Valperga by Mary Shelley Read Free Book Online Page A

retired part of the room;
his person formed a strange contrast to the sun-burnt faces and
black eyes of the Italians who were around him. He had the round
Saxon features, moulded with uncommon delicacy; his light hair
slightly shaded his fair temples, and his slender person denoted
elegance rather than power; his countenance bore the expression of
much thought, of thoughts moulded by an enquiring, yet a gentle
mind. He advanced towards Guinigi; his lips were almost convulsed;
a tear stole into his eye, as he grasped his hand, and said:
"You do not forget me?"
    Guinigi replied with trembling emphasis, "Never!"--the
hearts of the friends were full, they took leave of the company,
and descended to the gondola, that without spectators they might
express their remembered affection.
CHAPTER IV
    CASTRUCCIO spent several days with his friend at Venice. Guinigi
and Atawel were constantly together, and Castruccio was thrown to a
great degree into the society of the Venetian nobles. Having been
for a year the constant companion of Guinigi, the contrast between
him and these men struck him forcibly. The mind of the
philosophical exile was fraught with a natural wisdom, a freedom
from prejudice, and a boldness of thought, that suited the
enthusiasm, while it corrected the narrow views of Castruccio. But
these nobles were full of party spirit, and a never resting desire,
to aggrandize first themselves, and secondly their native town, in
opposition to the rest of the world. They were to themselves the
centre of the universe, and men and nations rose and set only for
them. As Galileo was persecuted for saying that the earth moved
attendant on the sun, thus demonstrating the relative
insignificance of our globe; so they would have pursued with
excessive hatred any one who should have pointed out to them their
true station in relation to their fellow-creatures. They were in no
danger of hearing such disagreeable truths from Guinigi: he was
content not to be deceived himself by the false shadows thrown from
society; but with that amenity which was his characteristic, he
adapted his counsels to the ideas of others, and allowed those whom
he could not hope to new mould, to sleep in their pleasant
dreams.
    Castruccio was presented to the doge, and partook of all the
brilliant amusements of Venice. But at length the time arrived,
when he was to depart with Sir Ethelbert Atawel, and Guinigi to
return to his farm among the hills. It was a sorrowful event for
Atawel and Castruccio to separate from this kind and valued friend.
Before he departed, Guinigi talked long with Castruccio, and
vehemently urged him, when he should arrive in England, that he
would put himself entirely under the guidance of Atawel. "You
will be," he said, "in a strange country, with unknown
manners and customs; so that without a guide you would find it
difficult to steer a right course among them. My dear Castruccio,
God only knows what your future fortunes will be; but your father
intrusted you to my care, and I feel the most earnest anxiety that
you should enter life under good auspices, and enjoy, at least with
untarnished pleasure, the years of youthful hope. Be towards Atawel
as you ever have been to me; the natural ingenuousness of your
character will discover to you the medium, which combines the
graceful submission of youth, with that independence that is the
dearest birthright of man. Atawel is gentle and unassuming; you
must seek his counsels; for his best wisdom will be bestowed upon
you, when you shew a desire to consult it."
    They separated: Atawel and Castruccio departed with a few
attendants towards Milan on the road to England.
    Castruccio now found himself with a companion, different from
him to whom he had just bade an affectionate farewell. Atawel was
more a man of the world than Guinigi; nor did he possess his genius
and surpassing excellence. Entering into the common road of life,
he was notwithstanding able to regulate his conduct by just
principles, and to