Chapter XX: Strange Story of Silva, Duke De Luna

They found the doctor waiting at the door of the hotel at Mola di Gaeta, for he had not been able to find any horses to take him on the road to Forli. He helped Valentino to carry the Duke into a room on the ground-floor, looking into the garden, from whence was the loveliest view in all Italy. Mr. Chandos saw the sufferer laid on the bed near the window, and then left him in the doctor’s hands, who promised to come and inform him how the Duke was as soon as he had examined the wounds.

The other carriage had arrived first, and they found Mrs. Chandos and the rest of the party in a set of luxurious rooms on the next floor, commanding the same lovely view. Mrs. Chandos was still very ill and nervous, and very much puzzled to know how it happened that the Duke of Luna, of all people in the world, had chanced to appear just at that moment. She also reproached herself when she found that her husband and his daughters were actually shut up in the carriage with him. She regretted that she had not told Mr. Chandos of the Duke’s impertinence to her at the ball.

Her first impulse had been to tell him as soon as she got safe home, on the night of the D---- Palace ball, but he was asleep, and she remembered that Norah, and that beautiful Princess C----, had not seemed to be so deeply impressed with the heinousness of his offence; so her second determination had been to say nothing about it, for it might only make her husband angry or annoyed.

On their arrival at the hotel, Mrs. Chandos was surprised to see the great anxiety they evinced about the Duke, for Mr. Chandos could think and talk of nothing else. He inquired of the landlord about the capabilities of the Italian doctor, and expressed a wish to send at once to Naples for an English physician who lived there.

The landlord declared that Dr. Mangello was most able and conscientious, that many English families had approved of his treatment, and he felt sure that if the case was a difficult one, he would be certain to ask for assistance. A few minutes after this conversation Dr. Mangello knocked at the door, and, with a face of alarm, begged that another doctor should be sent for immediately. He had extracted one ball successfully, but he found there was another in a very dangerous place, and he could not venture to operate without the sanction of a first-rate surgeon.

On hearing this, Valentino offered to ride off immediately to Naples, and, if possible, bring back Dr. Nelson before the next morning. Dr. Mangello then expressed a hope that Mr. Chandos and the young lady would go down and sit with his patient after they had dined, as he was in a most desponding state of mind, and was possessed with the idea that he should not live through the night.

“He seems to have no hope, either in this world or the next; no faith, I fear,” said Dr. Mangello, with an anxious and pained look, which Mr. Chandos and his daughter both observed, and which tended to give them confidence in the doctor’s good feeling.

He was obliged to go and see another patient, but would return in an hour or two, and bring a nurse to attend upon the Duke through the night.

Norah happened to have heard rumours of some strange events which had befallen the Spanish grandee in his early youth, before she saw him for the first time at Princess D----’s ball; and when she heard him speak Spanish to a lady who was standing near her, and saw his extraordinarily handsome face, she immediately fancied that it was the Duke de Luna.

The romantic story of his early life had, in fact, been related to her by Sir Alfred Rivers several years ago, and when she heard that he was in Rome, it reminded her of the strange history. The details of it were partly confirmed by Countess Donati, whose grandmother was a Spaniard, and had been educated in the same convent with the Duke’s mother.

Norah had been glad to hear her version of it, as it showed the Duke’s character to less disadvantage than the current report which was afloat in the world.

Before they went down to see the Duke that evening, Norah related to her father and Mrs. Chandos what she had heard, as she thought, if now the sufferer were really in danger, her father could be of more use if he knew his history.

Silva, Duke de Luna, was the second son of a rich and powerful grandee, and in early childhood he and his elder brother were betrothed to two sisters--nieces of his mother. Silva’s intended was the eldest of the sisters, Clotilda, and heiress to very large estates; while Bianca, the youngest, was affianced to the eldest, Luna. By this means it was intended that both brothers should inherit princely fortunes, and all the vast possessions would be kept in the same family.

The children were all brought up together, until the brothers went to the University; and on their return home after their education was finished, they found their two _fiancées_ still living in the Luna Palace with their father, for the sisters’ parents were dead. Bianca, the younger sister, had grown up to be far the most beautiful of the two; and Silva de Luna, unfortunately for himself and the whole family, fell in love with his brother’s betrothed; and his love was of the true Spanish kind--vehement and all-powerful, and, what was still worse, unluckily it was returned.

Don Silva did not discover this at first, and Countess Donati mentioned that he endeavoured to keep his faith with the elder sister for some weeks after his return. But about a month before the day fixed for the two marriages, Don Silva met Bianca by chance one evening in the palace gardens, unattended by her usually inseparable duenna.

It was the only time since their early childhood that he had seen her alone. The opportunity was irresistible, and under the moonlit orange-groves of Granada he declared his love. Donna Bianca endeavoured to remind him that she was his brother’s betrothed; but her words were contradicted by her beautiful eyes and the blushes on her glowing cheeks.

He saw that her heart was his, and, unable any longer to control his feelings, he pressed her in his arms. The next moment his brother’s voice was heard, and a fearful scene ensued. Some reports were to the effect that the brothers fought on the spot, and that the eldest, Don Fernando, was badly wounded, and that Bianca ran into the house shrieking for help. The result seemed to be that Don Fernando immediately left home and joined the army in Cuba, where he was soon afterwards killed in some engagement. The two sisters retired into a convent, for poor Bianca found that Clorinda was broken-hearted at the desertion of her betrothed. So Bianca resolved to sacrifice her love for her sister’s sake, and they both took the veil on the very day which had been fixed for their bridal.

Don Silva was said to have been deeply attached to his brother before the fatal love for the wrong sister nearly extinguished all his better feelings, and when the news of Don Fernando’s untimely end arrived, the anguish of remorse for having been the cause of his brother’s death became unbearable. He sought every kind of distraction that could afford a temporary forgetfulness, and plunged into dissipation and gambling. He visited all the great European capitals in search of change and amusement, totally neglecting his father and all the duties of his high position.

At last the news of his father’s dangerous illness reached him during a gay Winter season in Paris; and a letter from the family doctor and priest implored him to return home, and see his father before his death. He went, but he only arrived in time to attend the old Duke’s funeral; and afterwards he became more reckless and broken-hearted than ever. He quitted his ancestral home and great possessions, and had never returned there since.

Mr. Chandos was deeply touched at the history; and he gathered some hopes from it that the Duke’s present suffering and dangerous state might be the means of awakening the better feelings of his nature, and lead to ultimate peace, if not happiness.