earance,
in short, made a strong and marked distinction between him and the other
inhabitants of the quarter. His very dwelling was quite unlike the
little wooden houses which surrounded it. It was a large brick building,
in the style of those often constructed by the Genoese merchants, with
windows of different sizes disposed at irregular distances, with iron
shutters and hasps. This usurer was distinguished from all others by the
circumstance that he could always supply any sum of money required, and
would accommodate alike the needy groom and the extravagant noble. At
his door were often to be seen brilliant equipages, through whose
windows might sometimes be discerned the head of a luxurious and
fashionable lady. Rumour said that his iron chests teemed with countless
heaps of money, plate, diamonds, and all kinds of valuable pledges, but
nevertheless he was reported less greedy than the other money-lenders.
He made no difficulty, people said, to lend, and was apparently far from
oppressive in fixing the terms of payment. But on the day of reckoning,
it was observed, that by some extraordinary arithmetical calculation, he
made the interest mount up to an enormous sum: such, at least, was the
popular report. The strangest thing about him, however, and which struck
every body, was the fatality that seemed to attach to his loans; all who
borrowed of him finished their lives in an unhappy manner. Whether this
was a mere popular notion, a stupid superstitious gossip, or a rumour
intentionally disseminated, has ever remained a mystery. But it is a
fact that many things occurred to give it validity, and that within a
comparatively short period of time. Amongst the aristocracy of the day,
there was one young man who particularly attracted the attention of
society. He was of ancient descent and noble blood; had very early
distinguished himself in the service of the empire, as a warm protector
of every thing honourable and elevated, and as a passionate lover of art
and genius. He was soon distinguished by the personal notice of the
Empress, who confided to him the duties of an office peculiarly adapted
to his tastes and talents--an office which gave him power to be of the
greatest service not only to science, but to humanity itself. The young
noble surrounded himself with artists, poets, scholars, and men of
learning. To all of them he promised employment, patronage, protection.
He undertook, at his own expense, a number of impo