At the End of that Time we were both

fet at Liberty, and began toere both

1

work in the Shop as before. We applied ourselves firft to ferve the Ladies, who came to our Fountain of Youth; and Blanca was one of those who laid in Store of our Water, and Pomatum. Potofchi carried her a large Quantity, and the Lady entertained him with a Difcourfe which I cannot pafs in Silence. Signior Potofchi, faid fhe, you can hardly believe how much I have been mortified at the Misfortune that happened to you upon the Death of my Daughter; if the Viceroy had taken my Advice, he would have faved you that unjust and fhameful Accufation. It is true the Baronefs was poifoned; but what Occafion was there for fo much Trouble to difcover the Author of the Crime? He need only to have called the young Grecian Woman to mind who was his Miftrefs, and died a violent Death, which was imputed to the Jealoufy of his Duchefs, and had no Occafion to feek elsewhere for the Murder of my Daughter, AWoman Cook,who went from my Houfe about three Days ago, did that Bufinefs by the ViceQueen's Order, and the Duke, continued Elanca, is fo fully perfwaded of it at pre

fent

fent, that he makes no farther Enquiry, left he should hear more than he defires to learn, and it is very certain that Affair was ftifled on a fudden.

A Man who comes out of Prison, though thoroughly cleared of the Crime of which he was falfely accufed, cannot refrain thinking that Mankind looks awry upon him. This is at least what I imagined, and it made fuch an Impreffion on me that 1 infenfibly took an Averfion to Palermo, and nothing was wanting to give me an entire Dif guft to it, but ceafing to love Violetta, for whom I had a frong Inclination. An Opportunity foon offer'd; for a young Officer belonging to the Inquifition having follow'd my Steps, by good Fortune for me made his Addreffes to the Apothecary's Daughter with Succefs; I fay by good Fortune, for if fhe had unluckily given me the Preference, my Rival in revenge would have procured me a Place in the Prifon of the Inquifition, where I might have ftaid to this Day. I proved myfelf upon this Occafion, not to be one of thofe obftinate Lovers who withstand all Obftacles; and as foon as I found Violetta difpofed to facrifice me to her new Gallant, I fent

her

her to the Devil with all the Drugs in her Father's Shop; and, without taking Leave of any Body, went to the Harbour, where finding a Genoefe Veffel ready to fail for Leghorn I went on board of it.

The End of the Second Book.

THE

ΤΗ Ε.

HISTORY

OF

Eftevanille Gonzalez.

BOOK III.

CHAP. I.

Gonzalez in bis Way to Leghorn, gains the Friendship of a young Gentleman, who takes him to Pisa: In what Harmony they lived together, and how they parted.

HAD no particular Reason for going to Leghorn rather than to any other Place: My Inclination was only to remove, because I could live no longer at Palermo after the Trouble I had endured. I contracted an Acquain

tance

tance by the Way with a young Paffenger whofe Name was Ferrari, a Gentleman of Pifa who was returning home and had been to vifit fome Relations at MontReal, particularly an Aunt whofe only Heir he was.

As a Viceroy's Page might put himfelf upon a Level with one who was only a private Gentleman, I infinuated myfelf into Ferrari's Company, who was a Perfon of Wit. He pleafed me, and I had the Happiness of being agreeable to him. We contracted a ftrict Familiarity toge ther; and, to cement our Friendship the ftronger, became mutual Confidents to each other, but with lefs Sincerity on my Part than his. I had the Impudence to pafs for a Nobleman; and believe I was not to blame, fince every Gentleman defpifes a Perfon of mean Extraction. If Ferrari had known me, he would have difdained my Converfation; but as he thought I was of noble Blood, he freely gave Way to his Inclination for me: It was impoffible to feparate us when we arrived at Leghorn. We will not part, faid he, I will take you with me to Pifa, and detain you there fome Time. could not poffibly refift his Inftances, gave my Confent, and we both fet out for Pifa, where he promised to make my

I

Stay