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'Here,' said he, offering it to Ferdinand, 'seal your

voear by this sacred pledge of honor never to repeat what I

shall now reveal' Ferdinand vowed upon the sword, and raising his

eyes to heaven, solemnly swore The marquis then resumed his seat, and

proceeded 'You are now to learn that, about a century ago, this castle was in

the possession of Vincent, third randfather

At that time there existed an inveterate hatred between our family and

that of della Cain of the

animosity, or relate the particulars of the consequent feuds--suffice

it to observe, that by the power of our family, the della Campos were

unable to preserve their former consequence in Sicily, and they have

therefore quitted it for a foreign land to live in unrandfather, believing his life

endangered by his enemy, planted spies upon hiht protection in his service, and after

so for an opportunity, they seized Henry della

Caht him secretly to this castle He was for sos, where he

expired; by what means I shall forbear to mention The plan had been

so well conducted, and the secrecy so strictly preserved, that every

endeavour of his family to trace the means of his disappearance proved

ineffectual

Their conjectures, if they fell upon our family, were

supported by no proof; and the della Canorant