“Has Renzo told you,” Fra Cristoforo continued, “whom he has seen here?”

“Oh, yes, father, he has!”

“You will pray for him.  Don’t be weary of doing so.  And pray also for me.”

Some weeks later, Don Abbondio received a visit, as unexpected as it was gratifying, from the marquis who, on Rodrigo’s death from the plague, succeeded to his estates.

“I come,” said he, “to bring you the compliments of the cardinal archbishop.  He wishes to have news of the young betrothed persons of this parish, who had to suffer on account of the unfortunate Don Rodrigo.”

“Everything is settled, and they will be man and wife as soon as possible.”

“And I request that you be good enough to tell me if I can be of any service to them.”

* * * * *

And here we may safely leave Renzo and Lucia.  Their powerful protector easily secured Renzo’s pardon, and shortly afterwards they were happily married and settled in Bergamo, where abundant prosperity came to them; and, furthermore, they were blessed with a large family, of whom the first, being a girl, was named Maria.

* * * * *

FREDERICK MARRYAT

Mr. Midshipman Easy

Frederick Marryat, novelist and captain in the navy, was born in London on July 10, 1792.  As a boy he chiefly distinguished himself by repeatedly running away from school with the intention of going to sea.  His first experience of naval service was under Lord Cochrane, whom he afterwards reproduced as Captain Savage of the Diomede in “Peter Simple.”  Honourable though Marryat’s life at sea was, it is as a graphic depictor of naval scenes, customs, and character that he is known to the present generation.  His first story, “Frank Mildmay” (1829), took the reading public by storm, and from that time onward he produced tale after tale with startling rapidity.  “Peter Simple” is the best of Captain Marryat’s novels, and “Mr. Midshipman Easy” is the most humorous.  Published in volume form in 1836, after appearing serially in the pages of the “Metropolitan Magazine,” of which Marryat was then editor, the latter story immediately caught the fancy of the public, and considerably widened his already large circle of readers.  “Mr. Midshipman Easy” is frankly farcical; it shows its author not only as a graphic writer, but as one gifted with an abundance of whimsical humour and a keen sense of characterisation.  Opinions may differ as to the actual merits of “Mr. Midshipman Easy,” but it has more than served its author’s purpose—­it has held the public for over seventy years.  Captain Marryat died on August 9, 1848.

I.—­Mr. Easy Joins His Majesty’s Service

Mr. Nicodemus Easy was a gentleman who lived down in Hampshire.  He was a married man, and in very easy circumstances, and having decided to be a philosopher, he had fixed upon the rights of man, equality, and all that—­how every person was born to inherit his share of the earth—­for his philosophy.