bore away his prize in triumph. The peafants, who had not the highest opinion of Aunt Dorothé's character, refused to interfere; and even gave Sabran three cheers of approbation, which they well knew would not go unrewarded. Thus they parted; Sabran more elate than Alexander at his return from the conqueft of India; Aunt Dorothé, with all that rancour, fpite, and malice, in her heart, which the reader may fuppofe in a woman agitated by fo many and fuch violent paffions. The Comte, who was to the full as much in love as if he had been making it for years, and whofe intentions towards the object of his wishes were every way honourable, was by no means défirous, as yet, to difcover the fecret to his father. After fome deliberation, he procured lodgings for Maria in the neighbourhood. But who can ftop Fame in a country village? The fhort fpace of two hours brought the whole affair, with additions, to the Maréchal; who immediately furprized the enamoured couple tête-à-tête in their new apartments. Heigh-day!' exclaimed he, at entering, but not in a tone of paf fion; what! Monfieur le Comte, getting the girls into a corner already! The Comte made no anfwer; and he proceeded Well, Mifs! and fo I find you have been laying love-baits for my fon; but Here Maria, trembling in every limb, threw herself at his feet, and entreated him, with a voice of fupplication which muft have touched even a Nero, not to condemn her unheard. There was a fomething even in Maria's afpect that pleaded moft irresistibly in her favour, before her lips uttered a fingle fyllable; and fo fweet were the accents which flowed from that fource of candour and truth, that, had the asked for empires, no other idea would have refulted from the requeft, than how they might be procured for her. Maria was fuffered to proceed: he told the Maréchal, in few words, not one of which failed to reach his heart, that the prefumed he was equally mistaken as to her defigns and character. She said, that, like Lavinia, the had been left a folitary shepherdefs of the woods with this difference, that Lavinia found comfort in the arms of a tender parent, whilft he had been configned to the care of a relation whe feemed to find a malicious pleasure in aggravating her diftrefs. At the mention of the park-fcene, the Maréchal could not help exclaiming to his fon, What! attempt the virtue of an innocent female and fteal a march upon her when he was afleep, too!' The Comte foon undeceived the Maréchal in his hafty conjectures: and when he came to the part Aunt Dorothé had acted in the affair, the old gentleman's mufcles took a very different turn; and gravity was the leaft prevailing paffion in his face. Maria then difcovered her name and family, at which the Maréchal feemed greatly affected; protesting, in a tone of angelic fweetnefs, that the had none of those bafe defigns on the Comte his fon, which the Maréchal had unkindly fuggefted. I believe you, child, moit fincerely!' faid the Maréchal, taking one of her hands in both his; But what do you sup pofe were my fon's defigns on you?" Maria blushed, and was filent. The Comte, on being asked the fame queftion, immediately replied, Matri Ma mony! Matrimony!' exclaimed the Maréchal: what, no fooner enlifted in the fervice of Mars, than that of Venus must follow! Well; I always afferted that they were clofely connected together.' The paufe of a minute which followed thefe apoftrophes, made the two young lovers tremble for the event. ria conceived the old gentleman's hefitation to originate in her want of fortune: but how different would her prefentiments have proved, had fhe known what paffed in the Maréchal's heart during that short interval! He feized Maria's trembling hand, with an emotion that appeared evidently in every feature, and preffed and kiffed it with an ardour that fhewed at once the fulness and candour of his heart. And are you 2 L 2 really ، really Maria, the virtuous orphan of my friend?' Was my father your friend, Sir?' returned Maria with furprize. Yes,' cried the Maréchal, he was, indeed, my friend; nay, more, my benefactor! Nor is there a name under Heaven more dear to me than that of Clancy! Your father, it is true, was unfortunate; but where is the virtuous man who has not been fo? Oh, Maria! Maria!' (continued the Maréchal de Sabran) now no longer an orphan, now no longer the wretched child of forrow, let me wipe away that ⚫ tear which duteous recollection has drawn from it's cryftal fource!' And he in vain ftrove to hide thofe which ftole down the furrows Time had made in his own ancient cheeks. - Here, my fon,' faid he to the Comte, take this fair hand, which • monarchs may envythee; and could I fuppofe the want of fortune would render it lefs precious in thy eyes, dear as thou art, and muft be, to my paternal fondnefs, by Heaven I could difcard thee for ever!'-And, by Heaven!' added the enraptured Comte, I fhould, in that cafe, well deferve your fevereft refentment, with every other curfe that could be heaped upon my devoted head!' Nothing now remained but to fix the day of their happy union. You are both yet very young,' faid the Maréchal to his fon, when preffed on the fubject-merely to tantalize him and marriage, after all, is a ferious affair.'-Ah, Sir!' exclaimed young Sabran, it is fo! and let us therefore get over it as foon as we can.'-The Maréchal gave a fmile of approbation, and immediately named the day which was to render his fon the happiest of mor tals. One puff of Fame conveyed this news to Aunt Dorothé; whofe ears were ever open to intelligence, as her tongue was on the rack till employed in liquidating the debt to others. What pen can defcribe her agitated mind at that moment! It was, indeed, painted on her face in colours equal in number, though not in luftre, to thofe of the rainbow, and would have baffled the art of every painter in Europe. The tea-equipage was overfet in her first paroxism of in her firft paroxifm of rage; her cap was rent away like a fail in a storm, and the motley locks that mantled like ivy round her temples, at once to hide and mark out the ravages of Time, were ftrewed like autumnal leaves on the carpet. In this attract ing defhabille fhe fallied forth from her folitary manfion, followed by her monkey, parrot, fquirrel, and a whole groupe of cats, the only objects that ever experienced one fingle mark of her benevolence; and, with the hafty ftrides of a Virago, made the best of her way to the Chateau de Marli. 6 'God of my fathers!' exclaimed the Maréchal, who first obferved her at a diftance, what infernal spectre prefents itself to my view?' Ah!' cried Maria, it is my aunt! shield me from a refentment of which I have fo repeatedly been the trembling victim!'-Fear nothing, my angel!' faid young Sabran, clafping her to his bofom; thou art now mine! ⚫ and from this hour my arm is to be 'thy protection.' Aunt Dorothé entered; and, had an artist been prefent, the portrait he might have taken of a Fury would have immortalized his pencil. Finding it in vain to reafon with fo defperate a being, who began to exercise her vengeance in effectual depredations on the Maréchal's fuperb furniture, he ordered his fervants to escort her to the door; from which fhe retired, railing at beauty, marriage, and mankind. The eve of the bridal day now arrived, and every thing was in readinefs for the celebration of the nuptials on the enfuing morn, when the Comte received an order to join his regiment, which was ordered abroad, without a moment's delay. War had been fuddenly declared, and every thing prepared for the most vigorous exertions. No plea for neglect of duty could appear admiffible to the old Maréchal, who had always been a strenuous promoter of rigid difcipline; and, however painful the task neceffarily proved to his fon, he knew he muft not 1 1 not hesitate to obey. The tender Maria, heedlefs of her fex and weakness, was now refolved to accompany her lover in difguife to the field, and fhare all his dangers. My prefence,' faid fhe to the Maréchal, who very properly oppofed her defign, will animate him to heroic deeds!'- No, my ‹ child,'replied the Maréchal, (though evidently pleafed with her fpirit;) no, I am perfuaded he will require no other incitement to duty, than that of honour: when this is fatisfied, he will return ftill more worthy of the rewards which love has, in your perfon, defined for him. Your charming fociety, Maria,' added he, embracing her, will be neceffary to confole me in his abfence!' The two armies met early in the campaign; a moft obftinate engagement enfued; and never did victory more deeply tinge her laurels in human gore, than on this awful occafion. The Comte de Sabran, who performed all that Fame or his fire could with, received feveral dangerous wounds in the conflict; and Rumour, who, like a river, increases as fhe goes, proclaimed them to be mortal. The Maréchal's grief was every way fuited to the calamity. In feeling himself a parent, he did not, however, forget that he was a hero. 'He is up all hopes of ever feeing or hearing from her more. But what was his joy and furprize, when, after a fhort interval of melancholy, a letter from his fon convinced him that the youth was ftill in being, and in a fair way of recovery! The report of his death had been premature; though accounts were received from the army in which he was numbered with the flain. The Maréchal's anfwer announced the fudden retreat of Maria, in confequence of her error; and a truce of fix months being agreed on by the contending powers, the Comte de Sabran obtained leave of abfence, and determined never to return till he had found out the spot which contained the treasure of his foul. With this view, he vifited every convent where he fuppofed fhe might be concealed; and, after incredible fatigues and anxiety, (during which he feldom tafted food, or fuffered fleep to approach his eye-lids) he at length traced her to Vienna, whither fhe had been invited by a boarding-fchool friend, whom alone flie had made the confi dante of her intentions. Under the feigned title of her brother, he was firft allowed an audience at the grate; and he even obtained permiffion, under that sanction, to visit her within gone!' faid he; but not without the inclofure. There he found the his fhare of glory!-He is no more! had already taken the veil, and even but he died, as I ever wished him, her laft vows: but love prevailed over in the service of his country!' all the dictates of religion; and a plan The difconfolate Maria heard the fe was concerted for her release, which fentiments; but, alas! they conveyed he immediately put into execution. no balm to her wounded heart. She had loft all that was dear to her, in a world which had ever afforded her but too little enjoyment; and, to indulge her forrows in folitude, was now the only object that claimed her attention. In a few days fhe difappeared; and a letter informed the Maréchal that her refolution was to end her wretched remnant of life in the gloom of a cloifter. As fhe had not mentioned the place of her deftination, the Maréchal was unable to prevent this fatal ftep; and, after many fruittefs refearches and enquiries, he gave Night was the time fixed on for this defperate attempt, and every precaution was taken to prevent a discovery. The guard was fecured by an ample bribe; the Comte fcaled the walls as the clock ftruck twelve, and found Maria prepared to fecond his exertions. Many obftacles, however, retarded his defigns; nor were they accomplished before the centinel was relieved on whofe aid and fecrefy he had relied. The foldier now on duty obferving him and Maria defcend from the wall by a rope-ladder the Comte had taken care to provide, immediately fired; when when poor Maria inftantly fell at his feet. Not doubting that he was mortally wounded, he facrificed the guard, by whom he fuppofed he had been bafely betrayed, to the first impulfe of his refentment; and, in the diftraction of his foul, was meditating the like vengeance on himself, when Maria (who by this time had recovered from her swoon) arrived foon enough to prevent the fatal ftroke, Once more he clafped her in his arms; but the report of the centinel's mufquet having given a general alarm to the guards, he was conveyed, with Maria, to a place of fecurity. Murder and facrilege were the two crimes of which he food clearly convicted; crimes which excluded the moft diftant hope of mercy. He was accordingly ordered to prepare for inevitable death; and the lovely Maria was condemned to fhare his fate. my come not hither in the forlorn hope of defrauding the claims of justice, which I have ever refpected; but of pleading for honour, which has been equally dear to me. If r children are guilty, let them perish, but not by a vulgar hand: mine, Sire, fhall do the office of an exe'cutioner; and the fame fword that pierces their hearts, fhall foon find accefs to mine. I am a Maréchal of France; my name is Sabran: and this requeft, I truft, will not be re. fufed to the fame of my ancestors, and to my own!' The Emperor heard him with afto. niinment; nor was it till after a paufe of fome minutes, that he could make him this gracious reply. Go-it is I impoffible that your children can have been guilty; or, if they have. been fo unfortunate, whatever be their crimes, I forgive them for The day was comee-the awful " preyour fake.' parations were made-and the vile arm of an executioner was already raised to cut off two perfons in the bloom of health and youth-culpable in the eyes of erring man, but more than innocent in thofe of Heaven when the old Maréchal de Sabran, doubtless conducted by Providence, arrived at the melancholy fpot juft in time to prevent the dreadful cataftrophe. His name and virtues were refpected even by thofe enemies who had fo often fhrunk before his valour; and no fooner had he claimed the two culprits, and declared his intention of appealing to the feelings of the Emperor, than orders were given to defer the execution till the event of his fuit fhould be known, Being admitted to the Imperial Prefence, what was his conduct? Did he rend his grey locks in token of affiction, or defcend to more abject acts of humiliation in order to excite pity? No; he appeared, he looked, he spoke, with the confidence of a man who felt his claims to attention. The words This fentence was highly extolled by all but the bigotted clergy, ever enraged to fee victims fnatched from their vengeance; thefe complained that the interefts of Heaven were facrificed to thofe of humanity: but, in spite of their influence, Sabran and his beloved Maria were restored to the arms of their now-enraptured parent, and foon after united in the fofteft bands that Hymen ever entwined. The fovereign, to whofe benevolence they owed thefe bleffings, was not long without his reward: in the very next campaign the young heir to his throne was refcued from fate by the Comte de Sabran; who never failed to tread in the footsteps of his father, and feemed ftill more to inherit his godlike virtues, than his titles, his rank, and most ample fortune, ANNETTE. A FAIRY TALE. F BY MASTER GEORGE LOUIS LENOX. he made ufe of were few: Sire,' faid opulent country farmer, in the he, I am a father-alas! I must foon ceafe to be fo, for my, fon and daughter have offended you!-I ever memorable reign of Henry the Great, was frolling through the de lightful |