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which was upon the point of advancing to his lip.

Angelica, though a woman, and therefore sensible to love and pleasure, was yet one of the veriest prudes in nature; in proportion to her sensibility was her hypocrisy, and she was as careful to conceal her love as inclined to imbibe it: Her passion for Alberto, augmented by an apprehension that it was not returned with the ardour she desired, had almost con

accumulated. This merchant was a widower, his wife having died some years before the period in which we begin this history. By this good woman he had been blest, as the phrase is, with one child, a daughter, who survived her mother, and consoled her father for her loss. We will not indeed say that the merchant did not || shed some tears upon the death of his wife; he had to pay for her shroud and coffin, and it cost no small regret to part with the sum required. The masses for her soul hequered this dissimulation, and reduced her absolutely refused:-" My vow," said he, "went no farther than to support her in this world; it is her duty to convey herself to the next. Let her friends pay for her passage to heaven if they wish her there, I will not pay her toll though St. Peter should present himself to demand it."

The name of his daughter was Angelica, and her person and mind well deserved the appellation. She was tall, well shaped, an eye well for ned to excite love, and lips || which promised to reward it. Nor did Love delay long to exert his power upon an object thus qualified to dignify and advance his empire.

prudery to submit. It was at this critical moment that the indiscreet folly of Alberto hurried him on to the discovery of his love. Angelica, therefore, received this declaration as a prude might be expected to receive it, whilst her heart beat with pleasure, and her kindling eyes could scarce conceal the fire that lightened them.

Angelica received the professions of Alberto's passionate attachment with as much apparent reserve as real pleasure. She flung herself out of the apartment with a look of proud disdain; and, in order to act her part with less apprehension of discovery, departed the house on a visit to a distant relation. How fortunate is it for women that the eyes of their lover cannot follow them into solitude. Could Alberto have seen his Angelica as she departed in her carriage, could he have seen and understood the tears which she shed when thus removed from observation, how different would have been his own sentiments; instead of this, however, without the least suspicion of the dissimulation of his mistress, and firmly believing that he was the

In the same house with Angelica, and in the quality of her father's clerk, lived a young man of the name of Alberto. He was scarcely turned of five-and-twenty, was well made, was modest in his address, and always prepared the way before he ventored upon any act of unusual assurance. With these accomplishments who was better formed for a lover than Alberto? gelica at least thought so; she considered it cruel also to conceal her good opinion from one to whom she justly believed the knowledge of it would give so much satis-object of her hatred, he felt every thing faction.

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Nor did she overrate her charms or their influence in this judgment of their effect upon Alberto. Such as we have painted Angelica, who could behold her without an emotion of admiration, which opportunity must soon convert into love. Al berto therefore felt her beauty, and acknowledged her power; in one word, he loved her? With this mutual attraction, it will be easily believed that they were not long strangers to each other. Alberto, however, had the gallantry to speak first, an imprudence which destroyed the effect of his passion, and intercepted the fruit

that such a thought could inspire. His books from this day were neglected; his ledger was mistated, and alternately his master or his creditors were cheated. The merchant discovered the change, and with that usual oblivion of former services which distinguishes his tribe, reproached him with the bitterest severity treatment, together with his increasing This passion, so far augmented his melancholy that life became a burden to him, and but for the pious admonitions of his father, confessor, he would have terminated by one blow both life and this misery.

Unable, however, to support any longer

this state of uneasiness, and from the natural restlessness of grief, indulging a hope of finding that relief in a change of place which the present scene and cause of his sorrow refused, he resolved to leave the house and service of the merchant, and fly for ever from a place which only recalled to his mind at once the beauty and cruelty of his mistress. With this design, having previously satisfied his master as to the regularity of his accounts, he left the house and city, and proceeded upon his purpose without any other fixed direction than that of departing immediately from the country. "O Angelica," exclaimed he, "what fortune, in order to destroy me, has created thee! what cruel destiny has thus united in thee all the beauty and cruelty of thy sex! O that thou wert less fair, that thy cruelty might do less mischief; or less. cruel, that thy beauty might cure as it has wounded! Angelica, my Angelica, why must I thus love in vain?" With these complaints did the wretched Alberto at once gratify and indulge the grief of slighted love.

In the mean time the hurry of his mind being insensibly conveyed to his steps, he was travelling with unusual rapidity, and had already, though he had left the city but a few hours, passed to a distance of some leagues, when he was overtaken by the approach of night.

his sight. He discovered, however, that he had wandered from the high road, and was now upon a plain, through the middle of which extended the bye road he was at that moment following. As he had neither eaten nor drank since his first departure from the city in the morning, his other sufferings were now increased by an immoderate hunger.

This caused him to examine around him with an attention still more earnest, and at length he perceived a light at some short distance before him. This light appeared. to issue not from any house in the road he was then pursuing, it seemed rather to proceed from a shepherd's hut across the plain. To this, however, he resolved to direct his steps; and leaving the road he proceeded towards it.

He was not long before he arrived at the extreme inclosure of a small garden, or paddock, which he now perceived to surround the place whence he had distinguished the light to proceed. A small garden gate conducted him to the door of the house; upon knocking, an old man appeared at the window, and demanded his business. Alberto answered that he was a traveller, and had lost his way, and again implored admittance. The old man appeared for some time in suspence; the wind in the meantime whistled with that sharp shrill wintry sound which of itself is enough to freeze every ear it reaches.

"Can you hear this," exclaimed Alberto, "and yet refuse me admittance? Can you be a man, and yet leave me exposed to a night like this?"

It was now the autumn. Alberto had left the city about the hour of noon, and having travelled nearly ten leagues, impelled by the vigour of youth and love, he was thus suddenly surprised by the departure of light. Now, for the first mo"Young man," replied the stranger, "I ment, he began to recal his attention to live in this house by myself, unarmed, and his present circumstances, and had he not as you may perceive, aged. The plain been a lover, and therefore without the adjoins to the forest of Nero Bosco. I regards usual with other men, they were need not tell you that this forest is the such as might have made him repent his known haunt of banditti; who, fugitives hasty resolution. The night was dark and from their country or military standards, cloudy; and its horror was increased by a here rank themselves under some daring continued rain, the dreary effect of which || leader, and plunder at their will. You say was still heightened by a rough howling you are a traveller, and have wandered winterly wind, which, driving the rain in from the high public road; but how is his face, left him little more to suffer from such error, and so far continued, possible! jarring elements. you are now above three leagues from any part of the road you have mentioned. Is it to be believed that you have wandered so far from your route and but now discovered it?"

He now began to think as other men, and to look around him for shelter from the increasing tempest. The darkness, and still more the beating rain, intercepted

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Saying this the old man descended and admitted Alberto within the house. Seeing his desolate condition, his clothes drenched with the rains, and his limbs from the past fatigue unable to support his weight, the old man kindled a fire, and placed before him those refreshments which he justly imagined necessary. Somewhat recovered by this, he at length entered into conversation with his host, and at his request related the cause of the misery he had mentioned. The peasant listened with earnest attention, being already prepossesed by the modesty of his mien and deportment; and Alberto had no sooner concluded than he thus addressed him: "Courage, Cavalier, you have fled before the combat. I am mistaken or your despair has left a victory which was already in your power. You are thus seized with melancholy because your first address was received with disdain. What! would you have a woman surrender to the first summons of her lover? Will you allow nothing to modesty? Follow my advice, my SOD; return to the banker's, seek his daughter, and renew your suit. Perseverance in love is like courage in war. Many a woman, as many a battery, have submitted to a chance assault, which but for that all would have deemed invincible. || But Angelica is beautiful,-grant it, Cavalier; does her beauty render her less a woman? Has she passions of less sensibility because she has a face of greater loveliness? Her beauty, my son, is but the varnish of her nature; and that nature is still the same, whatever may be the elegance of its outward covering. Angelica, therefore, is a woman, and Alberto is a man. What, therefore, should forbid the one to hope, or the other to submit? Nothing but that diffidence which hinders the former from attacking, and that pride which withholds the latter from subinitting where

the strength or skill of the adversary presents her with no fair excuse for the defeat."

The old man had no sooner concluded, and Alberto was about to answer, than they were interrupted by the sudden arrival of some horsemen, who thundered at the door for admittance. The old man, trembling with apprehension, hastily addressed Alberto:-" My son, conceal yourself; these are some of the robbers of the forest. They are in the habit of using this house to dress their food, when they are at any distance from their own caves or habitations."Here the knocking redoubled.-" Fly, my son," continued the old man; " conceal yourself until their departure. They will not injure me, but should they discover you, my entreaties would not save you. Fly therefore; here, creep into this recess!"

Alberto hastily obeyed, and the old man seing him thus removed from the danger, opened the door and admitted the strangers. His surprize, however, was great, when, instead of the persons of the banditti, he beheld those of the Roman police. Their demand of shelter and refreshment was immediately complied with; and the fellows having seated themselves by the fire, commenced a conversation upon the subject of their journey.

"I do not know," said one of the fellows, "why our superior has dispatched us upon an errand like this! I cannot see what we have to do with it."

"Nor can I," replied one of his companions. "What has justice to do with a young fellow's elopement with a woman who choses to be his companion."

"You mistake the affair," replied the third; "this young woman is the only child, and therefore the heiress to the old merchant; and you know it is death by our Roman laws to carry off such a one."

This conversation excited the attention of the old man, who now ventured to take his share in it, and demanded of the last speaker a fuller explanation of the subject of their discourse.

"My old friend," replied the fellow, "the affair is indeed of a very singular nature. There is a merchant in our city of Rome who is well known throughout Italy for the greatness of his wealth, and still more for the love he bears it. This merchant had a daughter--"

"What is this merchant's name?" said the old man, interrupting the relator. "Stephano," replied the fellow.

this, old friend! what have you to say to Angelica? Now, by the holy father, if it were not for thy beard, I should think thee

"And his daughter's?" resumed the old Signor Alberto himself! But as I was

man.

"Angelica," replied the follow.

The old man here had some difficulty to conceal the emotions of surprise, and in some degree of terror, which this discovery excited. Alberto in the relation of his history had not concealed the names either of Stephano or Angelica; the old man, therefore, now recognized them to be the same. With some efforts, however, he was successful in disembling his apprehension, and repeated his request that the fellow would continue his narrative.

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saying, Angelica was missed, and the old merchant immediately, and very wisely too, concluded that the birds had flown together; that Angelica had perhaps written from her aunt's villa to Signor Alberto, and that the whole affair had thus been settled between them. Stephano then immediately guessed this to be the plot, accordingly waited upon my Lord Governor, and made him acquinted with the whole. I was present myself, and it is in this manner I have been enabled to explain to you the business. My Lord Governor imme. diately dispatched us all to pursue the fugitives. We have not been able to trace the Signor Alberto, but as to Angelica, we came up with her about the noon of this day."

"Came up with her," exclaimed the old peasant; "and what have you done with her?" continued he with an eagerness which immediately collected the eyes and attention of the whole company.

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Hey!" exclaimed the relator, eying the old man with unusual attention, “do you know any thing of this same Alberto or Angelica? Why, if you had them in your house you could not show more apprehension! Though, as to Angelica, indeed, we are safe enough there; for she attempted to escape from us, and we, according to our duty, shot her in the attempt!"

"As to a narrative, old friend," resumed the fellow," it is not much of that, for it will take up but few words. This rich merchant, Stephano, as I have said, had a daughter of the name of Angelica, of the reports of whose beauty the city was as full as of the wealth and covetousness of || the father. Stephano, therefore, in confidence of his own wealth, and this beauty of his daughter, expected to marry her to some great baron, such as the Colonna's, perhaps, and therefore gave her an education which suited a princess. The young woman, however, saw with different eyes to her father, and instead of fixing them upon a young prince or a baron, cast them on a young lusty rogue of a clerk, one Signor Alberto, who being in the service of her father, lived in the same house with her. This young fellow, upon pretence of some dislike, left the service of his master this morning. Signora Angelica, who had been upon a visit to her aunt, returned to her father's house about an hour after Signor Alberto left it; she pretended truly to fall into a fit upon being told that Alberto had left the house, though the young Signor, or I am much deceived, had only acted according to something concerted between them, and was, perhaps, at the "Signor," said the fellow who had same moment waiting for her at some ap-hitherto spoken, and who was their principointed place. Be this as it will, another pal, "your honour has saved us a labour hour did not pass before Angelica herself we were about to undertake, that of searchwas likewise missing. ing the house for you; for our honest host here has betrayed you by his eagerness."

"Angelica missed," exclaimed the old man, with more emotion than prudence should have permited.

"Hey!" resumed the relator, "what's all

"Wretches, murderers, barbarians!" exclaimed Alberto, bursting the door of his concealment, and rushing forward amongst them. The fellows appeared at first startled at this incident, and the fury of Alberto, but recovering themselves, and gazing at him, they immediately recognized him for the object of their pursuit. They accord. ingly seized him.

(To be concluded in our next)

HYMENEA IN SEARCH OF A HUSBAND.

(Continued from Page 14.)

LADY LOVELACE felt so mortified || beau monde being eager to witnesss the

at having allowed herself to be in danger of catching at the bait which the designing Hibernian had laid in the well-meshed net he spread before her feet, that the following morning after the discovery made by Lord Castledowne, she gave orders not to be at home to any one. She was grave and reflective, a temper so unusual with her, that my maid told me, her Ladyship's woman complained of the Countess's cross looks, when, in fact, I knew that my poor aunt was in sober sadness reproaching her own folly.

first drawing up of the splendid curtain at Sans Souci House), Lady Castledowne could not deny herself the pleasure, even at so short a notice, to offer a share in her good fortune to the Countess Lovelace and her niece. The play was to be performed that very night; and her Ladyship inclosed a bill of the drama, which was most superbly printed on white satin.

I suppose my countenance expressed my wish to be present at a spectacle so new to a country novice, as to see Peers and Peeresses laying down their dignities to At this juncture, when her Ladyship assume the fictitious majesties of the stage. was lying along the sultane, in her dres- An old auut of mine (a very different persing-room, and I, by her desire, was amus-sonage from my noble kinswoman before ing myself with her harp, a letter was presented to her." Hymenæa, my dear, break the seal; I am not in a humour to prick my fingers with the insignia of any more castellated heroes, since I so narrowly escaped losing may hand by a snap from the shark of Castle Killaloe."

My aunt smiled, sighed as she spoke, and threw me the letter; glad to find that she could jest on what I saw had so pained her delicacy, I replied in the same gay strain, and took the yet unopened letter. I observed that its seal was an armed warrior issuing from a mural crown, and grasping a dagger. Though no herald, I recognized an Earl's coronet surmounting the whole; and breaking the waxen padlock, the signature of Castledowne presented itself.

me), my father's sister, who dwelt in Northumberland, and whom I used to visit in my childhood, had impressed me with a few prejudices against "stageplayers" of all descriptions, which did not a little excite my curiosity to understand how people of birth and fortune could possibly so degrade themselves, as to place their amusement in imitating a profes|| sion which comes under the vagrant act. I remember pretty well, that if in repeating my daily portion of Gay's Fables, or my weekly Collect, in any more oratorical style than that of the usual sing-song of a sixpenny-school, or the nasal drawl of the clerk of the parish, my venerable aunt || would slap my hands with her spectaclecase, and ask me if "I meant to go a morrice-dancing, or to make one in a spout"Nothing more about that odious ing club, that I must see-saw my hands I hope!" cried Lady Lovelace, colouring; and speechify my voice like a vagabond "No;" was my reply; and having her stage-player, when I came to speak poetry Ladyship's commands, I read the epistle and holy writ like a gentlewoman and a aloud. It was to express Lord and Lady Christian!" These lessons, frequently reCastledowne's regret at not finding us at peated, though they did not lessen my home that morning, when her Ladyship pleasure in emphatic enunciation, and did herself the honour of calling upon the the representation of fine plays, certainly Countess of Lovelace aud Miss Well-established an unreasonable contempt in wood. His Lordship then added, that his my mind for all professors of the dramaLady had received tickets of admission for tic art. the opening of the private theatre of the gay Duchess of Sans Souci; and that, as it was expected to be a very grand affair, and tickets were difficult to obtain (all the No. XVI. Vol. III.—N.S.

"I perceive," said Lady Lovelace, "that you wish to go, child. I am too ennui to venture into a private theatre, of all places in the world; I should yawn at I

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