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guifhed from her companions by a fuperior elegance of mien and grace of features, the wore a veft of white ftuff, fitted to her fhape, and round her flender waift was bound a fearf of black gauze, a small cap, whiter than Alpine fnows, attempted vainly to confine her flaxen treffes, which fell in waving ringlets on her thoulders, and frayed over her fair forehead. When he had emptied the fragrant contents of her basket, the bent on one knee upon the brink of the grave, then raifing her tearful eyes of celeftial blue to heaven, fhe feemed to breath a filent prayer for the foul of the departed marquis; then, accompanied by the village maidens, The retired from the fpot, paffing thro' the vacancy which was again formed for them. Albert followed the fweet mourner, who, bidding adieu to her affociates, moved down the church, look ing around with anxious eyes, as if in queft of fome object interefting to her affections. Suddenly the fprang to ward a venerable old man, who was tottering to the porch, and throwing around him her fair arms, the fupported him to a feat, where, placing herfelf by him, they paffed fome moments in the eloquent filence of unaffected grief. Never had Albert beheld fo beautiful a picture. It was Emma, who fupported on her bofom the filver head of Bernard, while from her eyes, tear after tear, in quick fucceffion dropped on his furrowed cheek-The ftranger refpected too much their mutual grief to interrupt it, and perceiving the funeral train returning from the grave, he accofted one of the peasants who was nearest to him, and eagerly enquired the name of the maiden who seemed to lead the young group that firewed flowers at the grave. The peafant gave Albert every information which he defired, and as the day was declining faft, he offered the traveller a bed at his cottage, which being contiguous to that of Bernard, proved a temptation not to be refifted. Honeft Pierot led Albert a fhort cut through fome fields, and after having recommended his guest to the attentions of his wife, he haftened to the caftle gates, in queft of the fervant whom Albert had ordered to wait there

his return. In this humble but neat dwelling, the young firanger determined to refide fome days, under pretence of exploring, at his leisure, the extenfive domains of the cattle, but in reality to introduce him felf to the lovely Emma and her father. The impreffion, which her artless beauty had made on his heart, was of fo ferious a nature, that he indulged the hopes of making her his wife, if he found, on acquaintance, her mind as charming as her perfon, and fhe would accept his proffered vows.

We muft make a fhort digreffion while we return to the state of the family affairs of the late marquis, for fome years before his deceafe. He had been married, late in life, to an amiable woman, by whom he had an only fon: having paffed the winter at Paris, he was unexpectedly called away to attend fome important bufinefs at Clairvillecafile: he fet off immediately, leaving his lady and infant fon, then about three years old, to follow. After the fatigues of a bufy day, on the evening that he expected the marchionefs to arrive, he was waiting her approach upon a ter race which commanded his fine park. As his anxious eyes were turned towards the grand avenue, which led to the caftle, he perceived one of the domeftics who had been left to attend her, advancing, with as much speed as the tired ftate of his horfe would allow. The marquis haftened toward him, to receive tidings of his beloved wife, but what were his fenfations, when the fervant informed him that the carriage of the marchionefs and her retinue had been attacked by an armed banditti, who rushed out of a wood about a league diitant from the caftle. The attendants who were likewife armed, furrounded the carriage, and for fome time made a flout refiftance, but he had every reafon to fear that, overpow ered by numbers, they had fcarce a chance of defending their mistress from the fury of thefe affaffins, and in all probability they had fallen victims with her to the murderous fwords of their affailants. The meffenger of thefe dreadful tidings, had been tempted by an early flight to efcape to the caftle,

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impelled by the feeble hope of gaining them fome affiftance; but the road being folitary which led to the chateau, he had met no human being on his way. The marquis loft no time in ufelefs lamentations, but inftantly arming himself and feveral of his brave domeftics, who were ready to encounter any danger for fo beloved a mafter, they mounted their horfes, and in a fhort time reached the fatal fpot. They here found a fpectacle of horror: the mangled bodies of the fervants lay lifelefs round the carriage, in which the murdered marchioness and her two Women remained, with wounds yet bleeding-In the midft of this defolation, the marquis fought in vain his infant fon, whofe abfence infpired, mid his forrows, a fecret and prefaging hope that he had been either refcued or preferved. He placed himself and his followers in an ambufcade in the wood, for the remainder of the day, with a view to fuprife the villains thould they return at night, and, either revenge this horrid malfacre or fall in the attempt: his hopes were vain: the wretches fated with their bloody deeds, approached no more the fatal fpot. Early on the enfuing morning, they began to remove the daughtered victims: they had been joined by all the neighbouring villagers, who aflifted in the fad office. As they were raifing fome of the lifelefs attendants, they were ftartled by a groan from one of the bodies: on an immediate fearch, they found a dying ftranger, whom they concluded to be one of the banditti, who had fallen by the hands of the domeftics, during the contest; and who had probably, from being concealed ander feveral dead bodies, efcaped the recollection of the villains. They raifed and fupported the wounded wretch, hoping, if he recovered, by the affiftance of a furgeon who had followed the marquis, by his orders, to this scene of death, and had in vain at tempted to reflore the marchionefs and her unfortunate fuite, they might obtain information of the fate of the young marquis.

He feemed to revive a little by an effect which the attention had upon kim. The marquis affitted in fupport

ing him, while the furgeon poured a cordial down his throat.-His faculties in fome degree appeared to return, he gazed on the marquis and attempted to fpeak, but in vain.-Clairville then addreffed him thus, I conjure thee, by thy hopes of mercy here and hereafter, tell me, if thou haft power to speak, where is my fon?-does he furvive? Answer that queftion only for the prefent, and I will wait the event of thy recovery for further information.

The dying man, made repeated ef forts to articulate, but for fome mo ments he remained fpeechlefs: at length he faintly uttered, "young Clairville lives." He could no more; the exertion overcame him; and fucceffive convulfions feizing his whole frame, he expired in agonies.

This confeffion, in the midft of fo fevere an aiiction, long kept alive in the bofom of the marquis fome feeble embers of expiring hope he returned to his folitary caftle, fo late the feene of all his happiness, where he fhut himself up for feveral days, to give vent to the firft emotions of his forrow. The fufpenfe, which he yet endured, relative to his fon's deftiny, had fuch an effect upon his fpirits, that he determined to retire wholly from the world, and to deplore, in the folitude of his caftle, the misfor tunes of his family: but he did not fo much yield to the impreffions of grief, as to be regardlefs of his tenants and dependents: his generous nature would not permit him to be unmindful of their interefts. They had long been the objects of his bounty: they now became the children of his adoption: and, loft to domestic felicity, he centered all his remaining confolation in difpenang happiness to all around him. Years, followed years, in this manner; every fearch after his beloved fon had been fruitless; he had long ceafed to indulge the flattering profpect, which he had at first entertained, of recovering his loft treafure; and though his pious relignation, permitted him not to murmur at the decrees of Providence, yet no ray of hope cheared his declining age.

He beheld death approaching with that fecret fatisfaction, which anticipat ed a bleft reunion with thofe dear ob

jects,

jects, who had already partaken of the rewards of innocence and virtue. On the decease of the marquis, his eftates devolved by inheritance, on the baron of Morenzi, who was of a haughty cruel character, and revengeful; whofe reafon and actions were fubfervient to his paffions; and who fcrupled not the commiffion of any excels. to gratify his ambition, avarice, or fenfuality.

Over thefe vices he had, by art and cunning, drawn a veil, which impofed on frangers; and to unfold which, a confiderable fhare of fagacity and peretration was requifite: on those whom 'his heart fecretly detefted, he could fmile with eafc. A character fo hypocritical, could not fail of becoming the averfion of the adjacent country; for however the deceiver may conceal his vices, in the formalities of courts and public life, they will always appear in their true light, to thofe, to whom they are objects of neither fear, nor regard. His new vaffals and dependents received a specimen of that treatment, which they were in future to expect, from the first moment of his arrival at his new abode.

They had collected together in the court of the caftle, to celebrate his approach. Wherefore, faid he, as he defcended from his carriage, are you affembled here with gloomy faces and fable habiliments-Is this the welcome you give your new lord?-I think you might have fpared thefe trappings of woe for a departed mafter, to wait with joy the commands of his fucceffor." An univerfal filence fucceeded this ungracious harangue, which fo exafperated the baron, who expected to be received with acclamations of pleasure, that he broke forth in the following words: Depart, you minions of that indolent fupinenefs, which marked the character of him whom you mourn in vain quit my castle, and if you have any bufinefs to tranfact, I refer you to my fteward, who has attended me hither, and who will impart to you my commands. Awed and fhocked to filence, the humble train retired from the prefence of a man, whofe dominion over them, promifed nothing but the exertion of tyranny and oppreffion. In a

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day or two after his arrival, the fyftem of affairs was entirely changed. old fteward was difcarded, and his place fupplied by a man, who had gained the confidence of the baron by the abject fervility of his flattery.

The faithful fervants were dif charged, and fucceeded by others, who had been the intruments of his vices. Bernard only, and a few more, who from the meannefs of their fituations had efcaped his notice, were fill permitted to occupy their feveral departments. Inttead of the condefcenfion, with which their late lord had treated all around him, the new mafter of thefe domains kept them at an awful distance; and never permitted the plaints of poverty to reach his ear, or the groans of oppreffion to plead for mercy: fuffering virtue never obtained redress from his compaffion, nor innocence from his juftice. He had lived a life of luxury and debauchery, which had involved his private fortune in difficulties, from which his great acquifition was calcu lated to extricate him. A multitude of importunate creditors, difturbed the first moments of his fmiling fortune; and inftead of appropriating to the payment of his debts, a part of the princely revenue, the enjoyment of which he fo little merited, fuch was his mean avarice, that he immediately devoted to the axe, fome lofty rows of venerable trees, for many fucceffive centuries the greatest pride and ornament of the caftle of Clairville.

We now return to Albert, who foon gained that introduction, at the cottage of Bernard, which he fo anxiously fought, and by frequenting the fociety of this worthy old man, he had daily opportunities of feeing, and converfing with his lovely daughter. Powerfully charmed at firft fight by her perfonal attractions, he now found, on an acquaintance, an irrefiftible fafcination in the fuperior beauties of her mind. Na ture had formed her fentiments juft, delicate, and virtuous, and her education had for two years received great advan tage from a frequent intercourfe with a lady of birth and diftinguished talents, who had, on the deceafe of her hufband, retired into a fmall habitation,

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fituated in a vale near Bernard's cottage: this amiable widow had lived many years in the world, and had partaken both of its profperity and adverfity, fufficiently to fhew her the inftability of fortune with her beloved lord, The had loft the fuperfluities of life; but fatisfied with competence, the devoted the remainder of her days to folitude and religion.

She conceived for Emma, then juft fifteen, a ftrong attachment, and eafily obtained Bernard's permiffion for his daughter's frequent vifits. The good woman delighted in cultivating a mind whofe capacity and genius promifed every fuccefs. Emma read aloud for hours, uninterruptedly, to her kind patronefs, and read with an attention, that impreffed upon her memory every thing worthy to be retained; and the fubjects were conftantly calculated to improve the morals and enlarge the underftanding. At the end of two years, death ftopped the progrefs of Emma's education, by fuddenly depriving her of this moft excellent friend; her little income reverted to the family of her hufband, and the had nothing to leave the child of her adoption, but the fimple furniture of her little dwelling. Emma mourned with affectionate regret, a lofs fo great, but determined to perfovere in thofe ftudies, for which he had acquired fo correct a tafle, and which the was fo happily enabled to do, by becoming the poffeffor of the valuable and felect collection of books, which formed the fmail library of the deceated. By rifug very early in the morning, Emma was enabled to pursue her favourite employment, without trefpaffing on those hours, when her filial duties or domeftic cares demanded her attention.

and gentle flame was communicated to her bofom. The ardent lover, in the firft flattering moment of afpiring hope, declared his paffion, and offered at her feet his honourable vows. She blushed modeftly, and referred her affent to her father's will. The heart of Bernard, at this unexpected proposal, felt all a father's rapture; but the ftrict rectitude of his fentiments checked the momen tary joy, and with that fincerity which marked his character, he declined fo unequal an alliance, and reprefented to his young friend the impropriety of his forming any union unfanctioned by his family. Accept our gratitude,' faid Bernard, for the honour which you intend us; were you lefs diftinguished by rank and fortune, I should be proud to call you fon. Emma's only dower is virtue, and her birth is too humble to become your wife. Never fhall falfe vanity or fordid intereft, betray me to an action at which my confcience would revolt. I will ftill be worthy of your efteem, and the child whom you have honoured with your love fhall merit, at leaft by her conduct, the rank to which you would generoully raite her. But you must meet no more: this is the fern decree of untullied virtue and irre proachable honour. Return to your native country, with every with that grateful friendthip can beftow.' Albert had liftened in filent admiration to the words of Emina's venerable tather: when Bernard ceafed to fpeak he thus replied, Could I offer a diadem to your incomparable daughter, the would, by accepting it, confer, and not receive the honour. I would not have prefumed to folicit her affections or her hand, could I have admitted a doubt of my father's approbation of a choice directed by reafon and fanctioned by virtue.. I will renew no more my humble fuit till authorizd by him to demand the hand of Emma: Farewell! my return hither shall be as rapid as the impatience of love and hope can render it.' Thus feparated, the venerable Bernard and the youthful Albert, nor.could' The mental accomplishments of Em- all the moving rhetoric of the latter ma, completed the conqueft which her prevail upon the father of Emma to beauty had begun, in the heart of Al-, permit a paring fcene between the bert; nor was it long ere a reciprocal lovers. He wifely thought the impaf

Young Albert foon difcovered in the converfation of Bernard's lovely daughter, a well-informed mind, an understanding which blended the artlefs fimplicity of rural life, with the more refined fentiments of cultivated

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fioned adieu of Albert might leave an impreffion too tender on the heart of Emma, and which, as he forefaw. would endanger her peace of mind, if indulged; he therefore determined to ufe every argument, which could banish the flatterer hope from her bofom.

Bernard returned not to, his cottage ull Albert had quitted the village when he entered, Emma advanced to meet him, her eyes furcharged with tears: the prefented him with a letter, which Albert, retiring to write for a few moments before he mounted his horfe, had ordered his fervant to leave as he paffed the door. It breathed the Language of eternal love, and affured her, that as he quitted her only to accekrate their union, the might foon expect his return to claim her promifed hand: Bernard folding up the letter when he had read it, and putting it in bis pocket, thus addreffed his trembling daughter, who awaited filently her fate: • Beware, my child, how you fuffer your heart to betray your happiness; truft not to the proteftations of a lover. An inconfiderate vow is more frequently broken than kept. You may be the prefent object of Albert's affections, but man, by nature inconftant, can eafily transfer his heart, to fucceffive objects. The world will, probably, foon efface you from his remembrance; or hould he even ftill retain his faith unfhaken, can you flatter yourself that his family will admit into their fociety an humble villager, whofe birth they would proudly deem unworthy their alliance-Never thall my Emma's hand be united to a husband unsanctioned by the authority of his parents. Make, therefore, every effort, my be loved child, to conquer a prepoffeffion fatal in its tendency, and hopeless in its effects. You have never yet deceived me, and I have that confidence in your difcretion, which perfuades me you will not deviate from the path of rectitude; nor by a clandeftine conduct, act unworthy of your own fpotlefs character. Emma funk at the feet of her venerable fire, and embracing his knees, 'Never, never,' exclaimed the, while tears rolled down her pale cheeks, fhall your child wander from the path Hib. Mag. April, 1796.

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of honour!You hall guide and di rect all her actions, your counfels hall fortify the weakness of her heart, and affitt her to fubdue every fentiment difapproved by you; and if the cannot immediately forget the confpicuous virtues of her loft Albert, at least, she will humble her ambitious hopes, which had the prefumption to foar above her obscure birth, and to afpire to an alliance to which he had no pretenfions, but what the delufive voice of love and Albert awakened in her bofom.' Bernard folded her in his arms with all a father's fond delight; and applauded the fentiments which flowed from a heart capable of facrificing every inclination to that duty, which the owed him. Emma poffeffed a strength of mind fuperior to her years, and though he tried in vain to forget an object fo tenderly beloved, the fo far reasoned herself into a perfuafion that the friends of Albert would never confent to their marriage, without which she was refolutely determined never to accept his hand, that the renounced every idea of being united to him, and banished the feducing hope of beholding him again.

While Emma was thus meritoriously fubmitting to the rigid laws of filial duty, fate was haftening to involve her in a faare more dangerous than that, which the had fo nobly overcome. As fhe was fpinning, one fultry day, in a bower of honey-fuckles, near the gate of their little cottage, accompanied by one of her young female neighbours, the baron de Morenzi paffed by, on horfeback, and cafting his eyes on the fair Emma, was fo fruck with her beauty, that he fuddenly ftopped, and difmounting approached the wicket. Taking off his hat, he complained of a dizzinefs in his head, for which he politely requested a glass of water: Emma arofe, and tripping into the house, quickly returned with a chryftal draught, which the prefented to him with a native grace that accompanied all her motions. He had, during he fhort abfence, informed himself that the was the daughter of Bernard, who ferved him as under-bailiff. He accepted the cup from her hand, and while he fwallowed the contents, he drank, at Uu

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