him to the brink of the grave.
They say, that his senses were disordered for a time. But it is certain
that he only exchanged the bed of sickness for a cell in St. Mark's
monastery, where he shortly means to pronounce his vows.

_Vice._ What! so early in life will he quit the world? his immense
wealth too----

_Ben._ His wealth? ah, my good lord, I suspect tis that very wealth
which has proved the cause of his seclusion from the world. The prior
Coelestino knew of his riches, and kindly came to comfort him in his
distress. He talked to him-- he soothed him-- he flattered him-- he is
as subtle as a serpent, and as smooth and slippery as an eel! he wormed
himself into Venoni's very heart; the deluded youth threw himself into
his arms, and the seducer bore him to the convent.

_Vice._ Benedetto, he shall not long remain there. My sister's
afflictions claim my first visit; but that duty paid, I'll hasten to St.
Mark's, dissipate the illusions by which Venoni's judgment is obscured,
and tell him plainly that the man commits a crime, who is virtuous like
him, and denies mankind the use and example of his virtues. Venoni has
youth, wealth, power, abilities: let him not tell me, that he quits the
world, because it contains for him nothing but sufferings; he must
remain in it, to preserve others from suffering like himself. Let him
not tell me, that his own prospects are forever closed; the noblest is
still entirely open to him, that of brightening the prospects of
others!-- oh! shame on the selfish being who looks upon life as
worthless, while it gives him the power to impart comfort, or to relieve
distress; who, because happiness is dead to himself, forgets that for
others it still exists; and who loses not the sense of his own heart's
anguish while contemplating benefits with which his own hand's bounty
has blest his fellow creatures! [Exit.

_Ben._ Ah! very true, my good master! all