The anguish of Don Louis increased the grief of Leocadia; her affectionate mother, however, suc ceeded in quieting her, and took the crucifix from the old man, who at last forgot his anger in the desire of again affording consolation to his daughter. After having for a while resigned herself to grief, the unfortunate Leocadia appeared to be in some degree restored to tranquillity. But she never left the house; for it seemed to her as if all the world could read in her looks the injury which she had sustained. Alas! she very soon had more painful reasons for concealing herself. She found that she was in a situation to become a mother; and it was with great difficulty that her parents could persuade her to bear the burthen of existence. For several days she refused to take any nourishment. length the love of her parents, and maternal feelings, induced her to consent to support her misfortunes. At When the time was at hand, Don Pedro and his wife hired a small country house, to which they went without any servants; they would not even call in a medical assistant; Donna Maria supplied the place of one. With only her mother's aid Leocadia brought into the world a lovely boy. Don Louis stood god-father to him, and gave him his own name. Leocadia quickly recovered her health, and so ardent was her tenderness for her infant, and so necessary to her existence did the sight of him become, that it was resolved to keep little Louis at home, and represent him to be a nephew of the old gentleman. They now returned to Toledo, where no one had had the slightest suspicion of the cause of their absence. The adventure of Rodolph had never become public; he had set off soon after for Naples, and Leocadia, respected and beloved by every one, enjoyed all the delight of the maternal state, and all the homage which is paid to an unmarried female. Little Louis, in the mean time, continued to grow, and to become every day more handsome and more amiable. His talents and graces were much beyond his years, for he was only seven, when, one day, on which there was to be a great bull-fight, the child went to his mother's door to see the young cavaliers who were riding past to take a part in the combat. He was alone, and was crossing the street to look at a band of youths, who were advancing from another quarter, when one of the hair-brained troop, who could not command his horse, came on at full gallop, and rode over the infant. The poor child lay stretched out on the road, uttering piercing shrieks, and bleeding profusely from a wound which the foot of the horse had made in his head. The people crowded round him with exclamations. All at once a venerable cavalier, followed by several attendants, who was on his way to the amphitheatre, saw the child, ran to him, took him in his arms, kissed and caressed him, and wiped off the blood which covered his face; he then sent one of his servants to fetch the best surgeon in the city, and, pressing through the throng, he carried the infant to his own house. 4 In the meanwhile, Don Louis, and his wife and daughter, had been informed of the accident. Leocadia, almost out of her senses, ran along the street, screaming, and enquiring for her son. Her father, who could hardly keep pace with her, vainly advised her not to call him her son. Everybody pitied them, and pointed out the road which the old cavalier had taken. They ran, or rather they flew, to his mansion, and ascended as far as the room in which the child was already under the hands of a surgeon. Leocadia was the first to enter; she rushed to him, pressed him in her arms, clasped him to her heart, bathed him with delicious tears, and desired to see his wound. The engaging child, who till then had been crying, smiled as soon as he saw his mother, caressed her, and assured her that he was quite well now. Having examined the wound, the surgeon declared that it was not a dangerous one. Leocadia made him tell her so a hundred times over, while Don Louis and his wife returned thanks to the old cavalier, told him that the child was their nephew, and endeavoured to excuse the extreme fondness which was manifested for him by their daughter. At last, after Leocadia had half smothered little Louis with kisses, and had become convinced that he was not in danger, she seated herself at the bedfoot, and began to look round the room. What was her surprise at recognising the same furniture, the same pictures, which she had seen by the light of the moon! She saw again the very recess whence she taken the crucifix; the tapestry was the same, nothing was changed in the apartment. It was impossible for Leocadia to doubt that she was in the house, in the chamber even, to which her ravisher had taken her. At the sight of all this she was struck dumb; paleness covered her face, a deep blush succeeded it, and she fainted away. The by-standers crowded round her, assistance was given to her, and she was carried home. They wished to remove the child also, but the old cavalier opposed this, and intreated that he might be left with him till he should be entirely recovered. Wholly engaged with his daughter, Don Louis yielded to his entreaties, nnd returned home with his wife and Leocadia.. TO BE RESUMED. |