Chapter 17

"Why liest thou so on the green earth?
'Tis not the hour of slumber:--why so pale?"
CAIN.

Notwithstanding his apparent decision, the Duke of Sant' Agata was
completely at a loss in what manner to direct his future movements. That
he had been duped by one or more of the agents to whom he had been
compelled to confide his necessary preparations for the flight he had
meditated several days, was too certain to admit of his deceiving
himself with the hopes that some unaccountable mistake was the cause of
his loss. He saw at once that the Senate was master of the person of his
bride, and he too well knew its power and its utter disregard of human
obligations when any paramount interest of the state was to be
consulted, to doubt for an instant its willingness to use its advantage
in any manner that was most likely to contribute to its own views. By
the premature death of her uncle, Donna Violetta had become the heiress
of vast estates in the dominions of the church, and a compliance with
that jealous and arbitrary law of Venice, which commanded all of its
nobles to dispose of any foreign possessions they might acquire, was
only suspended on account of her sex, and, as has already been seen,
with the hope of disposing of her hand in a manner that would prove more
profitable to the Republic. With this object still before them, and with
the means of accomplishing it in their own hands, the bridegroom well
knew that his marriage would not only be denied, but he feared the
witnesses of the ceremony would be so disposed of, as to give little
reason ever to expect embarrassment from their testimony. For himself,
personally, he felt less apprehension, though he foresaw that he had
furnished his opponents with an argument that was likely to defer to an
indefinite period, if it did not entirely defeat, his claims to the
disputed succession. But he had already made up his mind to this result,
though it is probable that his passion for Violetta had not entirely
blinded him to the fact, that her Roman signories would be no unequal
offset for the loss. He believed that he might possibly return to his
palace with impunity, so far as any personal injury was concerned; for
the great consideration he enjoyed in his native land, and the high
interest he possessed at the court of Rome, were sufficient pledges that
no open violence would be done him. The chief reason why his claim had
been kept in suspense, was the wish to profit by his near connexion with
the favorite cardinal; and though he had never been able entirely to
satisfy the ever-increasing demands of the council in this respect, he
thought it probable that the power of the Vatican would not be spared,
to save him from any very imminent personal hazard. Still he