She seemed as if about to speak, when fixing her eyes earnestly and
steadily upon Julia, she stood for a moment in eager gaze, and
suddenly exclaiming, 'My daughter!' fainted away.
The astonishment of Julia would scarcely suffer her to assist the lady
who lay senseless on the floor. A multitude of strange imperfect ideas
rushed upon her mind, and she was lost in perplexity; but as she
examined the features of the stranger; which were now rekindling into
life, she thought she discovered the resemblance of Emilia!
The lady breathing a deep sigh, unclosed her eyes; she raised them to
Julia, who hung over her in speechless astonishment, and fixing them
upon her with a tender earnest expression--they filled with tears. She
pressed Julia to her heart, and a few moments of exquisite,
unutterable emotion followed. When the lady became more composed,
'Thank heaven!' said she, 'my prayer is granted. I am permitted to
embrace one of my children before I die. Tell me what brought you
hither. Has the marquis at last relented, and allowed me once more to
behold you, or has his death dissolved my wretched bondage?'
Truth now glimmered upon the mind of Julia, but so faintly, that
instead of enlightening, it served only to increase her perplexity.
'Is the marquis Mazzini living?' continued the lady. These words were
not to be doubted; Julia threw herself at the feet of her mother, and
embracing her knees in an energy of joy, answered only in sobs.
The marchioness eagerly inquired after her children, 'Emilia is
living,' answered Julia, 'but my dear brother--' 'Tell me,' cried the
marchioness, with quickness. An explanation ensued; When she was
informed concerning Ferdinand, she sighed deeply, and raising her eyes
to heaven, endeavoured to assume a look of pious resignation; but the
struggle of maternal feelings was visible in her countenance, and
almost overcame her powers of resistance.
Julia gave a short account of the preceding adventures, and of her
entrance into the cavern; and found, to her inexpressible surprize,
that she was now in a subterranean abode belonging to the southern
buildings of the castle of Mazzini! The marchioness was beginning her
narrative, when a door was heard to unlock above, and the sound of a
footstep followed. 'Fly!' cried the marchioness, 'secret yourself, if possible, for the
marquis is coming.' Julia's heart sunk at these words; she paused not
a moment, but retired through the door by which she had entered. This
she had scarcely done, when another door of the cell was unlocked, and
she heard the voice of her father. Its sounds thrilled her with a
universal tremour; the dread of discovery so strongly operated upon
her mind, that she stood in momentary expectation of seeing the door
of the passage unclosed by the marquis; and she was deprived of all
power of seeking refuge in the cavern.