第3章 INCOGNITA(1)

Aurelian was the only Son to a Principal Gentleman of Florence.The Indulgence of his Father prompted,and his Wealth enabled him,to bestow a generous Education upon him,whom,he now began to look upon as the Type of himself;an Impression he had made in the Gayety and Vigour of his Youth,before the Rust of Age had debilitated and obscur'd the Splendour of the Original:He was sensible,That he ought not to be sparing in the Adornment of him,if he had Resolution to beautifie his own Memory.Indeed Don Fabio (for so was the Old Gentleman call'd)has been observ'd to have fix'd his Eyes upon Aurelian,when much Company has been at Table,and have wept through Earnestness of Intention,if nothing hapned to divert the Object;whether it were for regret,at the Recollection of his former self,or for the Joy he conceiv'd in being,as it were,reviv'd in the Person of his Son,I never took upon me to enquire,but suppos'd it might be sometimes one,and sometimes both together.

Aurelian,at the Age of Eighteen Years,wanted nothing (but a Beard)that the most accomplished Cavalier in Florence could pretend to:he had been Educated from Twelve Years old at Siena,where it seems his Father kept a Receiver,having a large Income from the Rents of several Houses in that Town.Don Fabio gave his Servant Orders,That Aurelian should not be stinted in his Expences,when he came up to Years of Discretion.By which means he was enabled,not only to keep Company with,but also to confer many Obligations upon Strangers of Quality,and Gentlemen who travelled from other Countries into Italy,of which Siena never wanted store,being a Town most delightfully Situate,upon a Noble Hill,and very well suiting with Strangers at first,by reason of the agreeableness and purity of the Air:There also is the quaintness and delicacy of the Italian Tongue most likely to be learned,there being many publick Professors of it in that place;and indeed the very Vulgar of Siena do express themselves with an easiness and sweetness surprizing,and even grateful to their Ears who understand not the Language.

Here Aurelian contracted an acquaintance with Persons of Worth of several Countries,but among the rest an intimacy with a Gentleman of Quality of Spain,and Nephew to the Archbishop of Toledo,who had so wrought himself into the Affections of Aurelian,through a Conformity of Temper,an Equality in Years,and something of resemblance in Feature and Proportion,that he look'd upon him as his second self.

Hippolito,on the other hand,was not ungrateful in return of Friendship,but thought himself either alone or in ill Company,if Aurelian were absent:but his Uncle having sent him to travel,under the Conduct of a Governour,and the two Years which limited his stay at Siena being expired,he was put in mind of his departure.His Friend grew melancholy at the News,but considering that Hippolito had never seen Florence,he easily prevailed with him to make his first journey thither,whither he would accompany him,and perhaps prevail with his Father to do the like throughout his Travels.

They accordingly set out,but not being able easily to reach Florence the same Night,they rested a League or two short,at a Villa of the great Duke's called Poggio Imperiale,where they were informed by some of his Highness's Servants,That the Nuptials of Donna Catharina (near Kinswoman to the great Duke)and Don Ferdinand de Rovori,were to be solemnized the next day,and that extraordinary Preparations had been making for some time past,to illustrate the Solemnity with Balls and Masques,and other Divertisements;that a Tilting had been proclaimed,and to that purpose Scaffolds erected around the Spacious Court,before the Church Di Santa Croce,where were usually seen all Cavalcades and Shews,performed by Assemblies of the Young Nobility:

That all Mechanicks and Tradesmen were forbidden to work or expose any Goods to Sale for the space of three days;during which time all Persons should be entertain'd at the Great Duke's Cost;and publick Provision was to be made for the setting forth and furnishing a multitude of Tables,with Entertainment for all Comers and Goers,and several Houses appointed for that use in all Streets.

This Account alarm'd the Spirits of our Young Travellers,and they were overjoy'd at the prospect of Pleasures they foresaw.Aurelian could not contain the satisfaction he conceiv'd in the welcome Fortune had prepar'd for his dear Hippolito.In short,they both remembred so much of the pleasing Relation had been made them,that they forgot to sleep,and were up as soon as it was light,pounding at poor Signior Claudio's Door (so was Hippolito's Governour call'd)to rouse him,that no time might be lost till they were arriv'd at Florence,where they would furnish themselves with Disguises and other Accoutrements necessary for the Prosecution of their Design of sharing in the publick Merriment;the rather were they for going so early because Aurelian did not think fit to publish his being in Town for a time,least his Father knowing of it,might give some restraint to that loose they designed themselves.