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Lady Mary Wortley Montague - Her Life and Letters (1689-1762) by Lewis Melville
page 260 of 345 (75%)

"Yesterday noon, being Saturday, Don Joseph returned, who has got the
name of Parson Williams by this expedition: he relates, that when the
bark which carried the coach and train arrived, they found the amorous
count waiting for his bride on the bank of the lake: he would have
proceeded immediately to the church; but she utterly refused it, till
they had each of them been at confession; after which the happy knot was
tied by the parish priest. They continued their journey, and came to
their palace at Bergamo in a few hours, where everything was prepared
for their reception. They received the communion next morning, and the
count declares that the lovely Octavia has brought him an inestimable
portion, since he owes to her the salvation of his soul. He has
renounced play, at which he had lost a great deal of time and money. She
has already retrenched several superfluous servants, and put his family
into an exact method of economy, preserving all the splendour necessary
to his rank. He has sent a letter in his own hand to her mother,
inviting her to reside with them, and subscribing himself her dutiful
son: but the countess has sent another privately by Don Joseph, in which
she advises the old woman to stay at Lovere, promising to take care she
shall want nothing, accompanied with a token of twenty sequins, which is
at least nineteen more than ever she saw in her life.

"I forgot to tell you that from Octavia's first serving the old lady,
there came frequent charities in her name to her poor parent, which
nobody was surprised at, the lady being celebrated for pious works, and
Octavia known to be a great favourite with her. It is now discovered
that they were all sent by the generous lover, who has presented Don
Joseph very handsomely, but he has brought neither letter nor message to
the house of Ardinghi, which affords much speculation."

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