Ladies’ Edinburgh Magazine > Volume 5

The Beggar of Capo di Monte: a Tale of Sixty-one. yi
was also familiar with the person of Ciprani, called out in a
voice of mingled pity and kindness:
' The saints be praised, Signor Ciprani, your little ones are
safe, but your pretty dwelling is destroyed !'
' Thanks be to God that my children are preserved,' said
Ciprani, raising his clasped hands and looking upwards; ' a
thousand blessings to you also for the assurance of their
safety,' said he, turning to the kind peasant; ' and for the
rest, I can bear my misfortune like a man.' Then taking his
wife in his arms, for in her eagerness to catch every word
spoken by the driver of the cart she had started to her feet,
lie said, ' Take heart, Lucia mia, and compose yourself while
I question these friends further.'
The Villa Ciprani was one of those that suffered most
from the shock of the earthquake which had preceded the
eruption. Providentially it had occurred in the afternoon,
and some friends of the Signer had rescued the children and
taken them with them to Castellamare, with many other
families who sought the same refuge. Poor Concetta listened
breathlessly to this account, hoping for some tidings of her
father ; but the stranger knew nothing of the Count Torcelli.
It was just possible he might have followed the children, and
Ciprani endeavoured to calm his young friend with this
suggestion. The good priest seemed unheeded in the
distressed party, and after exchanging a few words with his
conductor, he offered to retrace his steps and accompany
Ciprani and his wife to their ill-fated home. He endea¬
voured to persuade the ladies to return to Naples, for Torre
del Greco was no place for them in its present dangerous
state. Madame Ciprani would not be separated from her
husband, insisting on sharing his danger be it what it might.
Concetta also entreated to be allowed to accompany them;
but Ciprani convinced her she would only be a hindrance in
his efforts to find her father and his children, and at length
persuaded her to return with the Signora Caiiotta to the
Casa Torcelli. He assured her he would despatch a trusty
person as soon as possible to conduct the Count in safety to
liis house, or, if she still preferred it, to bring her and her
friend to their temporary home. It was a painful parting
between Concetta and Madame Ciprani, for their recent
anxieties had done more to cement a friendship than years
of common acquaintance would have effected. The good-
natured driver of the cart persuaded the coachman from
Naples to lend him a cushion for Madame Ciprani, and
seating her in the most commodious place, he set ofi once