Incognita; or, Love and Duty Reconcil'd eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 91 pages of information about Incognita; or, Love and Duty Reconcil'd.

Incognita; or, Love and Duty Reconcil'd eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 91 pages of information about Incognita; or, Love and Duty Reconcil'd.

Hippolito, a little after he had parted with Aurelian, was got among a knot of Ladies and Cavaliers, who were looking upon a large Gold Cup set with Jewels, in which his Royal Highness had drank to the prosperity of the new married Couple at Dinner, and which afterward he presented to his Cousin Donna Catharina.  He among the rest was very intent, admiring the richness, workmanship and beauty of the Cup, when a Lady came behind him and pulling him by the Elbow, made a sign she would speak with him; Hippolito, who knew himself an utter Stranger to Florence and every body in it, immediately guessed she had mistaken him for her acquaintance, as indeed it happened; however he resolved not to discover himself till he should be assured of it; having followed her into a set Window remote from Company, she address’d her self to him in this manner:  ’Signior Don Lorenzo (said she) I am overjoy’d to see you are so speedily recovered of your Wounds, which by report were much more dangerous than to have suffered your coming abroad so soon; but I must accuse you of great indiscretion, in appearing in a Habit which so many must needs remember you to have worn upon the like occasion not long ago, I mean at the Marriage of Don Cynthio with your Sister Atalanta; I do assure you, you were known by it, both to Juliana and my self, who was so far concerned for you, as to desire me to tell you, that her Brother Don Fabritio (who saw you when you came in with another Gentleman) had eyed you very narrowly, and is since gone out of the Room, she knows not upon what design; however she would have you, for your own sake, be advised and circumspect when you depart this place, lest you should be set upon unawares; you know the hatred Don Fabritio has born you ever since you had the fortune to kill his Kinsman in a Duel:  Here she paused as if expecting his reply; but Hippolito was so confounded, that he stood mute, and contemplating the hazard he had ignorantly brought himself into, forgot his design of informing the Lady of her mistake.  She finding he made her no Answer, went on.  ’I perceive (continued she) you are in some surprize at what I have related, and may be, are doubtful of the Truth; but I thought you had been better acquainted with your Cousin Leonora’s Voice, than to have forgot it so soon:  Yet in Complaisance to your ill Memory, I will put you past doubt, by shewing you my Face; with that she pulled off her Mask, and discovered to Hippolito (now more amaz’d than ever) the most Angelick Face that he had ever beheld.  He was just about to have made her some answer, when, clapping on her Mask again without giving him time, she happily for him pursu’d her Discourse. (For ’tis odds but he had made some discovery of himself in the surprize he was in.) Having taken him familiarly by the Hand, now she had made her self known to him, ’Cousin Lorenzo (added she) you may perhaps have taken it unkindly, that, during the time of your indisposition by reason of your Wounds,

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Incognita; or, Love and Duty Reconcil'd from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.