" attend your gaining admiffion to a con"vent, in a country where you own you "have not a fingle friend.-My late "companion has left me in confequence "of her marriage: I feel myself uncom"monly interested for you; if you wish "to accept the station, I fhall endeavour "to make it as agreeable as circumstances "will admit.' I, without hesitation, "gratefully accepted her offer, and being provided with a fuitable drefs "from her wardrobe, we the following ઃઃ day proceeded on our journey. By "the way I learned that he was the "Marchioness D'Embleville, a Norman "widow of diftinction; that she had an only fon who accompanied the French. "Ambaffador, in a diplomatic capacity, "to the Neapolitan Court, whither fhe was haftening to join him, when the "above circumstances introduced me to "her notice. "We arrived at Naples without farther "accident, and were immediately at"tended by the Marquis D'Embleville. "On his entrance, I was furprised at beholding in him the very young man "who had fo kindly interested himself "in my illness at the Carnival. "produced fuch a painful affociation of "ideas in my mind, that I was obliged to "leave the room; and during my ab"fence, the Marchioness, I suppose, ac This quainted him with my introduction to "her, as he was more cool on my return " than before, and did not addrefs me for "the remainder of the day. CHAP. V. Can fhe Entreat for bread, and want the needful raiment To wrap her shivering bofom from the weather? When she was mine, no care came ever nigh her; I thought the gentleft breeze that wakes the spring Too rough to breathe upon her. Cheerfulness Danced all the day before her "A SHORT refidence with the Mar"chionefs discovered to me, that pride "was the only dark fhade which tar"nifhed her difpofition, in other refpects highly amiable; and my mind, "too much broken by misfortune to re "tain either petulance or oppofition, "was fo regulated to her fatisfaction, "that I foon became poffeffed of her "confidence and esteem. The Mar quis ftill continued to behave towards "me with the moft frigid politeness; "fometimes I would obferve him gaz"ing on me with extreme earnestness, "but this I confidered to proceed from "motives of temporary curiofity. The "Marchioness one evening, in company "with feveral ladies, had gone to the Corfo, to a brilliant difplay of fire"works. As I felt no zeft for public "amufements, I declined the invitation. "to accompany her, and retired to the "mufic room: a harpficord lay open, "I touched flightly the keys, feated my"felf, and accompanied with my voice "the following ftanzas: Why I. Why thro' nights of fleepless anguish, II. 'Tis because while fancy traces III. Yet truft me, tho' this fatal hour Caus'd me far from thee to part; Ne'er fhall time's corrofive power, Tear thine image from IV. my heart. Mem'ry there with gloomy pleasure Decks thee in ideal charms; There I'll hoard the dear-lov'd treasure, Whilft each vein with life's-blood warms. |