Now because it is possible this at some time or other may happen to be read by some Malicious or Ignorant Person,(no Reflection upon the present Reader)who will not admit,or does not understand that Silence should make a Man start;and have the same Effect,in provoking his Attention,with its opposite Noise;I will illustrate this matter,to such a diminutive Critick,by a Parallel Instance of Light;which though it does chiefly entertain the Eyes,and is indeed the prime Object of the Sight,yet should it immediately cease,to have a Man left in the Dark by a suddain deficiency of it,would make him stare with his Eyes,and though he could not see,endeavour to look about him.Why just thus did it fare with our Adventurer;who seeming to have wandred both into the Dominions of Silence and of Night,began to have some tender for his own Safety,and would willingly have groped his Way back again;when he heard a Voice,as from a Person whose Breath had been stopp'd by some forcible Oppression,and just then,by a violent Effort,was broke through the Restraint.--'Yet--Yet--(again reply'd the Voice,still struggling for Air,)'Forbear--and I'll forgive what's past--I have done nothing yet that needs a Pardon,(says another)and what is to come,will admit of none.
Here the Person who seemed to be the Oppressed,made several Attempts to speak,but they were only inarticulate Sounds,being all interrupted and choaked in their Passage.
Aurelian was sufficiently astonish'd,and would have crept nearer to the Place whence he guessed the Voice to come;but he was got among the Runes of an Old Monastery,and could not stir so silently,but some loose Stones he met with made a rumbling.The Noise alarm'd both Parties;and as it gave Comfort to the one,it so Terrified the t'other,that he could not hinder the Oppressed from calling for help.Aurelian fancy'd it was a Woman's Voice,and immediately drawing his Sword,demanded what was the Matter;he was answered with the Appearance of a Man,who had opened a Dark Lanthorn which he had by him,and came toward him with a Pistol in his Hand ready cock'd.
Aurelian seeing the irresistable advantage his Adversary had over him,would fain have retired;and,by the greatest Providence in the World,going backwards fell down over some loose Stones that lay in his Way,just in that Instant of Time when the Villain fired his Pistol,who seeing him fall,concluded he had Shot him.The Crys of the afflicted Person were redoubled at the Tragical Sight,which made the Murderer,drawing a Poniard,to threaten him,that the next Murmur should be his last.Aurelian,who was scarce assured that he was unhurt,got softly up;and coming near enough to perceive the Violence that was used to stop the Injured Man's Mouth;(for now he saw plainly it was a Man)cry'd out,--Turn,Villain,and look upon thy Death.--The Fellow amazed at the Voice,turn'd about to have snatch'd up the Lanthorn from the Ground;either to have given Light only to himself,or to have put out the Candle,that he might have made his Escape;but which of the Two he designed,no Body could tell but himself:and if the Reader have a Curiosity to know,he must blame Aurelian;who thinking there could be no foul play offered to such a Villain,ran him immediately through the Heart,so that he drop'd down Dead at his Feet,without speaking a Word.He would have seen who the Person was he had thus happily delivered,but the Dead Body had fallen upon the Lanthorn,which put out the Candle:However coming up toward him,he ask'd him how he did,and bid him be of good Heart;he was answered with nothing but Prayers,Blessings and Thanks,called a Thousand Deliverers,good Genius's and Guardian Angels.And the Rescued would certainly have gone upon his Knees to have worshipped him,had he not been bound Hand and Foot;which Aurelian understanding,groped for the Knots,and either untied them or cut them asunder;but 'tis more probable the latter,because more expeditious.
They took little heed what became of the Body which they left behind them,and Aurelian was conducted from out the Ruins by the Hand of him he had delivered.By a faint light issuing from the just rising Moon,he could discern that it was a Youth;but coming into a more frequented part of the Town,where several Lights were hung out,he was amaz'd at the extream Beauty which appeared in his Face,though a little pale and disordered with his late fright.Aurelian longed to hear the Story of so odd an adventure,and entreated his Charge to tell it him by the way;but he desired him to forbear till they were come into some House or other,where he might rest and recover his tired Spirits,for yet he was so faint he was unable to look up.
Aurelian thought these last words were delivered in a Voice,whose accent was not new to him.That thought made him look earnestly in the Youth's Face,which he now was sure he had somewhere seen before,and thereupon asked him if he had never been at Siena?That Question made the young Gentleman look up,and something of a Joy appeared in his Countenance,which yet he endeavoured to smother;so praying Aurelian to conduct him to his Lodging,he promised him that as soon as they should come thither,he would acquaint him with any thing he desired to know.Aurelian would rather have gone any where else than to his own Lodging;but being so very late he was at a loss,and so forced to be contented.
