Volume I Part 60 (1/2)
Oh! what a cruel long night it was! In the one aith his servant one hour after sealing ine est, and that, of course, was not the right one One hour beforemy dishonour, but resolved on death, if the man who has cruelly robbed me of my most precious treasure, and whom a natural instinct told me I could find here, does not restore ive ht and nearly the whole day, without taking any food, until I got into the barge, which brought me here in twenty-four hours
I travelled in the boat with five men and tomen, but no one sawdown in a corner, holding my head down, half asleep, and with this prayer-book in my hands I was left alone, no one spoke to me, and I thanked God for it
When I landed on the wharf, you did not giveof ine the impression produced upon me by the sudden apparition of a masked man who, abruptly, and as if placed there purposely by Providence, offered uessed nance, I felt that I was acting rightly in trusting myself in your hands, in spite of all prudence which, perhaps, ought to have made me turn a deaf ear to your words, and refuse the invitation to enter alone with you the house to which you took me
”You know all now, sir; but I entreat you not to judge h o I had never committed a fault which could call a blush upon my face, and the bitter tears which I shed every day will, I hope, wash out ht up, but love and the want of experience have thrown me into the abyss I am in your hands, and I feel certain that I shall have no cause to repent it”
I needed all she had just told' me to confirm me in the interest which I had felt in her froly that Steffani had seduced and abandoned her of ht to think of hied of his perfidy My words made her shudder, and she buried her beautiful face in her hands
We reached the 's house I established her in a pretty, co the good landlady to skew her every attention and to let her want for nothing I then took an affectionate leave of her, pro this interesting but hapless girl, I proceeded to the house of Steffani I heard froondoliers that he had returned to Venice three days before, but that, twenty-four hours after his return, he had gone away again without any servant, and nobody knew his whereabouts, not even histo be seated next to an abbe frona at the theatre, I asked hi the fa intiathered fros, I heard that the young countess had a brother, then an officer in the papal service
Very early the nextI called upon her She was still asleep
Thetold ood supper, but without speaking a single word, and that she had locked herself up in her room immediately afterwards As soon as she had opened her door, I entered her roo, I informed her of all I had heard
Her features bore the stamp of deep sorrow, but she looked calht it unlikely that Steffani would have left for any other place but for C---- Adht, I io to C---- myself, and to return without loss of tiiving her time to answer I told her all the particulars I had learned concerning her honourable family, which caused her real satisfaction
”I have no objection,” she said, ”to your going to C----, and I thank you for the generosity of your offer, but I beg you will postpone your journey I still hope that Steffani will return, and then I can take a decision”
”I think you are quite right,” I said ”Will you allow me to have some breakfast with you?”
”Do you suppose I could refuse you?”
”I should be very sorry to disturb you in any way How did you use to amuse yourself at home?”
”I aht”
I left her after breakfast, and in the evening I caood books and music, and I sent her an excellent harpsichord
My kindness confused her, but I surprised her much more when I took out of my pocket three pairs of slippers She blushed, and thankeddistance, her shoes were evidently worn out, her feet sore, and she appreciated the delicacy of ard to her, I enjoyed her gratitude, and felt pleased at the idea she evidently entertained of my kind attentions I had no other purpose in view but to restore calm to her mind, and to obliterate the bad opinion which the unworthy Steffani had given her ofher with love for htest idea that I could fall in love with her She was unhappy, and her unhappiness--a sacred thing in my eyes--called all theiven me her entire confidence Situated as she was, I could not suppose her heart susceptible of harbouring a new affection, and I would have despised myself if I had tried to seduce her by any means in my power
I re that my presence should trouble her at such a moment, as she seeratitude
I was thus engaged in a rather delicate adventure, the end of which I could not possibly foresee, butno difficulty in procuring the means to keep her I had no wish to see the last scene of the roave enerous dispositions, stronger even than my love for pleasure, flattered reat experiave up all reat science of the 'xxxxxxxxxxxx'
On the third day, in the ratitude which I could not succeed in stopping she told me that she could not conceive why I shewed her so ht to have formed but a poor opinion of her in consequence of the readiness hich she had followed me into the cafe She smiled when I answered that I could not understand how I had succeeded in giving her so great a confidence in my virtue, when I appeared before her with a mask on my face, in a costume which did not indicate a very virtuous character
”It was easy for uess that you were a beauty in distress, when I observed your youth, the nobleness of your countenance, and, more than all, your candour The stamp of truth was so well affixed to the first words you uttered that I could not have the shadow of a doubt left inthe unhappy victi abandoned your hoh a sentiment of honour Your fault was that of a warm heart seduced by love, over which reason could have no sway, and your flight--the action of a soul crying for reparation or for revenge-fully justifies you Your cowardly seducer must pay with his life the penalty due to his cri you, an unjust reward, for he is not worthy of possessing you after degrading hi you say is true My brother, I hope, will avenge ine that Steffani will fight your brother; Steffani is a coill never expose hi, she put her hand in her pocket and drew forth, after a few , which she placed on the table
”What is this?” I exclaimed